I've been using a Pixma ix6520 which I believe is the model that your
printer replaced. Probably uses the same ink set just lacking wireless
support. Ink's can be expensive to put it mildly, but, I haven't found
an inexpensive printer that has better image longevity, using good
quality paper.
I've been using it since my HP wide carriage printer died when it's
print head jammed in the locked position and HP wanted nothing to do
with repairing it.
None of the inexpensive 13x19 printers are cheap to feed, you can
sometimes find bargains on paper, but ink, if you don't buy OEM, you're
just asking for trouble in my experience, and the bulk ink systems that
can bring the cost per picoliter into something resembling physical
sanity, that are sometimes designed for more expensive "professional"
printers just don't seem to be available for the less expensive
printers, the last is especially true of Canon due to design
considerations.
With careful image choice and preparation the results are good. It just
takes practice, and a bit of work, to get the parts of the system that
can be calibrated so that soft proofing is possible to work right.
I haven't found the longevity of the images all that bad either. When
displayed behind glass out of direct sunlight I've seen no noticeable
degradation of any the images I've printed with it so far, some are
several years old, (and Canon has claimed a 75 year lifespan, not much
shorter than the 100 years claimed for their pigment ink printers),
Much better than supposedly archival images I printed with previous
printers.
Honestly I don't know what inexpensive 13"x19" printer I could recommend
that would be better. I know that Canon now makes an 8 ink printer that
sells for a bit under three times what I paid for the ix6520 that uses a
couple of additional colors in addition to the CMYK dye inkset, and a
grey cartridge for improved B&W printing, but you'll run into the same
cost per print issues but with more inks.
The higher end printers are easier to calibrate, on some systems, but
the price of the next real step up in the Canon line the Pixma Pro 100
using an 8 color pigment ink system, is about $500 though I think Amazon
has it on sale now for $350. You'll still be buying ink in cartridges
and no OEM continuous ink supply system available. I
On 6/29/2019 9:15 PM, Larry Colen wrote:
Last fall I picked up a Pixma ix6820 primarily because I got a really
good deal on it. I've since bought ink and am somewhat less enamored.
I've mostly been using it to print out floor plans for my boss and
might have the option of selling it to him and picking up something
that suits my needs a bit better.
Ideal specs would be:
able to print at least 12" wide
photo quality
reasonably inexpensive to purchase and to feed
reasonably good quality/longevity
1) Are there any specific printers that you would recommend buying or
avoiding?
2) Are there any details in particular that I should try to look for?
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America was founded so we could all be anything we damn well please.
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