A weekly Nozzle Check Pattern is actually better print head maintenance than printing a photograph. That's because it'll put an equal amount of each colour through the whole print head, whereas it's unlikely a photograph will use equal amounts of each ink, therefore, the photograph will unevenly deplete one of the cartridges as well as not necessarily pushing enough ink through one of the colours. Good video and great advice as always. Thanks, Rick
@@KeithCooper indeed. We were only discussing this, last week, on a global livestream. I very much appreciate your videos, Keith. They helped me (a professional photographer) decide to buy the Canon iP8750 as my proof printer, and to use professional print services to do my client prints. Cheers, Rick
I recently purhased an Epson P900 and was happy to discover the "Epson Smart Panel" application for my Android phone. Unfotunately, you cannot perform a nozzle check remotely using this app. I would not be there to inspect the nozzle check pattern, however, running a nozzle check would be the best way of running ink through my printer while I am away from the printer for longer than 2 weeks. Anyone figure out a way to run a nozzle check while away?
Keith, here in America, my cost per ml for ink is nearly twice as expensive for my epson 3880 that just won't die since 2014, compared to the larger carts in my 4 yr old p7000. I just schedule a nozzle check for both every other day . I used to keep it on but living in the lightning capital of America, Tampa, FL ( when I moved here I wondered if Tampa was plural for tampon but it is the indian word for light sticks... lightning. Had a lightening strike on the power pole near my house, power went out and when I went to do a nozzle check waking it up, every time it did a full blown cleaning cycle draining all the carts in a month. $1000 to get an Epson guy out including parts. Well, it took 3 visits about 2500 in parts which epson didn't charge for and PPA insurance paid for except the $50 deductible. But warning if you have your printer with usb cable from router/modem which has cable coming in from out side. Although whole house on master lightning protector and $150 protectors on computers, tv and printers, warning... lightening came in through the cable, destroyed the modem and router and then traveled the usb to the printer. I now have the cable attached to an in port on the breaker and a small cable section from the out to the modem. But in large lighning storms, I unplug the printer power and usb.
That's useful to note for people in more exposed areas. Here people rarely give lightning protection a second thought, but electricity comes via underground cables...
I have a Canon 2100 pro . At least two times a week , I print from Lightroom , and "order" a "strip" from a file that have a variations of colors . Full wide of the roll , but only 3 inch in hight . In that way I always have a fresh printer , with no drying ink in the pipes . Love your channel Keith .
Yes that's a great solution - it will likely make the print heads last longer too. Glad the YT stuff is of interest - I've years of written material on the Northlight site to cover as well as new stuff. I have someone at Canon UK to thank for finally convincing me to have a go at making the videos (I'd avoided it for years...)
Interesting channel. Glad I stumbled upon it. Very sound advice. I've been digital printing since the 90s and I just brought my Epson 7600 back to life which I had purchased new when it came out, so it's about 20 years old. It took quite a bit of cleaning by the "windex" method and also a set of cleaning cartridges but it's now working almost line new. The amount of ink the 7600 uses for startup and cleaning is obscene. 5:21 is especially true for those with large format printers who don't have a rigorous printing regime. To reduce the chance of severely clogged nozzles I (personally) print daily be it a simple nozzle check or a couple of "dummy" prints. It doesn't completely stop clogs but does reduce frequency. I also leave my printer on to avoid the tremendous amount of ink "waste" at startup. Just a note that clogged jets/nozzles can also be caused by other factors such as dust, humidity (as already mentioned) and also paper choices. I also have a Epson 2200 which prints like the day I bought it and I find that it most definitely has much, much less nozzle issues than the 7600. As to "modern" printers: I find it utterly amazing that after 20+ years that Epson, Canon... refuse (yes refuse) to work this issue out (there's too much money to be made). Luckily I have the ability to use 3rd party (refillable) pigment inks which are indistinguishable from the OEM ones. That eases the financial sting a bit and makes printing much more enjoyable.
Thanks I had a 9600 for several years and it always gave excellent service (with enough use!) BTW If you've not seen them, I have far more articles on the Northlight Images site than videos (the video go back 18 mths, the articles 18 years...)
Funny you mention about using the printer & not letting it set too long. I just bought the Canon Pixma Pro 200 & used it several times. Good printer but I had to leave it set for at least 10 days as I went back to Illinois. I live in Colorado where it is dry & at 4800 feet elevation. I did cover it before I left so I do hope when I get back home it'll work fine. I will run a test page when I get back before I make another print. Don't like to leave it on during the time I'm away for 10 days. Thanks :)
Thanks Keith! Extremely valuable information as per usual. I'm really enjoying my pro 200 and it's coping well with intermittent use and relatively cold storage. I wake it up every few days and either print or see of it wants to look after itself in some way. So far so good. Thanks again for your help in all things printing
For the past 5 years, I've kept my Pro-10 powered on and print at least a nozzle check every week or two (I also usually use Precision Colors pigment inks). So far, my printer has worked tickety-boo.
I ended up tossing my dried up $500 printer in the trash. So frustrating. From now on I'll use a printing service to print my color photos. Great video, by the way.
Thank you, very informative! I'm considering upgrading from an Epson XP-15000 to a P900 and was wondering about maintenance and ink longevity, since I don't print a very high volume.
Thanks - for a printer like this, I'd like to use it every few weeks at least - a simple nozzle check on plain paper is all it takes. The inks are in a sealed system, so the pigments will last well.
Excellent - I still have one here if you've any questions - also do check out the more detailed articles on the Northlight web site - the videos tend only to be overviews.
Hi Keith! I just got a Canon Pro 300 for Christmas and it's my first photography printer. I found your video super helpful, thank you! Do you know anything about a self-cleaning setting I need to turn on if I don't print often? If not, I'll just set a reminder to print something every couple of weeks. Thank you for all of your responses on our comments as well! You're a Rockstar!
