Choosing between the Canon PRO-200 or PRO-300 13" desktop photo printers
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- Опубліковано 5 вер 2024
- Keith Cooper compares aspects of the Canon Pixma PRO-200 and imagePROGRAF PRO-300. What differences are there, and how might these help decide which printer to buy? Both have areas where they are better than the other, but which features should you think about.
There are very detailed reviews of each by Keith at:
www.northlight...
www.northlight...
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I almost got the 200 but went for the 300 because I want to sell prints of artwork (watercolors and oil paintings). I want the quality control that comes with printing my own. I got it last week and am thrilled with the results (after a bit of experimenting and endless reading about paper and color spaces etc.) The 200 was the high end of what I wanted to spend, so stretched that to buy the 300; the 1000 would have been too much of a leap for me. Thanks for these great videos.
Glad to hear they were of help!
Do check the articles as well, since that's where the more detailed stuff goes.
Curious why you believe the 300 is better for watercolor prints? I am looking for a printer to make watercolor fine art prints. Thanks
@@jenniferkoistinen5586 based on reviews it struck me that the print quality of the 200 and 300 would be pretty similar. But I liked that the 300 uses pigment inks so would last longer. Not that I expect people to keep my prints for 100 years but that sort of long term quality is, I think, a good selling point. I’m very happy with the quality, and find I get much better results with the Canon software than photoshop or Lightroom. I also highly recommend the Canon V600 scanner.
@@danr7708 Thanks so much for your reply Diane!
Very impressed with this video. Extremely unbiased, detailed, and comprehensive. Wish others would have a similar production and presentation standard.
Thanks very much - much appreciated.
I have both the Pro 200 (dye ink) and the pro 1000 (larger version of the pigment ink pro 300). My take is that one is not better than the other. I select printer (i.e., ink type) based on the paper and the paper based on the image (smoothness/texture/warmth/weight).
For anything that is glossy, without a doubt, the pro 200 results are preferable. For example, Pictorico High Gloss White Film, which is my favorite glossy paper and is a professional paper with no rival, makes the most astonishing glossy prints with dye, but prints are dull and lifeless (with a clay-like surface) when printed with pigment. If I remember correctly, this is because the dye seeps into the paper underneath the gloss finish (thereby preserving it), and the pigment sits on top of the gloss (blocking it). I assume it is not a big deal with satin papers because it is the sheen and not the gloss that you see. Yes there is chroma optimizer on the pro 300/1000, but that applies the same type of gloss to every paper, even when they have different types of gloss. Moreover, it kills the uniqueness of the gloss of a paper like pictorico HGWF.
For mattes, I tend to use the pro 300/1000 (but have begun experimenting with the pro 200 for the deeper blacks and richer colors). I hadn’t thought about black and white. That will be interesting to test.
For barytas and other satin “in the middle” papers, it really depends on the paper. Some, like Ilford Gold Fiber Silk are designed specifically for pigment, and don’t print very well on Dye. The same for many Canson satin papers like Platine Fibre Rag which they say on their website are intended for use with pigment. Others, like those from Hahnemhule are designed to work with both dye and pigment, and my tests have shown that it simply varies by paper, and the only way to know is to test. In some cases it’s just the depth of black that is the difference.
Canon brand papers tend to work equally well on dye and pigment.
Finally, short of selling prints where “100 years” is a necessary selling point, I no longer find the longevity issue to be a factor in selecting a pigment vs dye printer. Today’s dye printers are far better than older ones, and I have 15 year old dye prints, printed largely on Pictorico high gloss white film on really old Epson dye printer models (think Epson 1200) that are displayed without glass, and look as good as they did back then. If I need to reprint in 30 years, I will 😀.
Bottom line is that depending upon your use case you have two great options in the Pro 200 and Pro 300. You just have to figure out what works for your style.
Thanks for the lengthy comment, which I'd agree with.
It really is a matter of what works best for what you want.
A 17" dye based printer would be an interesting option...
@@KeithCooper Thanks. I just made a few edits to my original reply (sorry).
I would really love to see you use Pictorico HGWF in one of your tests. Glossy often gets a bad rap, but HGWF is truly unique and reminds me that glossy can be used for professional work, not just pharmacy snap shots. Nothing compares and in 15 years, I have found nothing that can be used as a substitute. It is a question of the gloss (pinpoint reflections), resolution, color gamut, and the fact that it is a film and not paper). If it is a glossy print that will be hung on a wall, HGWF is the only paper I use. My biggest fear is that Mitsubishi Imaging will stop making it.
@@KeithCooper I totally agree. A 17” dye printer would be an amazing option. It is a shame that the industry is pushing pigment as the “professional” choice and dye as the “consumer” choice. I mentioned in my replies that I have been printing for 15 years. What I didn’t mention is how frustrated I had become over the last 6 or 7 years. This is because I had moved up to ‘professional’ model printers, yet I could never get prints that satisfied me the way they had in the past (I don’t always want a luster sheen or Barayta paper). It got so bad that I was ready to give up printing. Then I saw your video review of the Pro-200 and it clicked. The issue all along was a mismatch between the papers I often use and the printer technology I had selected. In pushing people towards “professional models”, all of which are pigment, the industry left out the fact that pigment is a good match for some paper types, but not others. I feel too much weight is given to longevity, with little focus on paper type compatibility. To me, longevity doesn’t matter if the image quality has to be compromised.
The rest is history. I am a really happy camper again, even if was forced to have two printers 😀
@@netlawman2001 I'm afraid I've never seen that paper here in the UK?
