FAQ+Single+Page

=How do I search the Wiki to find the information I need?=

Note: The single page FAQ is significantly out of date, so check regular FAQ also to be sure information is correct.
There are several ways to find information on the Wiki. Starting from the most general, here they are:


 * 1) Use the Navigation column on the left to find the general topic you are interested in. The list is long, so be sure to scroll down to see the end.
 * 2) Click FAQ (Single Page) in the Navigation column to the left, then use "Find" in your browser to search for any keywords in the FAQ. Note that this page is not as up to date as the individual pages, so if you don't find what you are looking for, go to step 3.
 * 3) Click FAQ Contents in the Navigation column, then use "Find" in your browser (e.g., Control-F) to search for titlewords in the FAQ topics.
 * 4) Click [|Discussion Forum] in the Navigation column on the left. You can filter the Discussion forum messages by Keywords (actually, these are titlewords, or any portion of titleword. For example, filtering with "pro" will find topics on XP Pro, profiles, etc. You can clear the filter when you are done.
 * 5) Use the "Search" box just above the word "Navigation" in the Navigation column on the left. Type in what you want to search for, then click the green arrow to the right. Search capabilities:

Wikispaces supports several operators to help narrow your search results:


 * "exact phrase" || find documents containing the exact phrase in quotes ||
 * +include || only show pages that contain "include" ||
 * -exclude || only show pages that do not contain "exclude" ||

For example, **"firmware update"** will only return pages with the words "firmware update" in that order. **firmware -update** will show all pages that contain the word //firmware// that do not contain the word //update//. **firmware +update** will show all pages that contain //firmware// and also contain the word //update//.


 * Note:** Using search will find both regular Wiki pages and Discussion Forum messages. There is no way currently to find words or phrases in the regular Wiki pages, but not in the discussion forum pages.

=How do I contact Canon USA for support?=

Support for the iPF printers in the USA - (800) 423-2366 then press Option 2

=What are the official specifications for the iPF6100?=

For the official specifications, see the end of this Canon brochure:

=How does the iPF6100 compare to the HP Z3100 and Epson 7880?=


 * Problems with iPF6100**: Covered in the Known Problems section of the Wiki.


 * Problems with HP Z3100:** [|Weak reds], especially on matte papers. Pizza wheels/roller marks on gloss papers experienced by some. Ink overspray with heavy/continuous use. Firmware/drivers not mature yet, although [|Firmware version 6] released end of October, 2007. See also the HP Z3100 Wiki to help with your purchase decision.


 * Problems with Epson 7880:** Substantial ink wasted in swapping photo black and matte black. Unknown at this time whether it will be less than the 90 ml needed for swap on Epson 7800. Significant potential for clogging, especially if not used regularly (based on Epson 7800 experience), with subsequent waste of ink and time.

in my tests, 1.5 for darkest prints || About 2 ml/sq. ft. || About 2 ml/sq ft. || Yes if printing from Photoshop through regular 8 bit driver || Yes || Yes || 250 years under glass ||  || a minor but very annoying problem) ||  || Good ||
 * ===Feature=== || ===Canon iPF6100=== || ===HP Z3100=== || ===Epson 7880=== ||
 * Ink Wasted to switch blacks || None || None || 90 ml / 90 ml ||
 * Time to Switch black ink || None || None || 20 minutes / 20 minutes ||
 * Cost of Roundtrip Switch || None || None || $68.40 ||
 * Roll Feed Motorized || Yes (makes loading the roll extremely easy) || Yes ||  ||
 * Roll Length Tracking || Yes (prints barcode & reads it when roll reloaded) ||  ||   ||
 * Roll and sheets loaded at same time || No (roll unloads automatically when use top manual feed) || No ||  ||
 * Top Load Manual Feed || Yes || Yes ||  ||
 * Front Load Manual Feed || Yes ||  ||   ||
 * Minimum Paper Size || 8 inches wide (11 inch length for top feed) || Letter/A4 ||  ||
 * Maximum Print Length (roll) || 59 feet (50 feet from printer driver) || Up to 300 feet (OS dept) ||  ||
 * Maximum Print Length (top feed) || 62 inches ||  ||   ||
 * Maximum Print Length (front feed) || 36 inches ||  ||   ||
 * Maximum media thickness || 59.0 mil || 500 gsm ||  ||
 * Media Thickness (roll) || 3.1-31.4 mil || Up to 19 mil ++ ||  ||
 * Media Thickness (top feed) || 3.2-19.6 mil ||  ||   ||
 * Media Thickness (front feed) || 19.6-59.0 mil ||  ||   ||
 * Size of Ink Cartridges || 130 ml (starter cartridges 90 ml) || 130 ml (starter carts 69 ml) || 110/220 ml ||
 * Cost of Ink per ml || 58 cents || 38 cents (if bought in twin pack at itsupplies) || 48cents/39 cents ||
 * Ink use (ml/square ft) || [|About 0.5-0.8 ml per LL] 0.8-1.1
 * Ink wasted on cleaning || About 2.5 ml per day with low use (per iPF5000) ||  ||   ||
 * Print Using Qimage || Works fine through driver, can't be used with plugin || ? || Yes ||
 * Clogging Problems || None reported || None reported || Unknown ||
 * Weight || Approximately 145 lbs with stand || 143 lbs with stand || 131 lbs ||
 * Size (H X W X D) in inches || 46.3 X 39.1 X 35.2 || 49.7 X 41.2 X 26 inches || 46 X 46 X 40 ||
 * Gamut || Better dark blues and medium greens ||  || Better warmer colors ||
 * Grayscale Range ||  ||   ||   ||
 * Quality of B&W Prints || Very good, extremely neutral, very little bronzing ||  ||   ||
 * DMax on Harman FB Al Gloss ||  ||   ||   ||
 * DMax on HPR || 1.58 per Outback Photo review || 1.70 per LL thread ||  ||
 * Ink Water Resistant ||  || Yes. || Yes. ||
 * Gloss Differential & Bronzing || Bronzing almost completely eliminated || Almost none ||  ||
 * Relative Rendering Intent has Blackpoint Compensation Available || NO for plugin; workaround available;
 * Paper Transport Issues Causing Smuding/Head Strikes ||  ||   ||   ||
 * Longevity of prints || No data available; approx. 95 years for iPF5000 || 100 years bare bulb
 * Quantity/Quality of supplied profiles ||  ||   || Excellent ||
 * Time to print at highest quality ||  ||   ||   ||
 * Printer stand || Standard || Standard ||  ||
 * Interface || Ethernet, USB 2.0 || Ethernet, USB 2.0 || Ethernet, USB 2.0 ||
 * Standby power consumption || < 6 watts || 27 watts || < 5 watts ||
 * Standby noise || None detectable || Fan runs continuously + ||  ||
 * Sound level || 49 dB ||  || 50 dB ||
 * Consistency Between Printers || Canon claims < 2 delta E with calibration ||  ||   ||
 * Quality of Manufacturer website || Poor (but Wiki sufficient, so this is
 * Documentation ||  || Excellent per LL || Very Good ||

+ Comment from Paul Butzi: "This fan runs constantly. It is by no means a noisy fan, but it is far noisier than it needs to be. And it runs all the time, even when the printer is in ’sleep’ mode. It runs day and night. Did I mention that this fan runs non-stop, 24/7, constantly?"