Thanks - I'd just leave it at the defaults and set a diary reminder to print a nozzle check on plain paper at least every 2-3 weeks - it needs no more than that. If you've not seen it, there is far more info at the main [written] review: www.northlight-images.co.uk/canon-pro-300-printer-review/
I print at least once a week...normally after I've been out for a shoot. I'll get back, process the image, and make an A4 print. I'll then spend anything from a few days to a few weeks just looking at the print, working out if I like the image or not, and what changes I'll make in the next edit.
Yes, it's that regularity that catches people out - it's easy to not print for a few weeks that becomes a month or so and then the printer is starting to complain.
@@KeithCooper There's always a reason to print something! Not every print needs to come from a masterpiece or is something you are going to sell. Sometimes it's just fun to print something and look at it.
Very informative video! I wonder what ink usage would occur in a worst case, eg leave the printer turned on but print nothing for 1 year? Obviously that would be a waste of having the printer in the first place, but at least it would give a worst case wastage cost. Edit: I’m referring more to a the wastage concerns on the Pro-300 vs Pro-1000 in this case.
Thanks Unfortunately, there is simply no reliable data in this respect I've ever seen, just anecdotal reports on forums, where you have no idea of exactly how much printers were really used or the conditions they were kept in.
@@KeithCooper thanks for the reply. That aligns with all the anecdotal statements of been reading. Do you have any opinion if to the Pro-1000 would be worse than the 300? Some people seem to think so. My debate is the 1000 is currently $250 (Canadian) more than the 300 but with much more ink included. It would suggest the 1000 is the better deal, but if it throws that extra ink into the waste tank, and then does so forevermore, then maybe not!
Ah, I've genuinely no data to even make a guess about. I usually only get printers for a while to test, so leaving them unused is not part of my normal testing ;-)
Yes, initial setup is the only time I hope to hear lots of noise, but they all have little 'start-up' processes, which can depend on how long it is since you last used the printer.
Great! Today I discovered your website, too. Maybe you can embed a little banner in the mid of the video to promote your website. I was really excited how much in-depth content you have there 👏🏼
Thanks, a most informative video. I am still trying to decide if I should replace my Epson R1900 which has plugged print heads through lack of use. Another printer may acquire the same problem unless I use it more often. Another question is should I buy a good used Canon Pro 300 and have it shipped to me? Is there a danger of sloshing inks during transportation? Thanks much !
Thanks Personally I'de be very wary of having any printer shipped with inks in it. The small carts of the 300 may be less prone to issues - as long as the head is securely parked and kept in place. I've seen how stuff gets treated during shipping... I'd be even more concerned buying a used printer without testing it...
@@KeithCooper Keith, thanks much for your quick reply. I do think I'll buy new. How much would I like to save for the price of problems and aggrevation?
Well, yes - unless you get a refurbished model from the mfrs. I'd treat buying a 2nd hand printer as I would getting a used car out of the local paper...
I purchased my Canon Pro 10 printer over 7 years ago. It is still printing like new. Nowadays, I do not use it that often, maybe going 2 or 3 months without printing. I always switch off the printer when not in use. It still prints beautifully, the only downside being that the cleaning of nozzles etc can take a very long time, the printer takes 3 or 4 minutes to settle down once switched on and then another 4 or 5 minutes of maintenance occurs when I actually instruct the machine to produce a print. Maintenance also takes a long time when you change an ink cartridge - you cannot hurry a print. I would recommend this printer or its newer equivalent to someone who can afford a printer but does not do a lot of printing.
That's good to hear although I'd never suggest such light use ;-) ;-) The 300 fixes a lot of my minor gripes about the 10, and used the same print head.
Same here but with the Pro 100. I have gone 3-4 months without printing but try to print at least 1 good 8”x10” at least every 2 weeks. For me it is worth it to take a step back, look at. Photo & make judgement call to hopefully improve my photography.
Oh right so if I had a big printer like the SC-900 and I printed something out at least once a week then I would be unlikely to have many issues with irregular maintenance? As you say there's always a nozzle check if needed!
It seems to be the best way of maintaining printers. Every week is not essential, but I set a two week reminder in the diary, just to remind me if I've not had anything to print for a bit. It's really easy to forget - particularly if I have another printer to test ;-) The bigger large format printers are even more designed for regular use.
I asked about this and was told it doesn't really make much difference. When I had one here I left it to turn itself off after a while (can't remember the timing), but left it plugged in.
Hello Keith!. Great video. I really enjoy your videos and subscribed the minute i found you on TH-cam!. I am looking to buy a Pro 1000 soon and i will be printing every 2nd' week. I hope to be OK with this relatively light use...
Thanks - I do have a detailed pro-1000 review on the Northlight Images site. www.northlight-images.co.uk/canon-pro-1000-printer-review/ It long predates my making videos to augment my articles/reviews ;-) The 1000 does use more ink in cleaning (proportionally) with light use, but should be OK
I recently bought Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-300 and it eats ink like hell when u are not printing often. From full 10 cartridges I got only 2x A3 (B&W) prints and 2x A4 (Color) prints and it run out of ink (all 10 pretty much at the same time) because I wasn't printing often. I was printing nozzle check every 1-2 weeks and letting it go to sleep mode by itself. It is amazing printer but if you are not printing a lot don't buy it. You will have to replace full set of inks even if you are not printing much every 2-3 months or so. When I bought new inks I tried to turn off auto sleep and just keep it on and do nozzle check every 2-3 days cause I read that if you are not printing anything for 60h it will do an auto cleaning or if you turn it off and leave it for few days off next time you turn it on it ll also eat a lot of ink for cleaning. After 2 weeks and nozzle check every 2-3 days one of my new bought black ink already shows 80% and I haven't printed anything other than few nozzle checks. It really seems like this printer uses 90% of the ink on cleaning if you don't use it almost everyday.
Keith, thank you for your helpful videos. I'm wondering about when to use the maintenance box? When I first unboxed and set up my Epson Surecolor P900 17" I installed all the ink cartridges, but the directions never said anything about installing the maintenance box. So I kept it and stored in the drawer. I am now ready to change the ink cartridges as the initial ones have pretty much run out. I dont use it that often, but have been sure to do the nozzle check monthly or run a print just to keep it going. When do I use the maintenance box? Should I install it before the new inks and run it? or?? thanks again!