@@KeithCooper here is the Mitsubishi link. Not sure if you ever order from BH or Adorama, but I also suspect they have UK distributors. www.mitsubishiimaging.com/pictorico-white-film.html
Going to go with the 200 for my design work after watching this! Thank you!
Excellent - Glad it's been of help
Do have a look at the review and articles on the Northlight web site as well, there's more detail in the written stuff.
www.northlight-images.co.uk/canon-pro-200-printer-review/
Conor Lumsden: Great choice! Do you sell your work that is done on the 200? Do you have any concerns about longevity/fade resistance? I can't afford a pigment ink printer or the inks, but I do sell my prints that use the Canon Chromalife 100+ inks and I print on cotton acid free paper. I want to be ethical and offer my customers prints that will last at least 50 years. I know pigment would have the longest life, but are Chromalife 100+ prints on acid-free paper good enough to sell in good conscience, knowing their longevity is less than pigment inks? I struggle with this question.
Based on your video on this I purchased a Canon 200 2 years ago , I absolutly love it, problem free performance and the prints are beautiful also Canons professional layout software is excellent. Thanks,Mac
Thanks - glad to have helped
I purchased the 200 based on your review and I found it makes incredible prints. Much better than what I was able to get from online print services.
Great to hear - glad it's worked so well for you!
Thank you very much. Brilliant video, I now know the pro 300 fits my needs as a family photographer who wants to provide long last prints for my clients.
Thanks - Glad it was helpful!
All my PRO-300 info can be found via the main [written] review at
www.northlight-images.co.uk/canon-pro-300-printer-review/
Super detail in the article etc - I also have my PRO-200 on order. - much appreciate the work you put into all the reviews and info on printing - many thanks
Thanks - glad it's been of help
in fact.. i just changed my order to a 300 - having rewatched several of your videos.. lol
@@stevem_photo3174 ah... they just keep on giving :-) :-)
Hi Keith,
thank you for the Video. Which printer do you recommend for printing DIN A3 colored photos? Is it possible to print with pro 200 borderless DIN A3 Papers? Which printers use less ink?
Many thanks.
I learned a new term today, "Gloss Differential". I already purchased a different brand printer. Your content is worth the foray into other brands. Keep up the GREAT work!!
Thanks - glad to help!
I find that the 200 is quite powerful, I print 11x17 and 13x19 colored illustrations and blk & white for my art commissions. the 200 definitely does the job.
Im very glad I went with the pixma 200.
Yes, I was very pleased with the test results I got.
How is the ink usage and cost after a year ?
it was a great video. I was confused until I have seen your videos. I am going to get a printer for my small art print business and I will go with pro-200. Thank you for all the details!
Thanks - Glad it was helpful!
Do you find any issue with prints fading over time? or is it okay? :)
Here is it boys and girls, the video we've all been waiting for!
In my country the prices are PRO-200 ($800), PRO-300 ($1,000), and PRO-1000 ($1,700). The 300 is looking quite tempting. Thanks Keith!
Thanks - the prices are the one bit I can't address, given the wide variations in different markets
@@KeithCooper Yep I completely understand. I've been following along with this video series and it's helped clarify my thinking. For example I don't think I even like glossy photos, so there isn't much compelling me towards the 200. And since this is a hobby the A2 printer is a bit more of a committment than I'm ready to make right now. thanks again for you excellent videos and (especially) your articles!
Which country are you in? Prices in the US are $200 less for Pro-200 ($600). Less for the others as well: Pro-300 ($900), Prograf 1000 ($1300). Still a pretty good difference between the Pro-200 and Pro-300 of $300, plus more expense due to more ink cartridges and higher priced ones.
Thank you for you very helpful video. I particularly want to congratulate you on your presenting skill’s; very natural. Blessings.
Thanks - glad it's of use!
thank you so much for making this video, helping me make the decision to go with the 200 for my newly founded greeting card business.
Glad it helped!
With current pricing in the states the ink cartridge pricing per milliliter is the same between the pro 300 and the pro1000. I did the math.
Yes -it varies so much over time and in different regions that I always leave the maths to the viewer/reader ;-)
Love my 200! Got it two weeks ago. Amazing printer for a great price!
Yes - for certain types and uses of prints it would be my choice.
This was very helpful! Thanks! I usually just default to what seems to be the best, but after seeing this, I’m fairly sure the 200 will more than meet my needs. I appreciate the great reviews and comparisons!
Thanks - the 200 is a good printer
I just bought the 200 and now waiting for it to arrive. Thank you for your good explanation!
Hope you enjoy it! - there are lots of videos, and the more detailed articles on the Northlight Image site.
As a wildlife photographer I went with the pro-300 as vibrant colors are not that important to me as birds and other wildlife I want their color to standout on it's on. Besides have used the pro-300 for a little bit I notice the pro-300 isn't too shabby and I like the fact that the prints will last longer even though I won't be around to see them.
Yes - my general choice would be the pigment printer
Thanks... an excellent review of the differences. I actually purchased the 300; and think I made the right decision. Now I will begin the process of setting it up.
Thanks - glad it was of interest!
Hi Keith. Once again a really good review. Thanks for your balanced insights and valuable information. I have the Pro 300 and it is outstanding for what I require. Keep up the great work you do.
Thanks for letting me know
Really appreciate the details. Have never purchased a printer for photographic work before.
Thanks - do check the main written reviews as well, that's where all the details go...