++ Comment from Avalan: "I printed on breathing color chromata canvas - 20.5 mil - with no problems or head strikes."


 * Comments from Wayne Fox on [|LL forum thread] about iPF6100 vs HP Z3100:**

The real question being asked here is a Canon ipf6100 vs. an HPz3100. Canon sent me an ipf6100 about 10 days ago, and have enjoyed seeing what the printer can do. I spent about 2 weeks with a 44" z3100 a couple of months ago, and currently own 2 Epson 3800's, a 4800, and a 9800. I ordered the Epson 11880 immediately upon reading about it, and after examining prints made on the 11880, the 9880 and 9800 as well as Canon printers at photoshop world, I am excited about this new printer. I also still have an ipf5000 Canon sent to me shortly before they were introduced and tested it for a few weeks back then.

So I'm sort of an Epson guy, but I've had a chance to play in depth with all of them. From that perspective I will say I believe the 6100 is an outstanding printer, and I'm getting gorgeous prints ... every bit as good as my 3800. Not better mind you, but side by side it is incredibly difficult to find any difference, especially one significant enough to base a purchase decision on output quality alone. The new black inks do make a difference, and black and white prints I did on Museum Etching look really nice on both printers. I see less grain and smoother transition detail than I remember with the ipf5000.

My personal feeling is that I like the output from the Epson and the Canon better than the z3100. The HP is a great printer, but I found it more challenging to maintain delicate transition details, and struggled with reds, especially rich reds. The gloss optimizer is nice if you do a lot of photo papers, but gloss differential and bronzing really isn't much of an issue for any of these printers now.

I mentioned a few days ago (I believe in this thread) about challenges using the front loading manual feed for thicker material on the ipf6100. I finally did figure it out and now I'll admit it isn't that bad, so my only criticism of the Canon ipf6100 is again in documentation (it shouldn't have been that hard to figure out). The user interface for printing is still a struggle (let's be honest, printing interfaces should be better for all printers, but I think Canon is the worst of the 3). That being said, it is better than the ipf5000, and once you figure it out isn't an issue.

One final opinion when comparing the z3100 to the 6100 (or the Epsons for that matter) is in regards to the onboard eyeone and self profiling. While I commend HP for the idea, and I know everyone is excited about it, I personally think profiling is going in a different direction. The self-calibration of the new Canon printers seems insignificant, but in reality it is a big deal. It puts them at a level that Epson seems to have achieved, especially with the 3800, that being the printers are very consistent. It isn't that the printer is consistent with itself, it is consistent with other printers. Paper makers will be able to provide canned profiles that are equal to or better than you can make for yourself. I believe the Canon is consistent enough that most of the good media out there will have canned profiles very quickly. So it just doesn't seem to be worth the extra money to buy one in the printer. 5 years ago this would have been remarkable, but seems unnecessary now.

Please understand this printer may have issues that no one knows about ... it's too new. So my comments are regarding output quality, not build quality. It could very well be the roll feed system of the printer is flakey and a month or two from now the net will be full of people upset that they bought the printer based on what someone said. I will say the printer seems well built, and I had very little trouble loading paper with very few skewing errors, even with the front manual slot (once I finally figured how to use it with my preferred paper choices.) As far as build quality it isn't new, it is pretty much identical to the 6000, so instinct tells me it's going to be fine. But no one knows right now, so if that worries you, I guess you can wait or look at other makers.

Finally I do have a couple of broad recommendations. If you don't need roll feed, don't switch between photo blacks too often and only need a 17" printer, the Epson 3800 is a strong contender. Beautiful quality, and I have 0 clogs in over 2 months between 2 printers. If you need roll feed and need to switch blacks more than occasionally, the Canon would be my choice. I've heard the new 80 series reduces the amount of ink it takes to swap, but it will still take more than the Canon (which doesn't require any). If you are the rare user that prints on heavy stock ... especially heavy roll stock, the straight through paper path design of the 7880 is something you should look at closely ... the Canon does present some challenges there.

=How easy is it to load thick sheets from the front slot compared to other printers?=

Comments by Wayne Fox on LL forum:

I agree paper loading is improved, but personally I think the front load slot is very weakly done, as is accessing it through the driver. My basis for comparison is 24" and larger printers ... ipf 6100 vs Epson 78xx series printers. (the same criticism doesn't apply if comparing desktop models, ipf5100 vs Epson 3800/48xx) On the Epson all paper bascially has a straight through path, and loading a sheet of bond paper isn't any different than using poster board, so thick media is a non issue.

On the Canon you must use the front load slot (my current favorite paper is Museum Etching) With the Canon this more difficult than it should be, both in accessing it through the driver, as well as loading a sheet. I spent some time with the Canon rep at Pictureline today because I couldn't even figure out how to do it right ... basically you have to set the printer to the POP paper setting, load the paper, then set the driver to use whatever the true paper type is. I haven't tried that yet ... so far all I could get to work was using POP in both the driver and printer, but then I lose all control of ink densities etc. and can't optimzie my profile. I won't be able to try this other way till Monday, but I assume it will work. Not documented very well.

Loading a piece of paper is very strange ... pull up these 4 tabs, lift the printer top, insert the paper on top of the tabs, making sure to flip the little insert backwards so the aligment guide is available. It was a little fight to keep that little insert from flipping back. Stick your hand in to get the paper under the little rollers, shove it all the way back and line it up with the lines, shut the lid and hit OK. In 4 tries I"m only 50/50 in not getting a skewing error ... maybe I'll get better.

Maybe an improvement, but far from easy. This is definitely not a good printer for anyone that does a lot of manual feed thick stock.


 * Update:** A few days later Wayne posted these additional comments:

I mentioned a few days ago about challenges using the front loading manual feed for thicker material on the ipf6100. **I finally did figure it out and now I'll admit it isn't that bad**, so my only criticism of the Canon ipf6100 is again in documentation (it shouldn't have been that hard to figure out).

=Is there a good solution for catching sheets rather than letting them fall into the basket?=

Yes. A simple if solution was described by Uwe Steinmueller on Outback Photo [|here].

=How can I make an adapter for the IPF8000 instead of buying an adapter for 3 inch core roll paper?=

One way to do this is detailed in [|this article].

A poster to the Wiki writes, "I found an even better solution with some papers (e.g., Canon Photo Pearl). They have a plastic cup that you can just put on the roll without sawing anything. They look like the smaller blue 3"adapter that came with the Roll Feed Unit for the Canon IPF5000. I found that all of the Canon 3" core papers had that thing, you can achieve the same results by cutting as stated in that article but this is somewhat nicer and easier.

First image: This piece came with my roll of Canon photo pearl 260gsm and Fine art extrasmooth (Note: those are European names). The smaller part fits 2" core easily (I have a roll of pearl photo loaded this way in the printer now; it's even faster than replacing those 3" blue caps Canon supplied):



Piece connected to gray thing:



Differences between Canon blue 3"core adapter and piece supplied with 3"core roll:



I also purchased roll holder set, it came exactly packaged as with the Roll Feed Unit with same pieces. Price paid was about $60 a little bit too much but worth it if you are changing papers all the time. Usually I leave one all-round paper on one set and change the finer papers on the other.

