Today, Canon is announcing their next step forward in printing. The new Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 is a large format inkjet printer that will retail for $1.299.99 and has some interesting technology inside of it designed for fine art.
The PRO-1000 is the first in a new series that will be called the PROGRAF line. and like the company’s L lenses they will be designated by a little red line across the body. In fact, the PROGRAF line will live above the PIXMA PRO-1 printer.
The imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 printer sports a print head that is 50% larger than the PRO-1’s head, and packs features a 50 percent larger print head, and increases the nozzles to 18,432 for each of the 12 channels. Because there are a lot of nozzles and channels, it’s more possible that something can go wrong. Due to that fact, the PRO-1000 was designed to maintain a steady temperature to limit clogs and reduce cleaning cycles while conserving ink. If there is a clog, the printer senses this and makes the ones around it take over the job.
The rest of the post is a massive excerpt from the press release.
The new LUCIA PRO 11-color plus Chroma Optimizer ink system was designed specifically to meet the demands of the most critical photographer. An optimized resin-coating of each pigment allows for denser droplets to be applied to the media, resulting in an increased color gamut of up to 19 percent over the PIXMA PRO-1 printer. This dense ink-configuration also brings gloss uniformity for viewing conditions and image clarity that helps achieve anti-bronzing. The LUCIA PRO ink system also introduces an improved level of black density not only achieving deep, rich blacks but also helping to bring out incredibly fine shadow detail in the darker areas, creating works of art on fine art media. The imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 printer is designed to work seamlessly when changing media types, Photo Black and Matte Black inks have their own dedicated nozzles so no switching is necessary. Users can print on glossy media then fine art media with no worries, no changes, and no waste. The new ink system includes matte black, photo black, gray, photo gray, red, blue, magenta, photo magenta, cyan, photo cyan, yellow and Chroma Optimizer. The size of the ink tanks is 80ml per tank, allowing for less frequent refills and reduced cost per print.
New Processing Engine & Printer Architecture
Demonstrating a rich understanding of optimum balance stemming from its expertise in camera technology, Canon offers precise placement of ink droplets ideal for vivid print results. The new processing engine, L-COA PRO, the balance of inks and the precise placement of ink droplets, carefully calculating best results for each print mode and media using various factors including color reproduction, tonal gradations, black density, graininess, glossiness, anti-bronzing and elimination of metamerism, all of which contribute to creating an amazing printed image. L-COA PRO, combined with an internal 1GB of memory, enables high-speed processing of massive volumes of image data for demanding workflows. To bring further accuracy to ink ejection and limitation of color unevenness, the imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 printer offers a two-way vacuum paper feeder, which keeps media flat and even, helping with accuracy of ink ejection. The imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 printer also has a built-in calibration function to help prevent variability of color output by aging changes or printer differences. This feature allows for a consistency in colors from PRO-1000 to PRO-1000 of under a Delta E of 2†††. Reliability and quality are further maintained by the enhanced rigidity in the printer chassis allowing for even more improved dot placement, helping to produce sharper prints, including stunning borderless images.
New Software*
Enhancing the user experience with imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 printer is the intuitive software solution of Print Studio Pro v 2.0. With a focus on quality and ease of use, Print Studio Pro is a plugin for Adobe® Photoshop®, Adobe Lightroom® and Canon Digital Photo Professional software that easily exports files directly to the printer.2 With 16-bit processing capabilities, fine details are dramatically improved, gradations are smooth and a highly accurate reproduction of the original captured image can be reproduced. Also set to be included is the Media Configuration Tool (MCT)*, enabling customization of the media in both the driver and printer. Additionally, MCT can make adjustments such as print head height and vacuum strength for each media, offering the flexibility needed in order to help achieve optimal quality across a broad range of media options. Accounting Manager* is set to be included for those looking to keep track of consumable costs such as ink and media, allowing users to manually enter in their costs in order to help determine their overall printing expenses. Whether it is an individual printing in their studio, or an administrator looking to centrally manage a number of users in a multi-unit networked environment, this tool can help you keep track of printing expenses. Device Management Console* is an administrative tool which provides users with the means to manage multiple PRO-1000 printers by helping users monitor activity such as error messages and printer information such as the execution status of calibrations.
Availability and Pricing
The Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 is scheduled to be available end of October 2015 for a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $1,299.99. MSRP of each color ink is $59.99 and Chroma Optimizer is $54.99.**