Canon iPF6100 Review

The new Canon iPF6100 is a large format printer that uses a 12-colour pigment inkset and can print up to A1 in size. The iPF6100 can produce a borderless A1 glossy print in less than 4 minutes, and incorporates a built-in colour calibration system. A wide colour gamut is offered by the dual-head 12-colour LUCIA II pigment ink system which packs 30,720 nozzles into two 1” print heads. Can the new Canon iPF6100 compete with the likes of the HP Z3100? Jon Canfield found just enough room in his office to test it out.

Website: Canon iPF6100 Review

Published: Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Reader Comments

1. A few questions:
   
   1) Are Media Types still locked out for some paper paths as with the iPF5000. For example, with iPF5000 if you select Photo Paper Plus Semi-Gloss as Media Type, you can't use the roll as a paper source. This is one of the biggest problems with the iPF5000.
   
   2) Does the Photoshop plugin now allow Black Point Compensation when converting with relative rendering intent?
   
   Thanks.
   
   --John

   John Hollenberg at 04:36pm on Thursday, September 27, 2007

2. Hi John -
   
   No change to paper types - the printer will automatically change to the supported source based on the availability of the media. So, for the PPP Semi-Gloss example, it's only available in cut sheet so the printer switches from roll.
   Ways around this are to either use the Special types, or tell the printer you're using a heavyweight semi-gloss, but I'm not sure why you'd choose to do this. You can get a full media list with available sizes here:
   http://www.usa.canon.com/html/consumables/pdf/iPF_Media_Guide.pdf
   
   On question #2, the plug-in doesn't support turning BPC on or off. If you choose Perceptual or Relative it's set automatically for you.
   
   Jon

   Jon Canfield at 12:04pm on Friday, September 28, 2007

3. Jon,
   
   On question #2, you say it is "set automatically", but I am not clear if Relative Rendering Intent has BPC set on or off. For the iPF5000, it was set off, and we had (obviously) complaints about that at the Wiki.
   
   Thanks.
   
   --John

   John Hollenberg at 12:54pm on Friday, September 28, 2007

4. Hi. What's the price? Thanks in advance.

   Steve at 09:38am on Tuesday, October 16, 2007

5. Steve -
   
   list price in the US is $3,495
   
   Jon

   Jon Canfield at 09:53pm on Wednesday, October 17, 2007

6. Nice review. I just purchased one shipped to my house in Texas from DGR for $2269.
   
   Any word on when the export print driver will support CS3?
   
   Thanks,

   Erik Carr at 01:49am on Wednesday, January 23, 2008

7. Thanks Erik. Go to the Canon website to check that you have the latest version of software. The export module works with CS3 now.
   
   You should be very happy with the printer, it does a great job, and fast!

   Jon Canfield at 03:32am on Wednesday, January 23, 2008

8. Recently I purchased a canon 6100. All software has been updated. If I print a picture with an Adobe RGB working space using the export module using a media setting of Glossy photo paper 190 GSM with the profile set to Auto, the picture quality is fairly good. If I use the built in Canon profile fro that paper, the picture is aweful. The picutre is way too heavy. I also have a similar problem with Canon's Premium RC Luster paper. I do not have any problems using Red River papers, although their profiles seem a little on the magenta side.
   
   I can not get a reasonable answer from anybody. Maybe you can help me.

   Edwin Levenberg at 12:05am on Sunday, September 28, 2008

9. Edwin -
   
   It sounds like you might have double profiling happening. If you're selecting the profile in Photoshop, you need to be sure that color management is off in the printer driver. If selecting to manage from the printer, be sure that is the option in the Photoshop Print dialog. Both of these papers should be giving you very good results.
   
   Jon

   Jon Canfield at 01:49pm on Sunday, September 28, 2008

10. If you would like to request a sample of this or any other Canon large format printer you can request one at http://www.sampleprint.co.uk.

    Sample Print at 01:56pm on Thursday, January 08, 2009