=Should I buy a Canon iPF5000/iPF5100/iPF6100?=


 * Question:** Do you recommend that I buy a Canon iPF5000/iPF5100/iPF6100?


 * Answer:** Yes, these are great printers with many strengths, **so we recommend that you buy one if it fits your needs**. All of the current large format printers have strengths and weaknesses, but they are different for each printer so it depends which features are most important to you. We recommend that you get enough information to decide if one of these printers is right for you. A recommended source of objective information comparing the printers for Canon, Epson and HP is [|Scott Martin's recent newsletter] which you can subscribe to from the [|Onsight] front page.


 * Decide if you would be better served by a 24 inch printer. Options here include the Canon iPF6100, [|HP Z3100] and the Epson 7800 or [|Epson 7880]. A comparison of these three printers has been started here.
 * If you want a 17 inch printer check the differences between the iPF5100 and iPF5000. Decide if you would rather purchase the old iPF5000 (available at fire sale prices) or the new iPF5100 (street price running about $1700 as of 11/23/07). The only real competitors are the [|Epson 4880] and the Epson 3800. Look at the comparison with the Epson 3800 and 4800, (some might want to also consider the HP Designjet 90, a dye-based printer which is only archival with two HP papers)
 * Check the Known Problems section to see if the issues mentioned are showstoppers for you. Don't be too concerned about these problems unless they would affect YOUR use of the printer, since all of the printers have problems. The information here highlights the potential problems with the iPF5000/iPF5100/iPF6100. You will have to check other web sites (for example, Luminous Landscape) to get information on the problems experienced with other printers.
 * Read the Reviews, especially the most recent one for the iPF5000 from [|Rangefinder Magazine] by Steven Katzman
 * Ask any unanswered questions on the [|Discussion Forum]


 * Strong points of the iPF5000/iPF5100 include:**


 * Gamut size equal to Epson K3 inks on Epson Premium Luster (but the shape is different, so stronger in some colors, weaker in others)
 * Excellent dmax (L* 3.3 on Epson Premium Luster)
 * Gloss differential and bronzing characteristics of the iPF5000 were identical to the K3 inks in a recent comparison of B&W done by Scott Martin of [|Onsight]. However, the iPF6100 inks were hugely superior. He only tested black and white so there could be differences that one sees with color prints, but probably the results wouldn't be much different. The iPF5100/6100 printers black inks have the least bronzing and gloss differential (without HP's Gloss Enhancer) and that's a real strong point. Scott writes in a [|Luminous Landscape thread]: "I have some wet darkroom fiber base prints along with B&W fiber base inkjet prints from Epson K3 printers, HP Z series printers and Canon iPF x100 printers that I carry around with me and all the photographers that I have shown them to have preferred the x100 prints thus far."
 * No clogs
 * Automated cleanings may waste less ink than Epsons (but see recent [|analysis of ink use] by a low volume printer)
 * Frugal with ink when making prints
 * Industrial strength build quality
 * No cartridge swap required to print photo or matte black ink
 * Great motorized roll feed which loads very easily
 * Sheets and roll can be loaded at the same time, easy to switch
 * Very neutral B&W prints
 * Can print long panoramas


 * Weaknesses of the iPF5000/iPF5100 include:**


 * Very large size compared to Epson 3800 (bigger than even the Epson 4800)
 * Locked Media Types may cause hassles/problems when printing on third party glossy/luster papers
 * Longest sheet that can be fed is 24 inches (62 inches for iPFX100 generation)
 * Smallest official paper size 8X10 (but reports of successfully feeding slightly smaller sizes)
 * On selected papers Ultrachrome K3 inks may be more water resistant than Canon according to tests done by some Wiki members
 * Steeper learning curve for those already accustomed to Epson printers

=Which dealers have Wiki participants had good experiences with?=

If you decide to buy the printer, it is recommended to buy from one of the reputable authorized dealers, who may give better service in the event of a problem which Canon is not taking care of properly. Dealers that Wiki participants have had good experiences with include (in alphabetical order):


 * [|Booksmart Studio]
 * [|ColorHQ]
 * [|IT supplies]
 * [|Shades of paper]

In Canada the list includes:

Surrey, B.c. V3S7G7 Canada
 * Focus Pre-press systems**
 * 1) 201 - 6450 148th Street

Phone : (604) 635-4115 Fax : (604) 635-2773 Manager : Paul Kiendl

=What are the differences between the iPF5100 and the iPF5000?=

Theses are the improvements claimed by Canon:


 * New black inks to reduce bronzing and improve scratch resistance, and reduce print graininess (even from Firmware 1.23 on iPF5000). **Comment:** John Hollenberg has seen iPF5100 prints sent by Avalan and confirms that bronzing is reduced by 85-90%. Scott Martin of [|Onsight] calls the B&W prints made with the new black inks "stunning".
 * Printer calibration to reduce inter-unit delta-E to 2 or less.
 * Built in roll feed unit. **Comment:** This will almost certainly take care of one of the biggest criticisms of the iPF5000, a design defect that caused roll feed units to malfunction and required a service call to fix. The broken tabs problem on the roll feed unit should be solved as well.
 * a new, quieter platen fan and sound-absorbing material added to the inner wall of intake ducts in the iPF5100 printer combine to yield quieter operation (per official Canon iPF5100 brochure)
 * Black inks will not be backward compatible with iPF5000.

There are several other improvements:


 * Top manual feed now works with paper up to 62 inches in length--no more concerns about feeding 17X25 inch sheets
 * There are 5 additional Special Media Types for matte papers (iPF5000 Special Media Types are for photo papers only)
 * Export plugin improvements reported by ColorHQ:
 * Full screen preview
 * More print quality selections - 32 pass printing (iPF5000 maxed out at 16 pass) **Comment:** It is not known yet if this produces a visible improvement in quality. Scott Martin of [|Onsight] reports that 32 pass is only supported for photo black compatible media, but not for matte media.
 * Categorized paper type view
 * Roll paper layout view
 * Bicubic enlargement

There is one **potential drawback (not confirmed yet)** compared to the iPF5000:


 * Borderless printing is not listed as available for 13 inch paper in the Canon brochure (it was listed for iPF5000). A3+ (12.95 inches wide) is listed, so perhaps will work with 13 inch paper also. Need confirmation from Canon about whether this is a change, or just an oversight in the documentation.

=What are the pros and cons of the iPF5100/iPF5000 compared to the Epson 3800 and 4880?=

See also What are the differences between the iPF5100 and iPF5000? See also the [|Epson 3800 FAQ] by Eric Chan to help with your purchase decision.