Thank you Keith for putting out this video. I've been wanting to pick up a photo printer for a long time. I purchased the 200 and love it. I did do some black and white printing and they came out wonderful. I'm very happy with my purchase and thank you for helping me decide which one. Keep up the good videos, your experience and knowledge on the subject is very helpful.
Thanks - glad it was of help!
What an excellent class you gave us! Even for selling here people would go with the 200 , due to the high costs inks have down here, as well as shipping, customs etc costs. Thank you very much, you helped me a lot! Best wishes from Uruguay.
Thanks - glad to be of help!
@@KeithCooper thanks to you! I was looking up in my country, and unfortunately not even the pro 200 is for sale here. Looked in Adorama store, the ink replacement package is quite expensive! For personal use, and showcase in some showrooms here, I guess that in the end it's more user friendly to find a store in the capital (Montevideo from which I live quite far) and work with them... too bad we are soooo slow at these stuff. Thank you again you are so nice explaining things. Bless you and your family , best form Uruguay.
El coste de tinta es mayor con la 300?
Well done. Best comparison I’ve seen of these two.
Thanks
just purchased the 300 pro ,although i love printing gloss ,i feel the B&W options on the 300 will be beneficial also most of my camera club prints are on lustre types and eventually want to do some fine art prints ,but the difference is very slight on these printers ,except the price fingers crossed print inks become cheaper the old pro 10s can be had for £10 ,anyway i was almost 50/50 with the epson p700 and the canon ,but i expect the blacks to be deeper on the canon .
Thank You! Now I know that the 200 is the right printer for me :)
Glad I could help!
Thank you so much for your INVALUABLE INFORMATION! The “YOUS” of the world {the ones who DO the work, push up their sleeves…. sweat it out in the trenches… assimilate the experiences and experiments} you are the cultivators gatekeepers of something that only the doers are adorned perhaps burdened with? WISDOM… something that can NEVER WILL NEVER BE BOUGHT! SHARED yes bought no…. THANK YOU for your footwork and for clearing a path for those of us who are lucky enough to have read this. I suppose the “YOUS” of the world are the TEACHERS… who care. Sincerely, thank you
Thanks - much appreciated!
Thank you for this informative video Keith. I went with Pro 200 after watching . Its on its way to me.
Excellent - If you want any of the profiles mentioned in the main [written] review, let me know
@@KeithCooper sure thing . Many thanks for offering this. It's very kind of you.
Thanks for this video. Printing landscape shots for me and got a growing interest in the 300.
Yes, a very capable printer.
@@KeithCooper For many advanced hobbyists which is how I’d describe myself, we really want the 1000 (and have a form of pre-purchase buyers remorse causing angst now as we eye up the 300!) but worry about the repercussions of lower frequency printing if we plunge for the 1000.
Yes, that is a valid concern - the 1000 uses more ink in keeping going and benefits from more regular use. It's not a surprise to previous users of large format printers, but is often a shock to people used to small desktop printers.
When the 1000 does get replaced I'll be giving this aspect a deeper study (BTW, the Epson P900 doesn't use nearly as much ink for maintenance, so it is related to design decisions)
You described exactly why I want to print, "nice shiny bright colors that look nice"
Looks like the pro 200 fits my needs just fine.
Thank you for the comparison 🙏🏼
Thanks - not a technical colour management term, but it makes the point ;-)
Great video! Thank you so much Keith for reviewing these and helping me make my decision between these printers!
Excellent - enjoy your printing!
Great review! Thank you for such a detailed explanation. Upon finishing your video I’ve decided to go ahead and purchase the 200. Now let’s just see when the ink will be available since on amazon many say backordered. Once again, thank you!
Thanks - Canon here in the UK say that there will be supply issues for a while yet. I still have the 300 here which can't be used at the moment for testing as I couldn't get any grey ink.
Thank you so much for this, it's been very enlightening.
Glad it was of interest - do check the written reviews if you want more detail
@@KeithCooper I have done, they're excellent. Great website all around, you really do put in a lot of care and it shows.
Informative video...as I've been leaning toward the pro-200 for the last few weeks but now after watching this it looks like the pro-300 is top again, basically for the sole reason of that I will be printing on luster and baryta papers and not so much full gloss.
Its a shame really as I don't need the extra quality for archival and exhibition work.
Once again thanks for the time and effect you put into these articles and videos, always appreciated.
Thanks - yes the 200 excels at glossy and matte art papers for matte.
It's partly because many of the newer high end papers were specifically designed for pigment ink performance, and the lustre/semi-gloss look matches the surface sheen of the inks.
This is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you very much!!
Glad it was of help
I recently bought the 300 and I am amazed by the by the colour output. Worth the extra cost.
It is good, especially on some papers where the 200 has a reduced performance. However for bright glossy colour (if you need that) then the 200 has the edge. The 300 is what I'd use to show and sell my work, whilst the 200 is what I'd use for the prints in a portfolio presentation, where instant impact matters.
@@KeithCooper Portfolio presentation and the 200: for colour, and would say for b&w too, Keith? And thanks for your amazing reviews.
Maybe only B&W if I knew what light it was gong to be looked at under. Depends on how picky the person viewing the prints is ;-)
If it was a B&W portfolio I'd do it with pigment inks (...and a bigger printer) The 200 is probably weakest on some of the really nice Baryta papers I like for B&W
The paper that most impressed me in the 'presentation' area would be the metallic gloss I show in the PRO-200 review video
Glad the reviews are of interest - I could do with some 'real work' but these keep me active...