Have a look at the printer's webpage (may be visible via 'supply levels' on your computer). It will show ink levels AND the level for the maintenance cart. Just like ink carts, the printer will let you know when it is nearly full and when it needs replacing. The spare cart is because the set-up process dumps quite a bit of ink into it, so a spare was included. When it needs replacing, don't rush out and get a spare - the second one should last for ages...
@@KeithCooper Wow! You're amazing..thank you for such a quick response, it was so helpful! I had no idea that there was a maintenace box already in it when I got it and was scared to look and see if ink had been dumped all over, now that Ive learned its needed for regular use as well as cleaning. Happy to have found there is one in there. My inks all show about 1/4 of the bar remaining except for Light grey which is almost out. Will it tell me when to change the ink or just that its low? Do I change them all, or just the empty ones as needed? The maintenance box is also at approx. 1/4 full. My prints look a faded which is why I ordered the inks. I have read the manual and emailed support but their response was not very helpful. Appreciate your help with this so I will know from here on.
See my main P900 review for a lot more info (and links to videos) about the printer (check the P700 stuff too since the printers are almost identical) www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/ The grey is usually the first to go - see notes on ink use in the actual reviews (my videos are usually just supplements to the main info)
The problem is that Canon, for example, does not communicate well how the printer should be operated, when it uses how much ink for what and so on. It is possible to load a list of the ink use for each print, but not for the cleaning cycles. For my Pro-1000, over the course of 3 months only, it filled a tank (250ml) with ink that was used for cleaning while using only around 180ml on approximately 200 prints (mostly A3). Even if I understand ink is required for cleaning I think that this proportion of ink use and the poor documentation makes the Canon Pro-1000 quite a scam!
Yes, the 1000 is a bit heavy on the cleaning if it's not used a lot, and regularly. I have raised this issue with Canon when testing, I know I'm not the only one...
Depends on the printer With all the printers I've tested, the head is parked when the printer is not in use, even if powered on. There is no difference between how the head is parked on the capping station. There may be additional transport locking, but this has no effect on the head capping.
Hello Keith . Do controlled0 ambient conditions can improve the longevity between prints of a dye based inks? So for example keeping the printer in a room with constant temperature and humidity higher than 50% can reduce clogging so extending time between prints? I expect instead that a solvent/pigment printer will not benefit by high humidity levels but perhaps will benefit of controlled temperature.
I don't know for certain, but both dye and pigment ink printers of the sort I look at use water based inks, so neither like low humidity conditions if unused. I've not used solvent based printers.
wich printer has the less cost for ink waste mainteinance for not printing so often? canon 200, 300 or 1000? i would love the 1000 but heard it eats a lot of ink if not used every 2 days
300 maybe for light use - not that much in it though given the cheaper ink for the 1000 This is only a guess though - I have no meaningful data on this - my detailed review of the 1000 was back in 2015 when it first came out.
Vastly different - different inks and different print head technology. Similarities stop at the maximum width of paper ;-) The P700/900 (for they are the same) use ink on cleanings, not on any scheduled usage.
Hi Keith-- I know this is an older video but I ahve a question regarding maintenance. If I were to say go on vacation for like, a month or more, what do you advise? Say I have a Canon Pro-200. Would it be better to remove all the cartridges or-? Thank you!
Ah - definitely do not remove the carts (I'm talking of Canon inks here) The printer should be able to take a month's lack of use with no problem. It may do a bit more startup testing and any almost empty carts may flag as empty. So, have spares for when you start up I'd likely put it in a plastic bag to keep dust out, but that depends on where you keep it and your climate
@@KeithCooper Was just wondering how many prints before the 3rd party inks start showing up and then fully show through. I'm holding off doing a printer calibration with X-rite i1studio so that I can create & save custom icc profiles for the 3rd party inks. I think I will wait until a couple of dozen prints before I do swatches. Thanks for the quick reply 👍
A lot of prints will go through before it's flushed enough for accurate profiling - one more reason I won't personally touch 3rd party inks Make sure those prints use all the inks - some are used very sparingly
@@KeithCooper Yep, I'm sure I will pick up the difference in some colours as the show through but others it will be hard to tell. Just printing a few photos for friends at the moment so not panicking too much 🙂. Thanks again 👍.
I'm planning to buy pro 200 but I'm concerned with the waste tank. Is it replaceable? Is the waste tank available to purchase in case it needs to change?
It is not a user replaceable item - it is the same as the PRO-100 I believe. For 'normal' use it should last years, but for higher volume commercial use, a printer with replaceable tanks is perhaps a better option.
Hi, thanks for your video, you suggest for a print like p 700 or canon 300 that you must do at least once print a week? It's right? I m only photoamateur.....and i print for me
Hello Keith, firstly, thank you so much for your videos, they are super informative and have been really helpful! Do you think printing film transparencies on a printer such as the P700 in addition to art prints would be harmful over time? I need a printer for fine art prints and also for film positives for screen printing for which the P700 and Canon 300 are highly recommended due to their ability to print super crisp opaque blacks. Many thanks, Lizzy
Thanks - glad they're of interest. As long as you get a film that's suitable for the pigment inks it should be OK. I would though look at creating a custom media setting with the film thickness and preferred media type (see my written printer reviews for more about custom media settings)
@@missthomas8773 It's not a video - I only do videos for more general topics. www.northlight-images.co.uk/custom-media-for-the-pro-300/ and about half way through www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p700-printer-review/
Every few weeks should be fine - there are no solid recommendations for small consumer printers like this, but they take being unused better than high quality printers.
hi, could you recommend me printer please? I often print 10x15 and 13x18 photos in large quantities for families, schools, schools. Is the canon pro-300 a good choice or some cheaper one that will print more photos quickly? I also like fine art photos that I print on a larger A4 format. Thank you very much for the advice.