 * ===Feature=== || ===Canon IPF5000=== || ===Epson 3800=== || ===Epson 4880=== ||
 * Ink Wasted to switch blacks || None || 1.5 ml / 4.5 ml || 90 ml / 90 ml ||
 * Time to Switch black ink || None || 1:55 / 2:55 minutes || 20 minutes / 20 minutes ||
 * Cost of Roundtrip Switch || None || $4.14 || $68.40 ||
 * Roll Feed || Option || No || Yes ||
 * Roll Feed Motorized || Yes (makes loading the roll extremely easy) || Not applicable || No ||
 * Roll Length Tracking || Yes (prints barcode & reads it when roll reloaded) || Not applicable || No ||
 * Roll and sheets loaded at same time || Yes (roll unloads automatically when use top manual feed) || Not applicable || No ||
 * Minimum Paper Size || 8X10 (some have printed 7X10 notecard paper from the Cassette without problems) || 4X6 || 8X10 ||
 * Maximum Print Length || 59 feet using roll feed (50 feet from printer driver) || Limited to 37.4 inches || Limited by application, OS, driver or RIP ||
 * Size of Ink Cartridges || 130 ml (starter cartridges are only 90 ml) || 80 ml || 110/220 ml ||
 * Cost of Ink per ml || 58 cents || 69 cents (vs. 86 cents for Epson 2400) || 48cents/39 cents ||
 * Ink usage || May be less due to having Red, Green and Blue colors || Uses two inks to produce Red, Green and Blue || Uses two inks to produce Red, Green and Blue ||
 * Ink use (ml/square ft) || [|About 0.5-0.8 ml per LL] 0.8-1.1 in my tests, 1.5 for darkest prints || Unknown || About 2 ml/sq ft. ||
 * Print Using Qimage || Works fine through driver, can't be used with plugin || Yes || Yes ||
 * Clogging Problems || None reported || Some reported || May be improved over Epson 4800 ||
 * Ink wasted on cleaning || Less than 10% per Canon; about 2.5 ml per day according to reports in this FAQ || Probably similar to 4800 || Unknown ||
 * Weight || 99 lbs. (108 lbs with roll feed) || 43 lbs. || 88 lbs. ||
 * Size || 39 X 29 X 12.5 see Dimensions || 27 X 15 X 10 inches || 33 X 30 X 14 inches ||
 * Gamut || Better in blues || Better in warmer colors || Better in warmer colors ||
 * Grayscale Range || Reported better by Luminous Landscape || Unknown || Unknown ||
 * Quality of B&W Prints || Very good, extremely neutral || Outstanding || Outstanding ||
 * Ink Water Resistant || Not as water resistant as Epson K3 on some papers per Wiki posters. If you rub a wet finger on a print some papers smudge very easily, particularly in blue areas. Other papers appear to be without problems. || Yes. || Yes. ||
 * Gloss Differential & Bronzing || About half way between Ultrachrome inks and the newer Ultrachrome K3 (per Inkjetart) || Excellent || Excellent ||
 * Relative Rendering Intent has Blackpoint Compensation Available || NO for plugin; workaround available; Yes if printing from Photoshop through regular 8 bit driver || Yes || Yes ||
 * Printing from Cassette || Banding in last inch on sheets fed from Cassette; fix is now available || OK || OK ||
 * Paper Transport Issues Causing Smuding/Head Strikes || No (can set vacuum/head height); //Exception:// Head strikes on Fine Art Pearl, which some haven't resolved || Reported for Epson 3800 [|here] but apparently easily worked around || No (can set vacuum) ||
 * Quantity/Quality of supplied profiles || Fair - one report that Canon USA is not happy with the quality of the profiles from Canon Japan; many papers (even Canon) do not have profiles. **Update:** New Canon profiles for plugin here. || Excellent || Excellent ||
 * Sound level || 60 -> 56 db at 1 meter per Luminous Landscape (a lot quieter) || Unknown || 62 db at 1 meter per Luminous Landscape ||
 * Consistency Between Printers || Higher variation (but sample size only 2 printers) [|reported by Andrew Rodney] || Good || Good ||
 * Quality of Manufacturer website || Poor (but Wiki sufficient, so this is a minor but very annoying problem) || Good || Good ||
 * Documentation || Horrible (the reason for this Wiki) || Good || Good ||


 * Comment by Tony Bonanno:** I've had a bunch of Epsons and I print a fair amount for myself and clients. I went through three Epson 17" PRO 4000's. I've had two Epson R2400's (for small cut sheet).. I've had the 2200, R800, and the older ones back when they first came out with "photo" printers (1200, 870, etc.). So I think I can give you a little perspective. I live at 7000 ft and relatively low humidity. The fact that I've been using the 5000 for six months now WITHOUT EVEN ONE nozzle clog or nozzle issue has made the Canon's problems seem minor. You cannot believe how much ink (and money), those big Epson's (PRO 4000's) cost me in clearing out nozzle clogs and air in the ink lines. I'm talking hours of down time, and hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in wasted ink. The Canon has excellent print quality, and lots of good features. The iPF5000 would probably still be my choice.. at least at this time. Oh, I should mention that the Epsons I've owned all had banding issues from time to time.

=What are the official specifications for the iPF5100?=

See the end of this Canon PDF brochure for specifications:



=What Operating Systems are supported for the printer driver and other software?=


 * Windows - 2000/XP/Vista (32/64 bit)
 * Mac - OS9, OSX

=What warranty does Canon provide on the printheads for the iPF5100/iPF5000?=

The PF-03 printheads that ship with the iPF5100 have a **[|warranty of one year or 10 trillion ink droplets]** (approximately 2,200 17X24 inch pages at 12.5% coverage for each color), **whichever comes first**. Note that the warranty covers the new PF-03 printhead, which will work with iPF5000 and the upcoming iPF5100 and 6100. The PF-01 printheads in the iPF5000 apparently still have no official warranty, although Michael Reichmann has contacted Canon and been assured that the PF-01 printheads will be covered by the same warranty. Most likely Michael Reichmann's printhead failure was a big part of the impetus for this change. The warranty actually isn't that impressive. At 4 picoliters per drop, 10 trillion drops is 2.5 liters. We don't know if the cleanings count in this or not. At $600 for a printhead (unless the PF-3 is cheaper), that works out to head cost of 600/2500 = 24 cents per ml of ink. So two printheads are warranted for a total of 5 liters, or just over 3 complete sets of ink cartridges. If there is a failure after that, it will cost you $600-1200 to get your printer going again. That is a best case scenario for the length of your warranty, because if you are a relatively low volume printer, you won't print that much in one year, then your warranty is gone. It could turn out that your printhead cost will be 2-3 times this much per ml of ink if you don't print high volume and the printhead fails right after the warranty expires. I figured less than 5 cents per ml as the printhead cost for HP z3100 (based on 2.5 liter "averaged maximum" throughput per head and $50 cost per head). The total head replacement cost for the HP is about $300 for the printer (6 heads for the whole printer).


 * Conclusion:** Cost advantage for printhead life goes to HP by a wide margin. However, with only 3 reports of early printhead failure so far, this discussion may be more academic than of practical signficance. In actual use the printheads appear to be extremely reliable.


 * Quotes from Michael Reichmann of Luminous Landscape:**


 * 6/7/07:**

"One of the areas of concern with the iPF generation of printers from Canon has been the lack of warrenty on print heads. Since these are expensive items (//the two heads together are worth more than two thirds of the retail price of a new iPF 5000//) both prospective as well as current owners have rightly been concerned about head longevity.

