Canon i9900 vs. Epson 2200 (1 Viewer)

[Jeff_HR]

I'm interested in moving up to a wide format printer. Does anyone out there have any experience with the Canon i9900 & the Epson 2200? My current printer is an Epson c80, which is looking like it needs to be retired. I like what I've read about the 2200, but it is a bit expensive. Also, is it scheduled to be replaced with a newer version? I've read about print fading problems with Canon printers. Does anyone have experience with this problem with the i9900? My cost concerns with the 2200 could be addressed by buying the Epson Stylus Photo 1280, but I don't like the idea of all the non-black colors being in one cartridge. I'd appreciate hearing about anyone's experiences. Thanks.

 

[Rob Gillespie]

I'm sure I read somewhere recently that the print quality of Epson's newer R800 surpassed that of the 2200 slightly - but it's only for A4-ish sizes. Apparently an A3 version is due out later this year.

 

[Max Leung]

I imagine that the i9900 would have the same fading issues as the rest of the Canon printers. The Canon inks are not formulated for longevity. To complicate things, not everyone has fading problems. It seems dependant on humidity, pollution levels (ozone?), storage conditions, etc. I suppose a Krylon spray or something similar could help.

The Epson 2200 uses (more expensive?) pigmented inks, which is great for longevity, but quite a few people like the colors of the i960 better. I assume the i9900 is a wide-carriage version of the i960.

There are quite a lot of variables regarding print quality. I had custom color profiles made for my Epson 2200. Cost me $50 US, but it is well worth it...it's like an ISF calibration for your printer! (I used Cathy's Profiles - it doesn't matter what printer you have, as the ICM color profiles are all that is needed)