You mix requirement that suggest no printer in particular. Is this for a business? What level of quality do you need? What do you mean by 'large quantities'? No, a more expensive one than the 300 is suggested :-)
@@KeithCooper Yes, it's for business. if I take photos of kindergartens and schools, I print 200-300 photos a day in a smaller format 10x15 and 13x18. The quality of the photos must be at least comparable to the quality from the photo lab. Ideally better. Now I'm trying to specialize in fine art photography (portrait photography) and there should be output in the best possible quality. If a cheaper printer than the pro-300 is enough, I will be happy to recommend it.
@@jaroslavabilkova3079 That many prints is well beyond the capacity of a printer like the PRO-300. It is not designed for such volumes. No chance of anything cheaper at such a print volume - it suggests something more like the SL-D700 www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-surelab-sl-d700-review/ Sorry - what you want and 'cheap' are not in the same room ;-)
Have had the pro 200 for over a month now, it was making great prints until a few days ago. It has started to print blues with a purple tint and darken the overall image. I've been testing it for a few days now and can't seem to find the reason for this. I printed a couple of previous prints that are on my wall and are perfect. Now printing the same photo with the exact same icc profiles and paper its totally different. Did a print head cleaning to no avail. Firmware is up to date. Any suggestions? Thanks.
This is frequently a sign of a software change somewhere. Depends on a lot of possible things. Blues taking on a purple tinge is sometimes a colour management related issue. I've not seen the problem myself, but my first step is to print a known good test image (not one of your own) using the Canon print software. I use the Datacolor one from www.northlight-images.co.uk/printer-test-images/ If this prints OK then it's a sign of a change elsewhere, and that the printer is fine
@@KeithCooper thanks Keith will give it a try. I’ve been printing out of Lightroom and it’s been ok, but very buggy with other things going on, maybe it’s Lightroom. Will get back to you with an update. Thanks again.
Lightroom is not printing correctly. Photoshop is printing fine. Canon PPL is giving me an error (please check the printer's operation panel or the Remote UI) Getting tired of all the Lightroom bugs, might just go through Bridge and PS.
I've come across your channel at a time when I'm deciding if I should purchase my first proper photo printer. I currently use a lab and print a a couple A3, and 10+ A4s a month but would love to print more and take control of the process myself. I'd love to get into printing my own A2 prints having seen your enthusiasm for that size! I'd be interested in your view (I'm not sure if you already have a video?) on when it becomes cost effective to print at home Vs lab and the best way to work out the true costs.
That's a tricky one to answer specifically, since I get the printers/inks/paper from the makers, when testing. The cost of the printer is easy to factor in, but ink and paper less so. The best ink costs (albeit US) are in the RR article at www.redrivercatalog.com/rr/cost-of-inkjet-printing.html You need to check paper prices as well. Then, assume that in perfecting your printing, you're going to be doing testing and the like, so the prices above don't factor in that, which hopefully reduces over time. Start with a basic paper at a smaller size though! See here for some of my thoughts about how to get into printing www.northlight-images.co.uk/better-photography-by-printing-your-work/ Just remember that it's hard to beat lab costs at a simple monetary cost level - the benefits of printing spread far wider in someone's photography (IMHO) - that is where the value comes in...
Do you mean wide cut sheets? If so then I've never seen them from Canon or Epson They do roll paper which you can cut into sheets, however I believe most starts at 17" width. 13" width is not so easy to find. Ask Canon though - I don't sell paper! :-)
Keith,. (anyone in the know? facts please, not guesswork),... Are the Epson (OEM) inks the same fluid across their range? E.g. 114. is the ink the same (fluidity, viscosity, tone, colour, chemical make up etc) as, say, the 104,.. or 103,.. etc, etc? Do you know? I refuse to spend £100 on 6 bottles of ink YET, I also refuse to put dodgy inks (non OEM) inks into my ET-8550.
You ask about information that is not widely available or known, even in Epson (just take note of the corporate structure). I have no information I can give. One route to check is to find the EU chemical safety documentation for the inks. Way beyond my level of patience or interest, so left as an 'exercise for the reader' ;-)
A weekly Nozzle Check Pattern is actually better print head maintenance than printing a photograph. That's because it'll put an equal amount of each colour through the whole print head, whereas it's unlikely a photograph will use equal amounts of each ink, therefore, the photograph will unevenly deplete one of the cartridges as well as not necessarily pushing enough ink through one of the colours.
Good video and great advice as always. Thanks,
Rick
Yes - my suggestion to do a print is partly to get people to think about printing more ;-)
I run nozzle checks...
@@KeithCooper indeed. We were only discussing this, last week, on a global livestream. I very much appreciate your videos, Keith. They helped me (a professional photographer) decide to buy the Canon iP8750 as my proof printer, and to use professional print services to do my client prints.
Cheers,
Rick
I recently purhased an Epson P900 and was happy to discover the "Epson Smart Panel" application for my Android phone. Unfotunately, you cannot perform a nozzle check remotely using this app. I would not be there to inspect the nozzle check pattern, however, running a nozzle check would be the best way of running ink through my printer while I am away from the printer for longer than 2 weeks. Anyone figure out a way to run a nozzle check while away?
Underrated comment. Ty
Keith, you provide a much needed service.
Thanks!
Keith, here in America, my cost per ml for ink is nearly twice as expensive for my epson 3880 that just won't die since 2014, compared to the larger carts in my 4 yr old p7000. I just schedule a nozzle check for both every other day . I used to keep it on but living in the lightning capital of America, Tampa, FL ( when I moved here I wondered if Tampa was plural for tampon but it is the indian word for light sticks... lightning. Had a lightening strike on the power pole near my house, power went out and when I went to do a nozzle check waking it up, every time it did a full blown cleaning cycle draining all the carts in a month. $1000 to get an Epson guy out including parts. Well, it took 3 visits about 2500 in parts which epson didn't charge for and PPA insurance paid for except the $50 deductible. But warning if you have your printer with usb cable from router/modem which has cable coming in from out side. Although whole house on master lightning protector and $150 protectors on computers, tv and printers, warning... lightening came in through the cable, destroyed the modem and router and then traveled the usb to the printer. I now have the cable attached to an in port on the breaker and a small cable section from the out to the modem. But in large lighning storms, I unplug the printer power and usb.