In fact, I had a head failure on my iPF 5000 printer last month, less than one year after purchasing the printer. After some discussion with Canon they agreed that the failure was premature and that the heads would be replaced without charge. I expressed concern that with a stated policy which excludes heads from warrenty coverage they needed to provide an official statement on the subject, rather than responding to individual problems on an ad hoc basis. They agreed, and also indicated that such a statement would be forthcoming.

A new head replacement warrenty policy has now been issued, and the bottom line is that Canon is offering a warrenty on their iPF printer heads of one year, and approximately 2,200 A2 size (17"x24") prints."


 * 6/9/07:**

"A couple of days ago I mentioned here Canon's new (and welcome) warranty policy on the print heads for its iPF 5000 printers. Severval poeple read the fine print and due to its vague wording believed that the warranty does not apply to the series of heads used in the original printers.

I have now spoken with a senior Canon executive who has stated unequivocally that the new 1 year warranty on heads applies equally to the PF-01, PF-02 and PF-03 series heads."

=What is the expected life of the Canon printheads?=

Canon has published a document "Expected Printhead Life Guideline". While the expected printhead life is VERY good, this information highlights how poor the warranty is: expected printhead life is 14,000 pages for both printheads, but warranty is for 10 trillion droplets per printhead-- approximately 2,200 pages (4,400 pages for both printheads) or one year, whichever comes first. In other words, the warranty covers 31% of the expected printhead life, a lot less if you are a low volume printer and take longer than one year to reach the 4,400 pages. The iPF5000 printheads are VERY expensive and have a limited warranty both timewise and in terms of warranted throughput. **Counterbalancing this concern:** there have been only 3 reports of printhead failure (all premature and covered by warranty), 2 of which occurred in the same printer (suggesting there may have been a problem with the printer, such as a faulty capping station, which caused the failures). There is [|one report of failure of a printhead on the W8400 printer] (which uses a similar printhead) after about one liter of ink passed through each of the 6 channels. This is very good printhead life!



=What longevity test results are available for the iPF5100/iPF6100 inkset?=

None (as of 11/24/07).

=What versions of Photoshop does the Export Plugin Support?=


 * Windows - Photoshop 6, 7, CS, CS2 and CS3 (for all iPF series printers)
 * Mac - Photoshop 6, 7, CS, CS2, CS3


 * Note:** Here is the situation regarding plugins for the Mac:


 * No universal binary plugin for Mac for PS 6, 7, CS and CS2 on the iPF5000. Must run under Rosetta.
 * No plugin at all for Photoshop CS3 for iPF5100/iPF6100 printers--expected "soon"
 * Photoshop CS3 Universal Binary Plugin for iPF5000: The Wiki has received an ISO file from Eric Bullock at [|Mac Business Solutions] for the Photoshop CS3 Universal Binary Plugin. Note that the plugin is for CS3 only, not earlier versions of Photoshop. Versions for iPF5000, iPF8000 and iPF9000 are included. Please download [|here] only if you need the plugin, as bandwidth is limited. There are reports of users getting a message, "The disk image you are opening may be damaged & could damage your system.", but those who ignored the message and installed anyway report that the plugin works fine. Options for installing the ISO file include:
 * If you have Toast you can just mount it and run the installer from there or burn a CD if you want to.
 * If you Control Click you should have an option under Open With to open Disk Image Mounter.
 * Or, open it with Disk Utility and Burn a CD if you want.

=What are the biggest potential drawbacks of the IPF5100/iPF5000?=

There are only a few, but they could be deal breakers for you depending on your needs:


 * Very large size compared to Epson 3800 (bigger than even the Epson 4800)
 * Media Types locked out for some paper paths
 * Smallest paper size 8X10
 * Somewhat greater gloss differential than Ultrachrome K3 (Epson 3800/4800) **Note:** This may not apply to iPF5100. We need more information.
 * Inks less water resistant than Ultrachrome K3 on some papers
 * Steeper learning curve for those already accustomed to Epson printers

=What size of roll paper can be used to print borderless on the iPF5100/iPF5000?=


 * According to the specifications, the iPF5100 can print borderless on the following roll sizes: 10" (254 mm), B4 (257 mm), A3+ (329 mm), 14" (356 mm), 16" (407 mm), A2 (420 mm), A2+/17" (432 mm)
 * According to the specifications, the IPF5000 can print borderless on the following roll sizes: 10", 13", 14", 16", 17", B4 (10.12"/257mm), A2 (16.54"/420mm)


 * Note:** 13 inches is missing from the specifications for the iPF5100. It isn't known whether this is an actual change or just a slip in the documentation. Confirmation from Canon is needed.

=Can I Use Qimage with the IPF Series Printers?=

Yes. However, you will be printing through the regular 8 bit operating system level instead of the 16 bit Photoshop plugin. The gamut should be the same printing through the driver if properly configured. There may be some differences in subtle tonal gradations and a very slight decrease in edge sharpness (accutance) printing through the driver instead of the plugin. Qimage is for PC only and can be found [|here]

=Is clogging a problem with the IPF Series Printers?=


 * NO!** There has not been a single report of clogging on the Wiki since it was started in early December, 2007. No reports of clogging have been seen on Luminous Landscape Forum or other forums either. Most users don't even bother to do nozzle checks. Clogging simply isn't an issue with this printer!


 * Update:** There is a [|recent report of a user who left his printer off for 3 months] while on vacation. When he turned the printer on it ran a 5 minutes cleaning cycle and was ready to go!

=How does Monochrome Photo mode compare with the Epson ABW mode and Cone Neutral K7 inks?=

A comparison was done by John Hollenberg on Epson Enhanced Matte with results as follows:


 * Cone NK7 on Epson 2200** - very smooth tonal transitions, luminosity of highlights slightly less than Epson ABW mode; slightly warm (b* of 1-2 in all areas except deep shadows and highlights--very pleasing. Subjective rating 98.
 * Epson 2400 ABW Mode** - tonal transitions not as smooth (e.g., clouds), but highlights slightly more luminous than NK7. Subjective rating 97.
 * Canon IPF5000** - prints //measured// as most neutral of the three prints, but appeared to have a yellowish/greenish hue under 4700 degree Solux task lamp. The midtones/highlights did not appear to track with paper white (which the Epson ABW mode and Cone NK7 inks __did__,and is the recommendation on the Epson Digital B&W list). This may have been the reason for the unpleasant appearance. It may be that a paper with a warm or neutral white point would not have this drawback (not tested yet). Subjective rating 70.


 * Update:** Prints on Epson Premium Glossy were __much__ better, so it may be that Epson Enhanced Matte is not a good match for this printer. Others have found the monochrome mode to be quite good, as discussed in [|this thread]. See also the FAQ topic Quantitative Differences in Cool and Warm in Monochrome mode using Epson Premium Glossy.

=What is the easiest way to get this large printer into my home or office?=

The printer is quite large and heavy and comes strapped to a wooden palette (size 42x34.5 inches). [//Comment by DJ Garcia: The pallet width is 34.5" of non-forgiving wood. I had to take my front door off the hinges so I could make it in.//] When you cut the straps off to get it off the palette, you can't carry the printer in the box because it has no bottom. The box lifts off of the pallet and the printer, so you will have to unpack and carry the printer and the many bits and pieces from where you cut the straps. Cut or tear the plastic at the point of the hand grips if you want it to remain covered in plastic while you move it. The plastic slips too much against the body of the printer otherwise.

