canon ipf 6100 or HP Z3100

[bbbelly]

I am planning on purchasing a 24" printer in the very near future and after a lot of reading, i came to a choice of 2. canon ipf 6100 or HP Z3100.
Unfortunately the HP Z3100 GP is way too expensive (>5000 € = >7400$).
So if i go for a HP, it will be without the GP (without profiling capacity).

So i was wondering, if i can find enough ICC profiles online for different papers to use on the HP Z3100? On the other hand i wonder if those profiles will be accurate with my printer, or if every printer will really need it's own "calibration"? Any comments on that?

The Hp z3100 without GP costs about 2300 € ( about 3300 $). So less than half the price of a Z3100gp!!!

On the other hand there is ther IPF 6100 which has a kind of calibrating tool, which is not the same than on HP though, because according to my research, it doesn't really produce any icc profiles, but "only" gives you the ability to get the same print on different ipf 6100 or if you change the printheads, you will still be able to get the same results.

The canon ipf6100 will be at : 3200€ (about 4600$).

So it is more expensive than the hp z3100 without GP, but apparently it prints more than 3 times faster than the hp? Can anyone confirm that?

So, is it better to buy a hp z3100 without gp or a canon ipf6100, from the point of view to accurate color reproduction?

What about B&W quality`?
I am a photographer and after a long period of making mostly color photos i am on my way back to BW. I used to work in a "real darkroom" for ages, but as many others got tempted by the "simplicity" of digital printing.

So which of both produces a result as close to those on baryth paper as possibe (when using the accurate paper of course)?





thanks for any replies.

regards,
tf

[Ted Harris]

tf,

Are you sure you mean a Z3100 without profiling capabilities or the Z2100 ... see last paragraph below.

I use both the Z3100ps GP and the Canon IPF 6100. In fact, I will be writing an article comparing the two for one of the next two issues of View Camera magazine. Bottom line, without the profiling capability the HP, is still a very nice printer but the differences between it and the Canon are more a matter of taste than anything else to me. The profiling capability is what truly sets this printer apart from the other in its class. I have made some direct comparison prints on both printers and the results, while somewhat different, are equally pleasing ... tht is with a paper that was profiled for the HP in the machine and for the Canon out of the machine. With some fiddling I can get the prints to match much more closely.

To answer your specific questions: 1) yes you can find canned profiles for most of the better quality papers that should serve you just fine. 2) you can actually buy custom profiles for ~ €25-50 that are very professional and well done. 3) yes, the Canon is much faster than the HP in some instances ... not all but many. Depends on the size of the file to a large extent but bottom line the speed claim is real. it is also quieter. 3) As for calibration, the HP has an internal calibration mechanism as well and it works equally well on both machines. 4) I slightly prefer the ergonomics of the HP to those of the Canon but that is very subjective. 5) Many find the HP software to be more straightforward. 6) The Canon Export Driver gives you 16 bit printing capability and you need the ps version or a RIP to do that with the HP.

All that said, without the profiling capabiity it is a real tossup between the two machines. Finally, are you sure you aren't confusing the Z2100 and Z3100 series .... AFAIK the Z3100 ONLY ships with the internal profiling capability but that might differ in some markets ... I don't think it does though. OTOH, the Z2100 series is similar enough to confuse a new buyer ... it only has 8 inks and o profiling capability but otherwise very similar. If you are talking the 2100 v. the Canon then the Canon is a clear winner

[bbbelly]

Hello Ted,

Thanks for your quick answer.
I think i got it right with the z3100 (not mistaking it for a 2100)
As you can see on this webpage:

http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/uk/en/sm/WF25a/5043-6183-6187-6187-12805464-12805580.html

there are 2 different models: z3100 and z 3100 gp, and the gp has the profiling abilities. so unless i am completely getting everything wrong, there is that difference between the two.

what about b&w quality of z3100 and ipf 6100?? is it comparable with silver-gelatin prints?

thanks again

thierry f

[Ted Harris]

thierry,

I still think you have it wrong .... and I checked the UK site too. Thee are actually three different models:

Z3100 - straight machine

Z3100 GP - straight machine with ACP (advanced color profiling) which includes additional software and an X-Rite colorimeter to calibrate your monitor and then do seamless profiling from monitor to final print.

Z3100ps GP - adds a full Postscript drive to the mix

All of the above machines include the embedded X-Rite spectrophotometer for automated, in machine profiling of paper.

Check with your dealer and if you get a different answer let me know and I will check directly with the HP product manager.

what about b&w quality of z3100 and ipf 6100?? is it comparable with silver-gelatin prints? You do realize that holy wars get fought over this question? IMO, yes and, with the new baryta based papers even hard to tell the difference .... but that is my opinion only. Bottom line is the quality for black and white is superb if you start with a good scan, a well calibrated monitor, properly edited image, use the right paper that has been well profiled, etc.

[bbbelly]

Ted,

Thanks!
As it seems i have been completely mistaken from the beginning, thinking that the GP was actually the internal spectrophotometer. SO i guess i will have to recheck everything from the beginning.

thanks also for your opinion about silver gelatine versus digital printout of both the printers.

so, back to reading more. thanks again

thierry f