That's useful to note for people in more exposed areas.
Here people rarely give lightning protection a second thought, but electricity comes via underground cables...
I have a Canon 2100 pro . At least two times a week , I print from Lightroom , and "order" a "strip" from a file that have a variations of colors . Full wide of the roll , but only 3 inch in hight . In that way I always have a fresh printer , with no drying ink in the pipes . Love your channel Keith .
Yes that's a great solution - it will likely make the print heads last longer too.
Glad the YT stuff is of interest - I've years of written material on the Northlight site to cover as well as new stuff. I have someone at Canon UK to thank for finally convincing me to have a go at making the videos (I'd avoided it for years...)
Interesting channel. Glad I stumbled upon it. Very sound advice. I've been digital printing since the 90s and I just brought my Epson 7600 back to life which I had purchased new when it came out, so it's about 20 years old. It took quite a bit of cleaning by the "windex" method and also a set of cleaning cartridges but it's now working almost line new. The amount of ink the 7600 uses for startup and cleaning is obscene. 5:21 is especially true for those with large format printers who don't have a rigorous printing regime. To reduce the chance of severely clogged nozzles I (personally) print daily be it a simple nozzle check or a couple of "dummy" prints. It doesn't completely stop clogs but does reduce frequency. I also leave my printer on to avoid the tremendous amount of ink "waste" at startup. Just a note that clogged jets/nozzles can also be caused by other factors such as dust, humidity (as already mentioned) and also paper choices. I also have a Epson 2200 which prints like the day I bought it and I find that it most definitely has much, much less nozzle issues than the 7600. As to "modern" printers: I find it utterly amazing that after 20+ years that Epson, Canon... refuse (yes refuse) to work this issue out (there's too much money to be made). Luckily I have the ability to use 3rd party (refillable) pigment inks which are indistinguishable from the OEM ones. That eases the financial sting a bit and makes printing much more enjoyable.
Thanks
I had a 9600 for several years and it always gave excellent service (with enough use!)
BTW If you've not seen them, I have far more articles on the Northlight Images site than videos (the video go back 18 mths, the articles 18 years...)
Funny you mention about using the printer & not letting it set too long. I just bought the Canon Pixma Pro 200 & used it several times. Good printer but I had to leave it set for at least 10 days as I went back to Illinois. I live in Colorado where it is dry & at 4800 feet elevation. I did cover it before I left so I do hope when I get back home it'll work fine. I will run a test page when I get back before I make another print. Don't like to leave it on during the time I'm away for 10 days. Thanks :)
I've found that the PRO-200 is relatively good in this respect...
Stay blessed all the team. 🎉❤great work to watch 🎉
Thanks!
Thanks Keith! Extremely valuable information as per usual. I'm really enjoying my pro 200 and it's coping well with intermittent use and relatively cold storage. I wake it up every few days and either print or see of it wants to look after itself in some way. So far so good. Thanks again for your help in all things printing
Thanks - it's not forgetting your printer is there that is probably the most important thing ;-)
That was VERY informative!
I was wondering if and why ink printers still clog up. Especially if like me, you only print every 3 month
Thanks - They have improved over the years, but will always benefit from use every few weeks, even if just nozzle check
For the past 5 years, I've kept my Pro-10 powered on and print at least a nozzle check every week or two (I also usually use Precision Colors pigment inks). So far, my printer has worked tickety-boo.
Yes - regular use is key
Thank you, Keith, as always. Very good information to have, especially for my P800.
Thanks - glad to help
I ended up tossing my dried up $500 printer in the trash. So frustrating. From now on I'll use a printing service to print my color photos. Great video, by the way.
Thanks - one of my first efforts at cleaning was with a junked printer. About a week, and it ended up in a different trash can...
Thank you, very informative! I'm considering upgrading from an Epson XP-15000 to a P900 and was wondering about maintenance and ink longevity, since I don't print a very high volume.
Thanks - for a printer like this, I'd like to use it every few weeks at least - a simple nozzle check on plain paper is all it takes. The inks are in a sealed system, so the pigments will last well.
Thank you Keith. I've found your channel very helpful. Looking forward to my pro 300 arriving once ink and printers back in stock here in US.
Excellent - I still have one here if you've any questions - also do check out the more detailed articles on the Northlight web site - the videos tend only to be overviews.
BH Photo has in stock.
Good Information, Thanks
I have a Pro1000 and print at least one A4 print every day. Worked out well.
Yes - printers appreciate such regular use
thanks for the useful information
Glad it's of interest!
Hi Keith! I just got a Canon Pro 300 for Christmas and it's my first photography printer. I found your video super helpful, thank you!
Do you know anything about a self-cleaning setting I need to turn on if I don't print often? If not, I'll just set a reminder to print something every couple of weeks.
Thank you for all of your responses on our comments as well! You're a Rockstar!
Thanks - I'd just leave it at the defaults and set a diary reminder to print a nozzle check on plain paper at least every 2-3 weeks - it needs no more than that.
If you've not seen it, there is far more info at the main [written] review:
www.northlight-images.co.uk/canon-pro-300-printer-review/
@@KeithCooper Thank you so sooo much! I'll check out the main review as well!
As usual very informative and useful. Thks Keith
Thanks!
Thanks for good information and a great video!
Thanks - glad it was of interest!
I print at least once a week...normally after I've been out for a shoot. I'll get back, process the image, and make an A4 print. I'll then spend anything from a few days to a few weeks just looking at the print, working out if I like the image or not, and what changes I'll make in the next edit.
Yes, it's that regularity that catches people out - it's easy to not print for a few weeks that becomes a month or so and then the printer is starting to complain.
@@KeithCooper There's always a reason to print something! Not every print needs to come from a masterpiece or is something you are going to sell. Sometimes it's just fun to print something and look at it.
@@jbairdexp I keep my P900 at least printing 4x6 prints of the grandkids! That keeps it exercised!
Great video thanks
Thanks
Cool! I didn’t know you had a You Tube site. I read your stuff on DP Review. Subscribed!