For these reasons, it is best to arrange delivery. Make sure that the delivery person can bring the printer on its palette to a convenient location in your home or office. When I took delivery of mine the freight delivery person brought it up to the second floor in the elevator for me and left it on my living room floor. Anything less will be a much bigger hassle, since it takes two strong people to move it, even after you have removed it from the pallette. You can see a couple of photos of the IPF5000 in the box/palette [|here].

=What is the best printer stand for the IPF5000?=

Many have been happy with a stand available from IKEA as described in an article on [|The Ultimate Printer Stand] on the Luminous Landscape web site. This stand weighs about 150 lbs. **Note:** When assembling the stand (takes 2-3 hours) you do have to be careful to make sure the orientation of the two cross pieces (roughly 1X4 inches each) is exactly as shown in the diagram. If you have them oriented improperly, you will have to put the locking nuts in on the wrong side--and then you won't be able to install the drawer support and sliding mechanism in Hole #1 as shown.

If you decide to go with the official Canon printer stand for the IPF5000 (also $295), here is a brief description from Jerry Rock, who purchased it: "It is constructed of study metal (steel?) and supports the printer well. Four heavy duty wheels attach to the bottom of the cabinet to make the entire unit very easy to move. The front of the cabinet has 2 metal doors which swing out from the middle to reveal a large two shelved storage unit capable of holding all the printer peripherals, papers and supplies. The stand has a black matte finish matching the printer color. The dimensions are 38 1/2 inches wide x 23 1/2 inches deep x 26 1/2 inches high (not including the wheels which add 3" to total height). The printer takes up the entire cabinet surface." You can see a picture of the Canon stand [|here].

For those that want to go for a more traditional wide stand that Epson, HPs, and higher end Canons, the Canon ST-11 Printer Stand ($295 MSRP, 1255B006AA) is the alternative to the heavy duty cabinet style stand.

Finally, for those who already have a desk/table for their IPF5000/5100s, a Desktop Basket option is avaliable from Canon as the BU-02 (1255B007AA) with a MSRP of $145.

=What are the colors of the Canon Inks for the iPF Series Printers?=

Here is a post by Amadou Diallo on Luminous Landscape printer forum:

"The newer printers from Canon and HP have reds and blues that are more accurately described as orange and violet, respectively. StudioPrint RIP even lists them in ink channels as Orange/Red and Violet/Blue. Attached is a linearization from the Canon 5000. You have CMYK followed by RGB. The additional inks are designed to augment the basic 4 color set. For reasons that only color scientists fully understand it makes more sense to have orange and purple for mixing with the primaries."



=How does the ink delivery mechanism of the Canon differ from Epson?=

According to Barry Levin of The Imagery Group:

"The ink mechanism is ingenious - the ink goes from the cartridges to a reservoir where is it kept for use by the printheads (yes, there are 2). While in the reservoir the ink is kept mixed by an agitator so it doesn't separate, and from there it goes to the printheads. The ink cartridges are drained dry (unlike Epson). The ink also is delivered to the nozzles with slight pressure, minimizing ink jet clog."


 * Note:** Tony Bartlett opened up an empty cartridge and measured the residual ink volume at 5 ml with a syringe. Not bad!

=What extended warranty coverage is available for the printer?=

The Canon CarePAK warranty may be purchased up until the end of the first year of ownership. The fee for the coverage is about $300 for one year and $500 for two years for iPF5100/iPF5000. For the iPF6100, the cost is $480 for one year and $800 for two years. Parts and labor for the printer are covered on a next business day support basis. No coverage is provided for printheads, ink or paper.

=Can the ink cartridges (other than the blacks/grays) from the iPF5000 be used in the iPF5100?=


 * Answer:** YES. [|ColorHQ] correctly lists the non-black inks as compatible, while the 4 black/gray inks for the iPF5100/iPF6100 have a different part number than the black/gray inks for the iPF5000.

=Can the PF-01 printheads from the iPF5000 be used in the iPF5100?=


 * Answer:** Not known at this time. Clarification required from Canon.

=What are the dimensions, weight, ink cartridge capacity and power consumption?=

Dimensions:
 * Printer "Base" that needs support (where the actual rubber feet are on the bottom that it rests on) is about 22 inches wide X 16 inches deep.
 * Printer without Tray or auto roll feed - 39 X 23 X 12.5 inches (99 x 58.4 x 31.75 cm)
 * Printer with Tray Only no auto roll feed - 39.3 X 28.9 X 12.5 inches (99.8 x 73.4 x 31.75 cm)
 * Printer with auto roll feed and tray (not extended) - 39.3 X 31.9 X 13.5 inches (99.8 x 81 x 34.3 cm)
 * Printer with auto roll feed and tray (extended) - 39.3 X 43 X 13.5 inches (99.8 x 109.22 x 34.3 cm)
 * Printer in box and strapped to pallette when delivered - 34.5" wide X 25" high X 45" long (87.6 x 63.5 x 115 cm)


 * Note:** you will need up to 2 feet (60cm) of room behind the printer if you intend to feed thicker paper through the manual front slot, since the paper exits the printer at the rear.

Weight - 99 lbs. (45kg), 108 lbs. (49kg) with optional auto roll feed

Ink Cartridge Capacity - 130 ml (starter ink cartridges that ship with the printer are only 90 ml)

 Power Consumption:


 * Operating - 100 Watts maximum (measured at 10 watts with Kill-A-Watt meter when printer On, but idle)
 * Sleep Mode - 6 Watts maximum (measured at 3 watts with Kill-A-Watt meter)
 * Off - 1 watt maximum

The USA version comes with a standard 3 prong grounded plug (in case you need an extension cord).

Note: Click for [|Complete Specifications] from Canon USA.

=What operating systems are supported for the printer driver and other software?=

Per Canon Specifications: Windows® 98SE/ME/2000/XP/2003 Server, Macintosh® OS 9.1/X 10.2/10.3/10.4

Drivers now available for Windows x64 and Vista. One (old) report that the Photoshop plugin and GARO status monitor won't work under Vista, but two reports that poster got it working. See Latest Drivers page for more details.

=What longevity test results are available for the iPF5000 Inkset?=

Here is a PDF with Canon's own test results, plus the results of Wilhelm Imaging Research:




 * Note:** These results do not apply to the iPF5100/iPF6100 inkset, since the black and gray inks were modified. Longevity test results have not been released by Canon yet.

=Where is the little brush that is supposed to come with the printer?=

Open the main compartment where the printheads are installed. The printer is shipped with the brush stored on the right side of this compartment in a small slot at the top.

=What are all the parts that ship with the roll holder spindle for?=

While the documentation is very poorly delivered (it doesn't have search capabilities), a thorough search of the documentation does include a full section on the spindle parts as well as the use of them, under the "Attaching Accessories to the Roll Holder" section.