@@KeithCooper Very precious infos you are sharing here! Thank you. The same for your videos and articles. Everything is well explained and the "grey zones" well covered. I too am waiting for things to get back to a certain form of normality. We'll get there... with a little bit of patience, I guess. Cheers! from Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.
Brilliant! Thank you. Will have a look at your reviews.
Thanks - the real detail always goes into the written articles
Outstanding video! Thank YOU for putting all the time and energy into producing the videos and the written reviews. So now I am vacillating between the 200 and the 1000. Not so much for archival quality, but for the potential advantage of larger paper on the 1000.
Thanks - glad they are of interest! The 1000 still has the best sheet paper handling of any desktop printer i've tested
Keep it up, great work, I checked the reviews, I watched the videos, it helps A LOT, thank you man, that is really helpfully. It's not easy to find something valuable about this on youtube ;) I'm still searching, but I'm much closer!
Thanks!
Firstly, lots of thanks for your fantastic videos about Canon Pro-200 and Pro-300. As you say, choosing only one of them is very difficult and I've been having real doubts over the last month. Finally, I've just purchased The P-300. Why? mainly because I love B&W photos and it seems the prints are better on that one, truly neutral and even easier to get them look like what I see on the screen. Secondly, I hardly use bright-glossy papers. I also calculated the cost of printing up to 100 A3+ on the Pro-200 and Pro-300. According with Canon data about how many A3+ you can get with every cartridge and, although the P300 has 2 more inks, the final cost for each sheet will be pretty the same (2.43 vs 2.58€ ) thanks to a cheaper cartridge price (20,49 vs 19,49€) and more content (12,6 vs 14,4ml). So, it seems that, apart from the purchase, there will be no more extra maintenance cost on the Pro300 vs the Pro200 while its better prints will remain there. That said, I know the Pro-1000 is over there and maybe your are right when saying the choosing should be between the 200 and the 1000, but now I'm going to start to print seriously at home for the first time and I'm not sure whether I will need or wish printing bigger than A3+ sheets. However, if I finally regret myself having bought the Pro-300 instead the Pro-1000 it will be because I will have been printing a lot and I will want more and bigger prints what will be a good news, moreover, who knows, maybe by then the Pro-2000 will have been launched. Thanks again for your videos, they really help.
Thanks for your lengthy answer - you pretty much sum up my own concerns about how to choose.
PS there already is a PRO-2000 - it's a 24" printer I reviewed a while ago, very nice , but big
www.northlight-images.co.uk/canon-imageprograf-pro-2000-printer-review/
Currently it's the PRO-2100, which is pretty similar. The PRO-1000 is much closer in design (ink/heads) to the larger printers. No sign yet of a PRO-1000 replacement :-(
@@KeithCooper I didn't know that, though I'm sure you understood I meant a replacement of the Pro 1000. Many thanks for being there answering so quickly
Yes, I'd assumed that.
The large format printers are of relevance though, since the 1000 can be thought of as much more closely related to them. There is also the matter of the old iPF5100 - a 17 inch printer that had roll support and a paper cassette. It was never updated as the larger printers were and means that there is a gap in the range - Epson fills this with the rather nice P5000 (paper cutter and powered roll unit) and P900 I'm minded to think there is possibly room for two 17" replacements for the PRO-1000 - three if Canon decided to be serious about what their dye inks could achieve...
Thank you.
You're welcome!
You helped me with my choice here. Great video.
Thanks!
Great comparison ! ! ! !
Thanks for the videos
Thanks - glad they are of interest!
Thanks Keith, very insightful !
Glad it was of interest
Brilliant, thanks for your comparison Keith :)
Thanks - I still have both here, but do check the full (written) reviews if you want more detail.
Thank you for sending me this way, I am going to pair one of these printers with a new computer, Mac is so simply but I respect your knowledge, my brain is so full of info I need some direction, I mostly need it for Large Family portraits & pictures on the wall, not much info on pairing computers with printer.
There is no specific computerprinter pairing as such?
Both printers work just fine with Mac or PC - it depends on what photo editing software you use and what you are familiar with.
The key is the printer function, or cost, or whatever aspects are important for you.
For print cost for example see
www.redrivercatalog.com/rr/cost-of-inkjet-printing.html
Thank you- this is an extremely useful review!
Thanks - there are detailed [written] reviews of each as well if you've not seen them
www.northlight-images.co.uk/canon-pro-200-printer-review/
www.northlight-images.co.uk/canon-pro-300-printer-review/
Good video! Just what I was looking for. Many thanks
Glad it helped! - Do check the full written reviews on the Northlight Images site if you need more detail?
@@KeithCooper Didn´t know about that one and I´ll have a look. Do you by any chance play D&D or any Tabletop games? The main purpose of this printer for us is to print "battle maps" with much details, on A3+ papers to move around the miniatures on.
@@beemerrox There are many more articles - nearly 20 years worth on the site - I've only been doing the videos since last summer (at the suggestion of someone at Canon)
I'm afraid my last playing of D&D was in the 20th century, several careers ago. All hand drawn on large sheets of graph paper. The only computer input was with character sheets created using MacDraw and printed on an Apple LaserWriter.
WOW! SO helpful. Thank you so much!
Thanks!
Very insightful thank you Keith
Thanks - do have a look at the written reviews for each printer as well if you want more details?
Thank you, great comparison.
Hope it was helpful...
@@KeithCooper Thank you Keith, yes very helpful! I watched many of your videos among other research, and as a graphic designer, I have opted for the PRO-200. Looking forward to setting it up. Cheers.