Thanks - only started it last summer after a bit of a nudge from Canon UK ;-)
Very informative video! I wonder what ink usage would occur in a worst case, eg leave the printer turned on but print nothing for 1 year? Obviously that would be a waste of having the printer in the first place, but at least it would give a worst case wastage cost.
Edit: I’m referring more to a the wastage concerns on the Pro-300 vs Pro-1000 in this case.
Thanks
Unfortunately, there is simply no reliable data in this respect I've ever seen, just anecdotal reports on forums, where you have no idea of exactly how much printers were really used or the conditions they were kept in.
@@KeithCooper thanks for the reply. That aligns with all the anecdotal statements of been reading. Do you have any opinion if to the Pro-1000 would be worse than the 300? Some people seem to think so. My debate is the 1000 is currently $250 (Canadian) more than the 300 but with much more ink included. It would suggest the 1000 is the better deal, but if it throws that extra ink into the waste tank, and then does so forevermore, then maybe not!
Ah, I've genuinely no data to even make a guess about.
I usually only get printers for a while to test, so leaving them unused is not part of my normal testing ;-)
Thank you! This was very informative :0
Glad it was helpful!
I always considered printer startup sounds annoying,,,,,,your explanation made me understand why printer does weiered sounds.
Yes, initial setup is the only time I hope to hear lots of noise, but they all have little 'start-up' processes, which can depend on how long it is since you last used the printer.
Great! Today I discovered your website, too. Maybe you can embed a little banner in the mid of the video to promote your website. I was really excited how much in-depth content you have there 👏🏼
Thanks -- I need to look into how to show this more clearly!
Thanks, a most informative video. I am still trying to decide if I should replace my Epson R1900 which has plugged print heads through lack of use. Another printer may acquire the same problem unless I use it more often. Another question is should I buy a good used Canon Pro 300 and have it shipped to me? Is there a danger of sloshing inks during transportation? Thanks much !
Thanks
Personally I'de be very wary of having any printer shipped with inks in it. The small carts of the 300 may be less prone to issues - as long as the head is securely parked and kept in place. I've seen how stuff gets treated during shipping...
I'd be even more concerned buying a used printer without testing it...
@@KeithCooper Keith, thanks much for your quick reply. I do think I'll buy new. How much would I like to save for the price of problems and aggrevation?
Well, yes - unless you get a refurbished model from the mfrs. I'd treat buying a 2nd hand printer as I would getting a used car out of the local paper...
I purchased my Canon Pro 10 printer over 7 years ago. It is still printing like new. Nowadays, I do not use it that often, maybe going 2 or 3 months without printing. I always switch off the printer when not in use. It still prints beautifully, the only downside being that the cleaning of nozzles etc can take a very long time, the printer takes 3 or 4 minutes to settle down once switched on and then another 4 or 5 minutes of maintenance occurs when I actually instruct the machine to produce a print. Maintenance also takes a long time when you change an ink cartridge - you cannot hurry a print. I would recommend this printer or its newer equivalent to someone who can afford a printer but does not do a lot of printing.
That's good to hear although I'd never suggest such light use ;-) ;-)
The 300 fixes a lot of my minor gripes about the 10, and used the same print head.
Same here but with the Pro 100. I have gone 3-4 months without printing but try to print at least 1 good 8”x10” at least every 2 weeks. For me it is worth it to take a step back, look at. Photo & make judgement call to hopefully improve my photography.
Oh right so if I had a big printer like the SC-900 and I printed something out at least once a week then I would be unlikely to have many issues with irregular maintenance? As you say there's always a nozzle check if needed!
It seems to be the best way of maintaining printers. Every week is not essential, but I set a two week reminder in the diary, just to remind me if I've not had anything to print for a bit. It's really easy to forget - particularly if I have another printer to test ;-)
The bigger large format printers are even more designed for regular use.
Thanks you, I’m m wondering if I should keep my new P900 on all the time or turn it off. I print once a week and a few nozzle checks a week.
I asked about this and was told it doesn't really make much difference.
When I had one here I left it to turn itself off after a while (can't remember the timing), but left it plugged in.
Hello Keith!. Great video. I really enjoy your videos and subscribed the minute i found you on TH-cam!. I am looking to buy a Pro 1000 soon and i will be printing every 2nd' week. I hope to be OK with this relatively light use...
Thanks - I do have a detailed pro-1000 review on the Northlight Images site.
www.northlight-images.co.uk/canon-pro-1000-printer-review/
It long predates my making videos to augment my articles/reviews ;-)
The 1000 does use more ink in cleaning (proportionally) with light use, but should be OK
I recently bought Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-300 and it eats ink like hell when u are not printing often. From full 10 cartridges I got only 2x A3 (B&W) prints and 2x A4 (Color) prints and it run out of ink (all 10 pretty much at the same time) because I wasn't printing often. I was printing nozzle check every 1-2 weeks and letting it go to sleep mode by itself. It is amazing printer but if you are not printing a lot don't buy it. You will have to replace full set of inks even if you are not printing much every 2-3 months or so. When I bought new inks I tried to turn off auto sleep and just keep it on and do nozzle check every 2-3 days cause I read that if you are not printing anything for 60h it will do an auto cleaning or if you turn it off and leave it for few days off next time you turn it on it ll also eat a lot of ink for cleaning. After 2 weeks and nozzle check every 2-3 days one of my new bought black ink already shows 80% and I haven't printed anything other than few nozzle checks. It really seems like this printer uses 90% of the ink on cleaning if you don't use it almost everyday.
Yes, it can be pricy - a nice printer though
Keith, thank you for your helpful videos. I'm wondering about when to use the maintenance box?
When I first unboxed and set up my Epson Surecolor P900 17" I installed all the ink cartridges, but the directions never said anything about installing the maintenance box. So I kept it and stored in the drawer. I am now ready to change the ink cartridges as the initial ones have pretty much run out. I dont use it that often, but have been sure to do the nozzle check monthly or run a print just to keep it going. When do I use the maintenance box? Should I install it before the new inks and run it? or?? thanks again!
