Canon i9900

[minatophase3]

I am thinking about getting this printer and was wondering, for those of you with this printer or the Epson 2200, do you use this as your normal, every day printer to print out e-mails, internet pages, etc?

While I don't do a large volume of printing on my current home printer, my wife will print out directions from the internet or recipies, etc. Should I consider keeping the old printer for such things or won't it matter much (ie ink costs)? I currently have an old HP Deskjet 820c.

Thanks,

Tim

[dn7elson]

I have the earlier model, the S9000, and use it only for photo printing and large sheet (11x17) for AutoCAD and CPM schedules. The graphic/photo printers really don't do as well at printing text, but it's OK.

The ideal combination, from my perspective, is to have the photo printer for photos and an inexpensive laser printer for everying text (without color). Brother makes a good, and inexpensive - both initial cost and operating cost entry laser. HP makes a nice inexpensive laser as well, but it is a bit more costly for consumables.

For my small business, I have the S9000, HP970 (for duplex and booklet printing) and an HP6p laser. The HP970 is more of a luxury, but I had it before getting the S9000 :D . With USB, connection of multiple printers is a breeze. I have had all 3 printing various items simultaneously...sure saves time.

[Belmondo]

Ironic that this subject should come up now because I'm just in the process of rearranging my office to accommodate an i9900. The footprint of this printer is quite a bit larger than my old i950.

I also have a laser printer (old HP LaserJet 5M) for business use and monochrome printing. I suspect I'll be using the i9900 strictly for color prints and oversize prints.

The hard part was trying to integrate everything----3 computers plus a laptop witht he two printers. I settled on a LinkSys wireless printer server. It has both a USB and parallel port, so I can connect both printers to it and access them from all the computers.

Works well for me.

[John_T]

I have a HP that I am saving for the next time I see a heavy vehicle wearing treads and a perfectly good laser printer, but I use the i9950 for everything ...because it is so good and fast at everything. :D

[PacAce]

I just got my i9900 printer a week ago and I've already printed about 10 8.5x11 pictures with it. Each one of the pictures came out beautifully with the colors matching my monitor so closely I can hardly tell them apart. All I can say about it is, "What a great printer!!!"

But to answer your question about using the i9900 as an all purpose printer, I don't see why you can't. In my case, I already have an old Epson Stylus to use for general purpose printing so the i9900 is reserved strictly for printing photos.

[DReb-MO]

I actually think it's a good idea to use it as a "multi" purpose printer. I have gone a number of weeks with other inkjet printers without printing and find that it causes problems with the ink and print heads. Using it keeps the floww going. If not the first print out always looks bad and requires a cleaning and alignment excercise. My 2 cents.

[Longwatcher]

I have used both my S9000 and now i9900 as an all purpose printer, namely because I only have one per computer. Other then it takes as long to print a text document page as a 8x10 full color print (or so it seems to me), it works great. Even in text mode they are still faster then my old printers (now given away).

No problems.

As a side note: I have gone for up almost 2 months without printing anything on my s9000 and I have never (yet) had a clogged nozzle problem with either printer.

Just my experience,

[BCdives]

minatophase3,

Yea, unless you have money to burn, I would certainly have a "1 Tank" multi-purpose printer hooked up as well, the i9900 will do a fantasitc job with printing off the web, e-mail , etc. But when you start replacing tanks (8 of them total) you'll think twice about it being your primary printer, but thats just me.

(obviously I will buy refills on line, but I saw them at office depot for about 15 dollars EACH!)

[dn7elson]

But when you start replacing tanks (8 of them total) you'll think twice about it being your primary printer, but thats just me.

You only replace the ones that you have used the ink in; therefore, if you just use black, you just replace black.

(obviously I will buy refills on line, but I saw them at office depot for about 15 dollars EACH!)

They are about $10 each at IT Supplies. Expensive, but still better than $15 :D

[Belmondo]

I lack the organizational skills to keep track of such things, but I'm quite sure that since I switched to the i950, my ink costs have dropped quite a bit. The i950 uses 6 separate cartridges; the i9900 uses the same ones (plus two more --- red and green). As a result, I'm able to keep both printers going with the same cartridges. I have an old HP LaserJet for all my monochrome printing, and that's very cost effective compared to the ink jets.

As has been pointed out already, when I run out of one color, I replace only that cartridge and not a single, monolithic multi-color ink cartridge that still might have lots of ink remaining in it. It makes sense to me anyway.

[BCdives]

Thanks for that DN7, yes you are right, however if you use the built in software "Canon Easy Web Print" you will be hitting the full spectrum of colors.

If it's just junk B & W stuff, why would you possibly put the wear and tear on a $500 photo printer, when you could use a 50 dollar printer to do the same stuff.


Have a nice day :D

[dn7elson]

If it's just junk B & W stuff, why would you possibly put the wear and tear on a $500 photo printer, when you could use a 50 dollar printer to do the same stuff.

Duty cycle. For a bit of routine B&W stuff, you won't even approach the monthly duty cycle of the printer.

I personally use a laser for routine B&W printing. It is much quicker and more cost effective. I use the HP970cse printer with autoduplex feature to print two sided, multiple sheet per page booklets and misc. web output, and keep my S9000 for primarily photos, oversized AutoCAD and CPM Schedule prints (11x17 for the most part). This lets me use the best tool for the desired purpose.

[igas]

I just got my i9900 printer a week ago and I've already printed about 10 8.5x11 pictures with it. Each one of the pictures came out beautifully with the colors matching my monitor so closely I can hardly tell them apart. All I can say about it is, "What a great printer!!!"

But to answer your question about using the i9900 as an all purpose printer, I don't see why you can't. In my case, I already have an old Epson Stylus to use for general purpose printing so the i9900 is reserved strictly for printing photos.
Hi Leo,
Glad you're happy with your new printer!
Could I just ask you whether you print thro' PS or Qimage, and whether you use a profile or let the printer do the colour-management?
My first few prints were not as good as I would have liked.

Thanks,
Ian

[lpringle]

Can someone help me? I have a i9900 printer and loved it. However I went to turn it on the other day and I only get an amber light. The print head does not move, actually nothing moves. I unpluged it and plug it back in and it automatically goes to the amber light. Can anyone help me?

[Fade2]

I have both the i9900 and the i9100 both great printers.
But for everyday use I use either my Epson R200 or my Canon 470.
thinking about selling my Epson 1280