canon pixma pro 100 or hp photosmart b8550

[bakravitz]

I currently own the HP Photosmart B8550 (color resolution listed at 9600x2400) and just bought but not opened yet the Canon Pixma Pro 100 (final cost 79.00) color resolution listed at 4800x2400 dpi) Did I just down grade or is the cannon printer better.

Please advise.

[Manfred M]

Both are consumer grade printers, so they have their limitations. I assume you are concerned by the print resolution difference between the two units?

My pro Epson 3880 has a maximum resolution of 2880 x 1400 and I'm willing to bet it handily outperforms either of your two units. The dpi is a nice, but meaningless number that the marketing types will throw out at the unsuspecting consumer. The main difference I note when I look at the specs is that the Canon uses 8 cartridges while the HP uses five. That suggests to me that the Canon should give you better (more subtle) colour rendition than the HP.

[rpcrowe]

I am very happy with my Pixma-9000 Mk-II which I believe that the Pixma Pro-100 replaced. The Canon rebates seem to just about "give away" the Pro-100 printer. I also took advantage of a really great rebate when I bought my Pixma-9000 MkI.

I enjoy printing using the supplied Canon Easy Print Software from within Photoshop CS6...

[DanK]

I don't know about the HP, but like Richard, I use the Pixma Pro 9000 II and get superb results from it. I print directly from Lightroom, primarily using Moab Lasal Exhibition Luster and Red River Polar Matte. the pro-100 should be better yet. The drawback of these two printers is that they use dye-based inks, so the prints will not last as long as those printed with pigment inks. The advantage--this is the reason I bought dye rather than pigment--is that seems impossible to get the Canon dye-based printers to clog. I have another that is years older than the 9000, and neither has ever clogged, despite the fact that I leave them unused for long periods and don't heat or air condition the space they are in when I am not using them. Pigment inks are more likely to clog if the printer is not used regularly.

[bakravitz]

It was the rebate that made me get the Pro 100... Yep almost free. My cash flow is a bit low this month (as last month I dropped almost 8500.00) I purchased the D800, Nikon 24-70 mm, Nikon 300 mm and the Nikon TC 20E III.

If I were to go with a high end printer (instead of sending out) what would you recommend?

Both are consumer grade printers, so they have their limitations. I assume you are concerned by the print resolution difference between the two units?

My pro Epson 3880 has a maximum resolution of 2880 x 1400 and I'm willing to bet it handily outperforms either of your two units. The dpi is a nice, but meaningless number that the marketing types will throw out at the unsuspecting consumer. The main difference I note when I look at the specs is that the Canon uses 8 cartridges while the HP uses five. That suggests to me that the Canon should give you better (more subtle) colour rendition than the HP.

[Cantab]

I don't know about the HP, but like Richard, I use the Pixma Pro 9000 II and get superb results from it.

I also am very happy with my Pixma Pro 9000 II.

[rpcrowe]

As DanK mentions, one of the better attributes of the Canon print system is that the print heads seldom clog. That was not the case with my Epson 1800 which seemed to clog often. I don't seem to do anything differently with my Canon than I did with the Epson...

[davidedric]

Pixma Pro 100 currently retailing in the UK at $500 equivalent as far as I can see

[DanK]

If I were to go with a high end printer (instead of sending out) what would you recommend?

I have not compared them carefully, but my impression is that the prints I get from the Pixma Pro 9000 II are every bit as good as the ones I get from a good lab. I've essentially stopped sending images to a lab since I bought it. I intend to send to a lab only if I need something this printer won't do, e.g., a size larger than I can print, a surface I can't do (aluminum prints), or prints that are more archival.

[Manfred M]

It was the rebate that made me get the Pro 100... Yep almost free. My cash flow is a bit low this month (as last month I dropped almost 8500.00) I purchased the D800, Nikon 24-70 mm, Nikon 300 mm and the Nikon TC 20E III.

If I were to go with a high end printer (instead of sending out) what would you recommend?

Most of the people that I know tend to go with the Epson Pro printers, they pretty well own the market. I have the Stylus Pro 3880, which is the bottom of the line pro printer, and have no problems recommending it. Canon has a few good machines as well and I see them in the stores, but don't personally know anyone that actually has one. HP is really more after the large format business market and really don't have a pro product that I can think of offhand.