I've gone down the rabbit hole on these inks and as far as I can tell, both printers in this video use archival inks. One is dye-based and one pigment, but dye technology has gotten to the archival point. Canon advertises the ink packaged with the 200 as archival up to 300 years with care.
Ah, depends on just what you choose to associate with the marketing term 'archival' ;-)
With both these printers I'd not expect noticeable issues for prints on high quality media for many years, for properly stored prints.
The pigment inks are likely to be better in this respect. Testing data supports this to some extent, but as with all such data, it's what you decide to do with it...
Now, as to what aspects of 'archival' matter to different potential users of the printer or purchasers of prints, that's an entirely different matter.
I'll be honest and admit that my ability to genuinely care about what my prints will look like 200 years after I'm dead does vary depending on who is buying them and what they are paying ;-)
@@KeithCooper Do you consider Canon Pro Premium Matte paper a "high quality media"?
@@sl2608 Aptly put in quotes ;-)
It's similar to quite a few flat white matte photo papers (in the 230-240gsm range IIRC). Some have brighteners some not (I don't know the specs of this Canon one). It's a paper that I don't find a fit to many images I want to print. I always include it in testing though (much like Epson EAM)
There are definite uses for it - just few for me ;-)
@@KeithCooper 'High quality', yes, that is a "highly subjective" term :) . . . I suppose I really meant 'high-quality' from the perspective of a trustworthy source -- YOU. Thanks!
AstroSquirrel: Up to 300 in dark storage, in an album. What about dye-based Chromalife 100+ ink prints displayed on a wall? 40-50 years?
thanks Keith, this video helps me a lot. I'm going back and forth about pigment and ink, A3+ or A2+ etc. Compared to Epsons HD XP-15000 my feeling is that the pro-200 is superior in quality and the best ink based printer at the moment. I'll definitely won't have the throughput to justify the p900 or pro-1000's expenses - especially for ink usage due to maintenance.
I guess the internal conflict is settled now. ;-)
Glad it's of help - there's much more detail in the main [written] reviews as well, if you've not seen them.
well done! exactly what i needed to know.
Thanks!
1:25 good time for some sticky notes on the printers to say 200. /300.
Yes - they are quite similar ;-)
Keith, thank you for your explanations on printers. I appreciate all of your trials, expertise and explanations!
I am considering upgrading my old PIXMA Pro 100 with the hopes of trying my hand selling photo greeting cards at a farmers market next summer. If the updated Pro 1000 comes out, I will be very tempted to go that way. If I decide to get one sooner, do you have thoughts on which of the 200 vs 300 would do a better job handling foldable photo cards?
Thanks very much!
Both 200 and 300 have essentially the same paper feed.
If the inks work well on a media it's about cost of printing - these figures suggest the 200??
www.redrivercatalog.com/rr/cost-of-inkjet-printing.html
Super useful comparison review. Thank you so much for sharing this with us. I have been umming and arring between these two printers. I want to sell my art prints, which include both colourful and also graphite mediums so I think the 300 may be the one. Much appreciated
Glad it was helpful!
Keith, I mentioned before and I'll mention again: you have the best channel for printing enthusiasts. I have a question about the PRO-200 but I'm pretty sure that applies to the PRO-300 as well: is there a way to select a baryta profile that's loaded on the top feeder? I can see that the profile is properly installed but can only select for the back feeder.
Thanks! ...Let's hope some more people find it ;-)
Well, when I profiled a baryta paper I used the proLuster media setting.
Baryta is one paper type that is perhaps not at its best on the PRO-200 compared to the 300, although I only had a limited range to test
Do see the written PRO-200 articles as well, since the written stuff is always where the details go.
There are various restrictions with different media choices - One way to explore this is to play around with the media config tool and look at installed media and options in the driver. I do recall wondering why I couldn't use some combinations during testing, but don't have a written list.
If you need to use these printers for “office or school” printing, are they drastically more expensive than a regular colour printing when it comes to ink costs because they are using photo quality inks? We do have a black and white laser printer for all text related printing.
Oh yes - these are not for 'office use'...
If the 300 has better black and white, why do people say the 200 has deeper blacks? I found that the 300 has a truer rendition of black while the 200 has a bluish hugh to the black.
If I print in color on semi matte finish is it just as good as the 200?
Other than black and white, does the 300 pull ahead anywhere else?
Ah, do these 'people' have any data or measurements to back up their assertions?
I have test data in my [written] reviews which shows some of the weaknesses of black dye inks.
There is vastly more to good B&W than the perceived 'depth' of black... ;-)
The 300 has a wider range of ink colours and its prints will last longer ;-)
Excellent. Thank you.
Glad it was of interest! - Do check the written reviews on the Northlight site as well, since they have much more detail about each printer
Great review! Thank you!
Thanks - I've far more detailed looks at each one in the individual reviews.
@@KeithCooper I’ll definitely check them out. Thanks.
These are the most detailed and link to all related videos
www.northlight-images.co.uk/canon-pro-200-printer-review/
www.northlight-images.co.uk/canon-pro-300-printer-review/
Thanks for this video, it helped a lot. 👍
Thanks
I believe I'd print far more color photos than black and white, but the archival print quality draws me towards the 300. Is the 200 better print quality when it comes to gloss, semi gloss, and matte color prints?
Does the 200 have THAT much more vividness in color?
no it doesn't - on some glossy media the gloss is better with dye, but when you go to most other papers, the 300 pulls ahead.