Have a look at the printer's webpage (may be visible via 'supply levels' on your computer). It will show ink levels AND the level for the maintenance cart.
Just like ink carts, the printer will let you know when it is nearly full and when it needs replacing.
The spare cart is because the set-up process dumps quite a bit of ink into it, so a spare was included.
When it needs replacing, don't rush out and get a spare - the second one should last for ages...
@@KeithCooper Wow! You're amazing..thank you for such a quick response, it was so helpful! I had no idea that there was a maintenace box already in it when I got it and was scared to look and see if ink had been dumped all over, now that Ive learned its needed for regular use as well as cleaning. Happy to have found there is one in there. My inks all show about 1/4 of the bar remaining except for Light grey which is almost out. Will it tell me when to change the ink or just that its low? Do I change them all, or just the empty ones as needed? The maintenance box is also at approx. 1/4 full. My prints look a faded which is why I ordered the inks. I have read the manual and emailed support but their response was not very helpful. Appreciate your help with this so I will know from here on.
See my main P900 review for a lot more info (and links to videos) about the printer (check the P700 stuff too since the printers are almost identical)
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p900-printer-review/
The grey is usually the first to go - see notes on ink use in the actual reviews (my videos are usually just supplements to the main info)
@@KeithCooper will do, thank you again!
The problem is that Canon, for example, does not communicate well how the printer should be operated, when it uses how much ink for what and so on. It is possible to load a list of the ink use for each print, but not for the cleaning cycles. For my Pro-1000, over the course of 3 months only, it filled a tank (250ml) with ink that was used for cleaning while using only around 180ml on approximately 200 prints (mostly A3). Even if I understand ink is required for cleaning I think that this proportion of ink use and the poor documentation makes the Canon Pro-1000 quite a scam!
Yes, the 1000 is a bit heavy on the cleaning if it's not used a lot, and regularly.
I have raised this issue with Canon when testing, I know I'm not the only one...
I find that if I am not going to print for a while, say more than a week then turning the printer off parks the head, and prevents it from drying out.
Depends on the printer
With all the printers I've tested, the head is parked when the printer is not in use, even if powered on. There is no difference between how the head is parked on the capping station.
There may be additional transport locking, but this has no effect on the head capping.
For the Pro-200: which is more ink efficient: 1 print everyday, or, 7 prints once a week?
I have no meaningful data to base any answer on...
I might guess at 7 at one time, but it's a guess...
Hello Keith . Do controlled0 ambient conditions can improve the longevity between prints of a dye based inks? So for example keeping the printer in a room with constant temperature and humidity higher than 50% can reduce clogging so extending time between prints? I expect instead that a solvent/pigment printer will not benefit by high humidity levels but perhaps will benefit of controlled temperature.
I don't know for certain, but both dye and pigment ink printers of the sort I look at use water based inks, so neither like low humidity conditions if unused.
I've not used solvent based printers.
wich printer has the less cost for ink waste mainteinance for not printing so often? canon 200, 300 or 1000? i would love the 1000 but heard it eats a lot of ink if not used every 2 days
300 maybe for light use - not that much in it though given the cheaper ink for the 1000
This is only a guess though - I have no meaningful data on this - my detailed review of the 1000 was back in 2015 when it first came out.
Hello Keith, have you any information about the cleaning cycle algorithm in the P900 ? Is it the same as the canon imagegraf pro-1000 ?
Vastly different - different inks and different print head technology.
Similarities stop at the maximum width of paper ;-)
The P700/900 (for they are the same) use ink on cleanings, not on any scheduled usage.
Hi Keith-- I know this is an older video but I ahve a question regarding maintenance. If I were to say go on vacation for like, a month or more, what do you advise? Say I have a Canon Pro-200. Would it be better to remove all the cartridges or-? Thank you!
Ah - definitely do not remove the carts (I'm talking of Canon inks here)
The printer should be able to take a month's lack of use with no problem. It may do a bit more startup testing and any almost empty carts may flag as empty. So, have spares for when you start up
I'd likely put it in a plastic bag to keep dust out, but that depends on where you keep it and your climate
Hi, do you know how much ink sits between the cartridges and the printhead in the ink lines.., on the Epson P900?
Not figures I've ever come across. It's part of what's used in initialisation
@@KeithCooper Was just wondering how many prints before the 3rd party inks start showing up and then fully show through. I'm holding off doing a printer calibration with X-rite i1studio so that I can create & save custom icc profiles for the 3rd party inks. I think I will wait until a couple of dozen prints before I do swatches. Thanks for the quick reply 👍
A lot of prints will go through before it's flushed enough for accurate profiling - one more reason I won't personally touch 3rd party inks
Make sure those prints use all the inks - some are used very sparingly
@@KeithCooper Yep, I'm sure I will pick up the difference in some colours as the show through but others it will be hard to tell. Just printing a few photos for friends at the moment so not panicking too much 🙂. Thanks again 👍.
I'm planning to buy pro 200 but I'm concerned with the waste tank. Is it replaceable? Is the waste tank available to purchase in case it needs to change?
It is not a user replaceable item - it is the same as the PRO-100 I believe.
For 'normal' use it should last years, but for higher volume commercial use, a printer with replaceable tanks is perhaps a better option.
Hi, thanks for your video, you suggest for a print like p 700 or canon 300 that you must do at least once print a week? It's right? I m only photoamateur.....and i print for me
I'd suggest something printed very 1-2 weeks - even if only a basic nozzle check on plain paper. It doesn't need to be a photo print
I have the ET-2400 and I've seen you shouldn't leave the printer on. Idk about my printer though.
The printer I've tested all go to 'sleep' after a while - leaving them switched on makes little difference to the printer
Hello Keith, firstly, thank you so much for your videos, they are super informative and have been really helpful!
Do you think printing film transparencies on a printer such as the P700 in addition to art prints would be harmful over time? I need a printer for fine art prints and also for film positives for screen printing for which the P700 and Canon 300 are highly recommended due to their ability to print super crisp opaque blacks. Many thanks, Lizzy
Thanks - glad they're of interest.