The Borderless Spacer should only be used with ISO A2/A3 Rolls (420mm = 16.54") and not with 17" rolls (431.8mm width). When feeding a 17" roll of Crane Museo Rag and specifying in the CS2 plug-in that Borderless Printing was required, the printer refused to print with the spacer installed, and printed perfectly without it. The explanation that the spacer is for 16.54 inch (420 mm) paper would make some physical sense, because the spacer adds approximately (again, just visually - I haven't measured) the right thickness to push the edge of 16.54 inches to where 17 inches would be--allowing Canon to have only one overflow area.

Some additional information from Dan Wells on the Luminous Landscape discussion forum includes a great description of the remaining parts, including an explanation of the 1 and 2 labelled Holder Stoppers which are (as far as we know) totally undocumented:

"The spindle ships set up for 2 inch cores, and includes two blue adapters for 3 inch cores, which just snap into place. There is a borderless spacer fits right over the 3 inch adapter on the fixed end of the spindle. The last two pieces are grey end caps, marked, cryptically, "1" and "2". The "2" end cap turns out to be for heavy art paper. Hahnemuhle Photo Rag will not feed correctly without it. I don't know if Canon's 260 gsm satin (the other paper I have here) will feed correctly with the "2" cap - I used the "1" and it worked. I am going to try the satin with the "2" next time I switch rolls, so I don't have to keep swapping the 3 inch adapter between the "1" and "2" caps. The 3 inch adapter itself seems sturdy enough, but I worry about breaking the little "ears" that hold it into the cap if I keep swapping it back and forth."

=What is the transparent plastic sheet that comes sandwiched between two pieces of cardboard?=

The transparent plastic sheet is an insert for the Cassette to ensure that Glossy Photo papers feed properly. Directions for use:


 * Set the blue paper guides in the cassette for width and length to the correct setting for the paper you will use
 * Insert the plastic sheet with the arrow matching the arrow in the corner of the Cassette. The slots in the plastic sheet will fit over the length guide (and possibly the width guide depending on paper width).
 * Put the paper in the Cassette (printable side down) and make any final adjustments to the paper guides


 * Note:** Remove the insert from the Cassette when printing on any paper other than Glossy Photo.

=What is the little "ramp" at the back of the paper output tray for?=

The top of the paper output tray has a moveable piece which when pushed up and back toward the printer forms a small "ramp". It is intended to be used when printing from the roll, to help the paper move smoothly over the output tray. When printing on sheets, it should be put down so the sheets will catch in the tray properly. In addition, the extensions on the output tray need to be pulled out if printing on large sheets of paper, or the paper will end up on the floor instead of the output tray.

=What connections are available to connect the printer to the computer?=

USB-2 and Ethernet come standard on the printer. There is a card slot for an optional firewire board, but the board is expensive at $235 list price.

=How do I set up a fixed/static IP address for the printer when using Ethernet connection?=

These directions obtained from Don (who was extremely helpful and friendly) at Canon Tech support:


 * 1) Decide what fixed IP address to use:
 * 2) Start Menu -> Run -> type "cmd" (without quotes) then press Enter
 * 3) Type "ipconfig" then press Enter
 * 4) Sample results: Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
 * 5) Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
 * 6) IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.100
 * 7) Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
 * 8) Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
 * 9) Choose a fixed IP address, in our case 192.168.1.50
 * 10) Type "ping 192.168.1.50"
 * 11) If you get "Request Timed Out" you know that there aren't any other devices at this IP address, so you can use for the printer.
 * 12) Go to printer LCD to set fixed IP address. Navigate menu and make settings as follows:
 * 13) Menu -> Interface Setup -> TCP/IP -> IP Mode and make sure it is set to "Manual"
 * 14) Menu -> Interface Setup -> TCP/IP -> IP Setting -> IP Address and set it to address determined above (192.168.1.50 in our example)
 * 15) Set each field in the address using the OK button to activate a field (large cursor box appears), then right and left arrow keys to adjust, then OK
 * 16) Move to next field in the address with the right arrow, then repeat above
 * 17) When done setting address, press the Up arrow until you see "Save TCP/IP setting?", then press OK
 * 18) If you already have the printer installed with USB, configure the printer for Ethernet as follows:
 * 19) Open "Printers and Faxes"
 * 20) Click on IPF5000, then right click and click on "Properties"
 * 21) Click on "Ports" tab
 * 22) Click "Add Port"
 * 23) Click on "Standard TCP/IP Port"
 * 24) Click on "New Port" (not New Port Type)
 * 25) When the "Add Standard TCP/IP Port" wizard comes up, click Next
 * 26) Under "Printer Name or IP Address" enter the IP address that you set (192.168.1.50 in our example)
 * 27) The box underneath will be automatically filled in; don't change these entries
 * 28) Click next
 * 29) From here on, you are on your own. Probably finished, or click Next for the rest. Can't remember any more directions :-)

="Roll" does not show up as a media source in the plugin or driver.=

This could be due to one of two problems:


 * The software does not recognize the roll feed unit (see below)
 * You have selected a Media Type that is not compatible with Roll paper. See the Media Type Compatibility Table.

How can I get the software to recognize the auto roll feed unit?

 * 1) Open up the "Printer Properties" dialog box. You can do this by right-clicking on the printer icon, or from the printer menu if the printer is open.
 * 2) Click on the tab that says "Device Settings." It should be the rightmost tab.
 * 3) Click "Acquire Status" fon this tab. If this is successful, the the checkbox that says "Roll Feed Unit" will be checked for you automatically. Another possibility is to just click on the checkbox yourself. However, using "Acquire Status" ensures that the driver "sees" the Roll Feed Unit.
 * 4) Click on "Apply" then "OK"


 * Note:** I suspect that there is a check made when the driver is installed and if there is no roll feed unit present this option is left unchecked.

If this doesn't fix the problem, you may have selected a Media Type which does not allow Roll as a Media Source. Check the Media Type Compatibility Table.

=How do I install the Export Plugin for Digital Photo Professional?=


 * Note:** The software that comes with the printer is labeled "Digital Photo Print Pro" which is different then the software that comes with a Canon DSLR camera which is "Digital Photo Professional". You can install the plugin for Digital Photo Professional (DPP) as follows:

Windows
You must have DPP 2.1 or greater installed first. Then, just put in the user software cd. From the main menu just below install print driver it has ImagePROGRAPH print plug in install. If you select that it gives you the option of multiple versions of Photoshop and the bottom selection is for DPP. It does state that you need to load the print driver first.

Mac
There is a version of DPP for Mac. Apparently the plugin can be installed in a similar fashion as the Windows version.

=Does the IPF5000 work with wireless print server/hub?=

One user reported success as follows: "I set up the ipf5000 through my wireless network using an Apple Airport Express. I attached a network cable between the Airport Express and the printer. The Apple "Printer Setup Utility" had no problem finding the printer. I was able to make prints with both the printer driver and export module. I use a Macintosh G5 with the Apple wireless card."

=What size and type of paper do I need to do the initial printhead alignment?=

You will need 6 sheets of Size B (11X17) or larger. It is also possible to use the roll feeder instead, which will use a section of paper 40.25 inches in length.