The dye excels on a few glossy papers - the 300 on most other and definitely for B&W
For real detail see my main [written] 200/300 reviws
Thank you Keith excellent video!!!
I recently purchased the Canon 200 printer, good prints the problem is when I print the fonts, they are blurry, blurry. No matter what, I'm using Illustrator, Indesign and using high quality press and still, can you give me any advice?
Thanks, but what is 'high quality press'?
The printer needs inkjet specific papers...
I saw in several reviews from people that both have the same issue, problems with paper size detection, I was near to buy one but the paper size issue stopped my decision
What paper size detection problem?
Are these reliable reviews or the sort of stuff you find on Amazon... ;-)
What a great, informative, brilliant video. You address the serious, rigorous, mentally exhausting process so many of us face when trying to decide on a good quality photo printer that meets our needs, is within our budget, and produces quality, long lasting prints. I do not have a huge budget, so I cannot afford a pigment printer, but i do sell my prints and want to offer my customers something that LASTS. Is that only possible with the pigment printers and inks? Should those of us who cannot afford those not be selling our prints at all, since they are not "archival"? Are the Canon Chromalife 100+ inks printed on 100% Cotton Rag Archival paper, not good enough to use for prints sales?
Your advice would be so appreciated. Thanks for the great instructional videos and expertise you provide, Keith. All the best to you.
Thanks
The 200 can make some great looking prints - I'd be happy to sell them, just not in a market that values archival products.
Of course they are good enough - it's entirely about your market.
I use pigment primarily for B&W - the archival side is marketing, since I won't be around to know the difference ;-)
@@KeithCooper Thank you, you have been very helpful. Just out of curiosity, do you use any type of UV spray on your prints from the 200? I often wonder if really makes a difference in terms of providing added fade resistance, or if it's just another "archival marketing" gimmick used by the manufacturers to make money. All the best to you, Keith.
Ah, I don't sell prints from a 200 - I have an Epson P5000 here - pigment ink and especially good for B&W
It feels very much 'marketing led' - good media, proper drying and mounting will make prints that last. As to making prints more robust, anyone who said 'I touched the surface of one of your prints and it made a mark' would be charged for a replacement and told not to be so clumsy next time...
Thank you greatly helpful video
Thanks!
Nothing beats Costco....I have tried all these printers...
Lots of thing beat Costco...
Obviously YMMV but I would not touch them with a 10 foot barge pole, oh that and the need to cross the Atlantic ;-)
So, the Dye is still supreme on superglossy, while the Pigments give a wider gamut. And Dyes are better for skin tones and Pigments for Landscapes.
I usually print on Luster paper ("Semigloss"). Of people in landscapes.
And I just poofed my Pixma 9000mkII (that has served me since its release).
Do I go for the 200 or splurge on the 300?
Dyes better for skin tones? - I'd say that depends on the quality of profiling, but I'm not a people photographer, so it's what you like the best ;-)
Unless you really want the ultra gloss, I'd say the 300 gets the nod most times...
@@KeithCooper Thank you for something rare: A clear answer. And I do know that the profile makes a lot of the difference (I calibrate using my "Good Old" Colormunki Photo with the new i1-Studio software, and have used that process since I got the 9000mk2).
Now I just need to get the wife acceptance factor for the 300 over the 200. Here in Norway the price difference is NOK5400 vs NOK8000, so one is 48% more expensive than the other...
Minor followup: I ended up getting the Pro-300 safely installed as my 9000mkII replacement. And frankly I'm very happy with it.
But I do have one question for those of you who are probably way more professional than me, etc.
Printing workflow.
My current workflow is that images selected for print, gets exported from Capture One as PSD, then printed in Photoshop CC via the Canon plugin there.
Would it make any sense to change this workflow into something like exporting tiff and buying Dimax Mirage, or is the potential gains from that so small it doesn't justify the added cost (and added risk of compatibility issues from adding more software on my workstation)?
@@sveinskogen1789 I've used Mirage in the past - it's good, but you need to have definite reasons for using it
Most uses of it are for workflow reasons, such as multi print layout.
I'll have another look some time, but here's my review on the PRO-2000 (it feels like software for BIG printers, not desktop ones)
www.northlight-images.co.uk/mirage-print-software/
So not really worth the expense if panostitches are once a year things?
Thank you for this very informative video. The difference in the average cost per print is what really has me on the fence. What would you say is the average price per print of a border less A3+ in each of these printers? Thanks again.
Thanks
Unfortunately, I have no useful data for calculating costs, but see here:
www.redrivercatalog.com/rr/cost-of-inkjet-printing.html
You will need to do conversions for local currency/ink costs.
@@KeithCooper thanks a lot.
Thank you for answering. Does Canon image Prograf Pro-1000 work for 16 pt cardstock (350 gsm)? Or what printer works well for 16 pt postcards printing?
It needs card designed for inkjet use
No idea about the card stock - is it made for inkjet printing
To repeat, no printer I've tested [that goes back over 15 years in the articles - long before my videos] will print postcard robust enough for handling - that is a job for commercial print...
Would you recommend either for more graphic illustrative type work? So a lot of areas of solid colour. Thanks, I find your videos very informative.
I genuinely don't know - it's not the sort of printing I ever test.
There's no reason I can think of why one would necessarily be better, but that's just a hunch.
Can be printed both sides? Duplex print
no auto duplex - you only get that on office type printers.
You can of course reverse a print and re-print, but there are relatively few double sided papers and you run the risk of the feed damaging the first page if not properly dried.