As long as you get a film that's suitable for the pigment inks it should be OK.
I would though look at creating a custom media setting with the film thickness and preferred media type (see my written printer reviews for more about custom media settings)
@@KeithCooper Many thanks Keith, I will check out your video on the custom settings. Seems like a good idea :)
@@missthomas8773 It's not a video - I only do videos for more general topics.
www.northlight-images.co.uk/custom-media-for-the-pro-300/
and about half way through
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-sc-p700-printer-review/
@@KeithCooper oh I see. Thank you, I will check it out.
May I know how often I need to print with canon g550? Thanks.
Every few weeks should be fine - there are no solid recommendations for small consumer printers like this, but they take being unused better than high quality printers.
@@KeithCooper Thank you for the reply. I would like to avoid deep cleaning actually.
Even some basic text or a nozzle check will keep things clear if done every few weeks.
@@KeithCooper Thank for your tips. Getting my printer this Friday.
hi,
could you recommend me printer please? I often print 10x15 and 13x18 photos in large quantities for families, schools, schools. Is the canon pro-300 a good choice or some cheaper one that will print more photos quickly? I also like fine art photos that I print on a larger A4 format. Thank you very much for the advice.
You mix requirement that suggest no printer in particular.
Is this for a business? What level of quality do you need? What do you mean by 'large quantities'?
No, a more expensive one than the 300 is suggested :-)
@@KeithCooper Yes, it's for business. if I take photos of kindergartens and schools, I print 200-300 photos a day in a smaller format 10x15 and 13x18. The quality of the photos must be at least comparable to the quality from the photo lab. Ideally better.
Now I'm trying to specialize in fine art photography (portrait photography) and there should be output in the best possible quality.
If a cheaper printer than the pro-300 is enough, I will be happy to recommend it.
@@jaroslavabilkova3079 That many prints is well beyond the capacity of a printer like the PRO-300. It is not designed for such volumes.
No chance of anything cheaper at such a print volume - it suggests something more like the SL-D700
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-surelab-sl-d700-review/
Sorry - what you want and 'cheap' are not in the same room ;-)
Have had the pro 200 for over a month now, it was making great prints until a few days ago. It has started to print blues with a purple tint and darken the overall image. I've been testing it for a few days now and can't seem to find the reason for this. I printed a couple of previous prints that are on my wall and are perfect. Now printing the same photo with the exact same icc profiles and paper its totally different. Did a print head cleaning to no avail. Firmware is up to date. Any suggestions? Thanks.
This is frequently a sign of a software change somewhere. Depends on a lot of possible things. Blues taking on a purple tinge is sometimes a colour management related issue.
I've not seen the problem myself, but my first step is to print a known good test image (not one of your own) using the Canon print software.
I use the Datacolor one from
www.northlight-images.co.uk/printer-test-images/
If this prints OK then it's a sign of a change elsewhere, and that the printer is fine
@@KeithCooper thanks Keith will give it a try. I’ve been printing out of Lightroom and it’s been ok, but very buggy with other things going on, maybe it’s Lightroom. Will get back to you with an update. Thanks again.
Lightroom is not printing correctly. Photoshop is printing fine. Canon PPL is giving me an error (please check the printer's operation panel or the Remote UI) Getting tired of all the Lightroom bugs, might just go through Bridge and PS.
So, you're saying move to UK.
I don't think so... :-)
I wish printers had a solvent tank to use for cleaning.
They do - it's called ink ;-)
That's a feature you might find in much larger printers, but not very practical at desktop size I'd suggest.
I've come across your channel at a time when I'm deciding if I should purchase my first proper photo printer. I currently use a lab and print a a couple A3, and 10+ A4s a month but would love to print more and take control of the process myself. I'd love to get into printing my own A2 prints having seen your enthusiasm for that size! I'd be interested in your view (I'm not sure if you already have a video?) on when it becomes cost effective to print at home Vs lab and the best way to work out the true costs.
That's a tricky one to answer specifically, since I get the printers/inks/paper from the makers, when testing. The cost of the printer is easy to factor in, but ink and paper less so.
The best ink costs (albeit US) are in the RR article at www.redrivercatalog.com/rr/cost-of-inkjet-printing.html
You need to check paper prices as well.
Then, assume that in perfecting your printing, you're going to be doing testing and the like, so the prices above don't factor in that, which hopefully reduces over time. Start with a basic paper at a smaller size though!
See here for some of my thoughts about how to get into printing
www.northlight-images.co.uk/better-photography-by-printing-your-work/
Just remember that it's hard to beat lab costs at a simple monetary cost level - the benefits of printing spread far wider in someone's photography (IMHO) - that is where the value comes in...
@@KeithCooper Thanks Keith - I appreciate the answer and will check out those links
Hi there does Canon sale panoramic paper photo paper
Do you mean wide cut sheets? If so then I've never seen them from Canon or Epson
They do roll paper which you can cut into sheets, however I believe most starts at 17" width. 13" width is not so easy to find.
Ask Canon though - I don't sell paper! :-)
I was hoping Canon my do some paper sheets but thank u Sir
You can cut A2 in half lengthways to make double A4 pano sheets
I looked your reviews on the Pixmas pro 100. How much is the set 8 inks
No idea - varies around the world (I don't sell ink/printers/paper)
Look it up... ;-)
I'm needing to replace my ink waste pad.
Check here
www.printerknowledge.com
Keith,. (anyone in the know? facts please, not guesswork),... Are the Epson (OEM) inks the same fluid across their range? E.g. 114. is the ink the same (fluidity, viscosity, tone, colour, chemical make up etc) as, say, the 104,.. or 103,.. etc, etc? Do you know? I refuse to spend £100 on 6 bottles of ink YET, I also refuse to put dodgy inks (non OEM) inks into my ET-8550.
You ask about information that is not widely available or known, even in Epson (just take note of the corporate structure). I have no information I can give.
One route to check is to find the EU chemical safety documentation for the inks. Way beyond my level of patience or interest, so left as an 'exercise for the reader' ;-)