@@KeithCooper thank you so much for answering my question. So appreciate
Thank you so much! This helped me a lot
Thanks
Hello. Which of them mostly for deep (solid) black on Transparent Film for Screen Printing? Thanks!
You need to ask on a specialist forum covering this - the 300 with pigments is likely better, but I don't know for sure
Hello, i will print cd's. What is the best? The 200 or 300?
No idea I'm afraid.
They are both capable of printing CDs, but not fast. I wouldn't want to print a big pile of CDs with any printer like these.
Hello Keith! Great video as usual. Let's say I print 90% matte coulor prints. Do you recommend the Pixma Pro-200? I don't mind the shorter dyeink longlivity. I'm not a pro by the way. I only print for fun, for myself and friends.
Yes - this was perhaps the most unexpected result of the testing for myself. The depth of blacks is impressive - see the written review and articles for more detail.
Good B&W takes some care, but can be done.
@@KeithCooper Thanks Keith. I will read the full review on the webpage. 🙂
Thanks for another great review/comparison, Keith. I make Pop-Up Cards as a hobby and 1 question very important to my decision on my next printer is - will the ink split when I score the card to achieve folds? Many thanks.
The ink won't, but the surface coating might. Dye inks sink further into some media, but I'm afraid I have no testing of this to give you a firm answer.
@@KeithCooper Many thanks for the reply Keith. If the dye ink goes further into the card then that will help lots. Do you know when the Pro 200 will be available? Seems to be only available for preorder at present.
@@pop-upcardmaker It will vary by card coating - watch out for ink bleed though - where crisp detail is lost.
I don't know about shipping though - I don't sell printers, so have no info on that side of things.
@@KeithCooper That's fine, I appreciate you taking the time to reply. For my kind of work a decent quality printer with the ability to print on A3 cards will do just fine. The Pro 200 appears to be just what I need.
Thank you for an awesome video!! What is the speed of the A3 or A4 print like? On the site its states 1minute 30 seconds but is this accurate? Kindly advise, thank you.
it's not wildly wrong - TBH I rarely ever make a note of such times when I'm testing. It's something which can vary (borders for example) so I only note if the figures in the specs seem obviously wrong.
@@KeithCooper thank you for making the time to respond to my comment!! Your channel is amazing!! Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge
Thank you very very very much sir🌟
Glad it's of interest!
Great reviews
Thanks - do check the written ones as well - there is a lot more detail in them
@@KeithCooper i will review the periodicals as well
Hi Keith, I was wondering about the VOCs produced when printing between the Pro200 and the Pro300? Are dye inks or pigment inks more toxic to print with? thanks for your amazing content :)
Also, I can only find information that pigment ink has better longevity over dye ink, but in regards to these two printers, what is the 200's longevity of colour? It's hard to find anything about how long they should be fade resistant (as a product sold as a print to be put on the wall inside someone's home). I understand pigment is better, but does the 200 work at all or will they all fade in a matter of months.. I don't think I can afford a pigment printer right now but would like to at least get the Pro 200 and sell some prints.. or is that not okay due to fading (I have no idea how bad fading is, it's so hard to find anything on this subject in specific detail).
Would the Pro 200 print a nice enough art print on matte paper?
I've no idea about this - the companies do have chemical safety sheets for their inks, but not something I study.
It is one of the reasons I don't like sprays and coatings for prints.
When you’re talking about a slight spots of gloss differential on prints…is that noticeable if the photo is framed and behind glass?
Only if you know what to look for and get the light at the right angle...
I notice it because I test printers - I'd not make much money if I bet on most people seeing it...
Funny. The pro 200 costs 575 euro at the cheapest in Greece, in one place. The rest sell them for around 700 euro. The pro 300 only costs between 580-599 euro at four places, and in total six places sell them for up to 605 euro, before it bumps up to 700. So where I currently live (Greece), the Pro 300 is actually generally cheaper to buy.
Yes - I steer well clear of any attempts to understand printer pricing in different countries... ;-)
thank you very much 😊that is very nice of you, have you planned videos in French?
Sorry, no - my French is very rusty.
Whilst I might still be able to order a meal, I've no idea what any of the photography or printing terms are in French.
Hi. Thank you for the video. Do you recommend a particular one for greeting cards?
Quality wise they are fairly good for this - paper handling is identical
The 200 ink costs are a bit lower, see
www.redrivercatalog.com/rr/cost-of-inkjet-printing.html
This may make a difference in a low margin sales ares like cards?
Both do need card that is meant for inkjet use though
Hi Keith, Thanks for the video. Well done indeed.
Which printer is best to print Realistic 'Gold' color text or fonts that will result being shinny text that will appear to pop off the page against a solid black or dark background on glossy or/and matte paper? Thanks.
Not something I've ever printed, but with a high gloss paper (such as the metallic gloss I tried) the 200 will likely give a bit more depth.
With matte paper the blacks will be deeper on the 200, but 'pop off the page' are not words I'd ever associate with matte papers ;-)
'Gold' will look more metallic with a gloss metallic paper and the 200.
So, my feeling (and it is only that) is that you've come up with a good use for the 200...
Hey Keith thanks for your videos, they are very helpful. What about the Canon Pro 10 ?
Thanks-
My 2013 PRO-10 review
www.northlight-images.co.uk/canon-pixma-pro-10-printer-review/
The articles go back to 2003 - the videos only to August 2020
The 300 is a vast improvement from a usability POV
Thanks so much for the detailed comparison! May I ask which one, out of the three printers ( pro-200, pro-300 and pro-1000 ) would be the better choice in terms of running costs, on the long run? Would the pro-1000 ink cartridges capacity make any sensible difference?
Thanks very much again for the review!
See here for some estimated ink costs
www.redrivercatalog.com/rr/cost-of-inkjet-printing.html
I don't really keep track of costs, since I don't usually get printers for long enough, run an atypical mix of test prints, and prices vary so much around the world ;-)
@@KeithCooper no worries 🙂 and thanks very much for the link
Hi 👋, may I know which do you think is better? The Canon pro 200 compare to the Epson ET L18050
No - I'm afraid 'better' is only relevant in relation to your precise needs and their relative importance, so I cannot answer in any general way.
See here for which features differ - you will have to decide which matters
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-18100-printer-review/
www.northlight-images.co.uk/canon-pro-200-printer-review/
Good job, Thank you
Glad it was of interest
Hi Keith,
This video is both informative and helpful.
The only thing that sets me back from purchasing the PRO1000 if the possibility that it might have a replacement some time soon. What's your take on this?
In other times... I would have expected this to be announced by now, but the various shortages have pushed a lot of products back. Next year seems a good guess, but it is just that.
As one manufacturer said to me 'Why launch what we can't supply'
I really don't have any idea (as opposed to 'I can't say' ;-) )
Still, I suppose, if there's an upgrade, the present pro1000 would still be relevant, right?
Yes, it's an excellent printer - what might be 'improved'?
Maybe less ink used on cleaning, maybe roll paper support - print quality? Who's going to notice?
It already has the best paper feeding of any large desktop printer I've looked at (my detailed review is on the Northlight site - it long predates me making videos)
Maybe a bit lighter/smaller
Maybe a better display
Much to favour the existing one ;-) I've been reviewing printers for long enough to know that there are rarely huge differences and printing is usually limited by user abilities and skill ;-)
@@KeithCooper thanks so much for your advice.
Great reviews Keith ....... would you recommend either for cad architectural drawings
Thanks - both will print drawings OK, but are perhaps overkill for image quality.
There are bigger printers available with just four inks that are aimed at the plot/CAD market. Not really the sort of printers I test though
cheers for reply Keith
In my opinion, faded prints always reflect poorly on the person/business it came from. Whether it's a freebie, a favor for a friend, or something you deliver where you explicitly state that the prints will fade because of the ink that was used, when it fades, it's just going in the bin and they will remember where it came from, just make a lot of assumptions, and not remember anything you told them about fading. Unless you have total control of how the end product is going to be used, I'd stick to pigment inks.
Certainly a reason to avoid cheap 'compatible inks'
However the fade resistance of the OEM dye inks is far less a problem to most.
But if it matters to you, it's a point in favour of the 300
That said if I wanted ultra glossy colour borderless prints to hand round at a meeting - the dye prints can have more of an impact and I might well pick the 200.
Hi Keith...very well explained comparisons, do you have an opinion when it comes to printing block colours digital illustrations? thanks so much
Yes, using icc profiles may or may not help. This is one of the few times that the basic printer driver on its own may potentially work better. Note I say 'may' since it's all about paper choices and media settings as well.
Colour management becomes quite important, especially if someone has used CMYK in creating the artwork.
It's an area I carefully avoid in my work - all my testing is primarily for photographers and strictly RGB images.
I promise this is my last question. Would it not be feasible to use a hybrid approach whereby two separate prints are made using two prints from separate printers and fusing them using a process such as color transfer, or even pressing two transparencies together, possibly using a magical white backing paper ? Similar to how we overlay images in photoshop, but using paper and or transparencies, or possibly even taking some approaches that Technicolor did with their 3 strip approach with a 4th mask for contrast or edge enhancement? Do people ever mix or engage their own dyes or pigments in order to trick the printers into delivering wider gamuts or more pleasing monochrome tones? Or is this one of these things where the theory only holds up until you factor in reality and the likes of paper / stock or other components of the mosaic come into play? Do people ever use a hybrid approach combing darkroom prints and an enhancement of those prints by essentially superimposing some of the goodies from an inkjet or dye based printer in order to yield more … richness? I can’t be the only one who has thought of this . Or am I slated to be the next Dyson of printers?
Many things are possible, just don't hold your breath waiting for the combination of the vast R&D departments of the big printer companies and marketing, to decide any of these things have profit in them ;-)
People have been mixing inks for colour and B&W for years (look up QuadToneRIP)
The last time I looked at such ink systems was nearly 20 years ago (one of my older print articles). The reasons for their use have become less and less pressing over the years - so much so that no-one even stocks them (in the UK) any more.
As to other assorted 'mixed process' approaches, there are a lot of people experimenting with weird stuff - I have more than enough 'normal' printing equipment and paper here to keep me busy experimenting ;-)
You got a verry amazing channel Keith . I want to aquire a printer for my wife she loves photography and want to print pictures on canvas , somewhere around a2 printer , can you recomend me anything refering to printer ?
Thanks - For A2 it's the P900 or PRO-1000, or for heavier duty work, the Epson P5000
I have reviews of all of them on the Northlight Images site (2 of them predate me making videos, but the articles are always more thorough than the videos)
If you've any specific questions, let me know via the Northlight site - since I never give specific recommendations in articles or videos.
Of all your great videos, this one has been the most helpful. Can’t find a Pro 200 for sale in Canada. Might have to go to my original intent for an Epson 900. Even though I don’t nearly print frequently enough.
Glad it was of help!