In order to perform the initial alignment using the roll feeder, you will need to deviate from the instruction during setup. In the Quick Start Guide, step 4 instructs you to load paper into the cassette. If you do so, the alignment will begin using the sheets from the cassette as soon as you confirm the cassette paper size and type. If you skip this step, and instead load paper into the roll feed as instructed in the reference guide, the alignment will print from the roll feeder.

Canon support recommends using a good quality photo paper, since plain paper may have suboptimal reflectivity and ink bleed on plain paper may compromise the accuracy of the alignment There is a Wikipedia article which describes in detail various [|Paper Sizes]

=How Much of the 90 ml Starter Inks are Used Charging the Printer Before First Use?=

The GARO status monitor for the IPF5000 (Information tab, Status Display) show that 40% of each ink cartridge is used charging the printer, and that 20% of the maintenance tank is used.

=How can I copy the manual that came with the printer to my hard disk?=


 * 1) Copy the entire CD that the manual came on to your hard disk. For example, for windows copy to c:\program files\canon\canon ipf5000 printer manual
 * 2) Delete the subfolders for other languages and other printers (to save disk space)
 * 3) Navigate to the folder you put the manual in, then to the subfolder Usermanuals\ipf5000.
 * 4) Click on the file index_e.html, then right click on it and drag it to your desktop. After releasing the mouse button, choose "Create Shortcut Here".

=Do I have to drain the ink before moving the printer to another location?=

The official Canon answer is YES. Any other action you take is at your own risk. That said, there are several reports suggesting that you can do this if you are careful. This is an important issue, since ink draining is estimated to waste about $250 worth of ink! See relevant quotes below from others experience:
 * "There is no way I can recomend you not follow Canons instructions, as there is no knowing what damage can be caused. However, I can say we take our IPF5000 to events that are 3 days or longer, just pick it up (2 people) put it in the back of the van on foam and there have been no problems. Journeys average around 40 miles each way."
 * "Brian at ColorHQ advised me not to use the move function for short moves where the printer can be kept more or less horizontal. He mentioned that the Canon rep he works with had driven one halfway across the country in the back of a car without using the move function. Apparently the move function is really for shipping the printer by truck or air, or if you need to turn it on end for whatever reason."
 * "My IPF 5000 was a display model and had it's cardriges installed. I had no trouble getting it home across town in my car without clearing the lines. Just handle it carefully, just as you would anyway."

=Where can I find detailed directions on draining the ink so I can move the printer?=


 * 1) Open the User Manual that came on the CD
 * 2) When you get to the Top Menu, select Printing Functions and Applications
 * 3) Select Printer Maintenance
 * 4) Select Preparing to Transfer the Printer

=What is the GARO Device Setup Utility and the GARO Status Monitor?=


 * GARO (**G**raphic **A**rts with **R**aster **O**perations) is a Canon proprietary page description language that is used to communicate with the printer. It is based on the HP-GL Raster language and "selects the fastest, most portable, most accurate and most efficient command sets, minimizes overhead in memory and sends data to the printer more quickly".
 * The GARO Status Monitor is a software utility that monitors the status of the printer and manages print jobs. The Status Monitor Contains two screens: the "Printer List" lists the printers, and the "Status Monitor" shows the specific details about each printer.
 * The GARO Device Setup Utility is a software application that allows you to configure network setup information on the printer remotely from your computer. It is only of use if your printer is connected by Ethernet. You can use this utility on your computer to enter the basic settings such as entering the printer IP address or selecting the network frame type. **Note**: If your printer is connected by USB rather than by Ethernet you don't need to use the GARO Device Setup Utility.

=How can I set the GARO Status Monitor to start automatically and monitor the IPF5000?=


 * 1) Open GARO Status Monitor
 * 2) Click on the IPF5000
 * 3) Click on the leftmost icon in the Status Monitor Toolbar (“Startup Status Monitor” Tooltip shows this is the correct one)
 * 4) A window opens “Canon IPF5000”
 * 5) In the menu, click Option -> Display Options
 * 6) Click the checkbox “Start When Windows is Started”
 * 7) Click “Display Icon in Taskbar” choice under the checkbox in step #6

Note: When you are done looking at the IPF5000 status monitor, minimize it to the tray on the Windows taskbar. If you click on the “X” you will close it and it won't be available in the Windows tray.

=What is Remote UI and what can I do with it?=

Remote UI is a web-browser based program that is built into the iPF series printers controller firmware. There is nothing to install, the embedded processor talks HTTP over IP. It can be used when the printer is connected via ethernet (not with USB connection).


 * Setup:**


 * Connect the printer via ethernet and set a fixed IP address and subnet mask from the printer control panel via Interface Settings -> TCP/IP ->
 * Open a browser (Firefox, IE, Safari, Opera, etc.) on a client on the same network, key in the IP address you specified and it should display.

There is a user mode and a password protected administrator mode (the initial password is empty). This is a similar approach as that used with network appliances like routers, etc. You can change setting, view job logs, cancel jobs, etc.

If you click on Administrator Mode, then click Logon, you will be able to see and/or edit the following information:


 * Device Manager
 * Status (Error information, Utility, Device Control)
 * Information
 * Features
 * Network
 * Job Manager
 * Print job (Cancel, etc.)
 * Print log (including information on how much ink each job used)
 * Device Selection (can change some settings that can be changed from printer control panel also)


 * Example:**

My iPF5000 is manually configured for an ethernet connection using IP address 192.168.1.50 If I open Firefox and type this IP address into the URL window, I get the following screen:




 * Sample Print log:**



=What is the Printer Driver Extra kit?=

The printer driver extra kit is software that is thought to come with the iPF5000 (original CD) and is definitely included in the "All in One" update for windows which includes firmware 1.23, etc. It isn't known whether or not it is contained in printer driver updates. The printer driver extra kit is a kind of "poor man's Qimage" and allows free hand layout of an image, copying and resizing on the page when printing through the 8 bit OS level driver.


 * Supported OS:** Windows 2000, XP, Server 2003

To set up to use the printer driver extra kit, do the following:


 * 1) From Photoshop (or other application that you are using to print to the OS level printer driver), open an image
 * 2) Select File -> Print
 * 3) Choose the iPF5000 Printer
 * 4) Click on Properties
 * 5) Click on the Layout Tab
 * 6) Check the Page Layout checkbox
 * 7) Select Free Layout
 * 8) Click on OK

When you go to actually print the file, instead of printing the ImagePROGRAF Free Layout program will open. You can now make additional copies of the image, resize the image, paste in a new copy, etc. I couldn't find a way to add additional images.

The latest version (for windows for iPF5000) appears to be version 1.50 as of 9/23/07.

If you are on Windows, you would be far better off spending a modest amount of money and using Qimage to arrange, resize and print multiple photos.

=Where can I get detailed information on the printer settings, ink remaining, paper used, etc.?=

GARO status monitor -> Information Tab -> Status Display

Here is some of the information that is displayed:


 * your serial number, handy if your printer is up against a wall and you can't easily see the back
 * the ink remaining in each cartridge presented numerically rather than graphically
 * the numbers (offsets?) from the head alignment procedure. May be helpful in diagnosing a problem with your printer.
 * head lot numbers
 * how much you have used the cutter, cassette, roll holder, with a breakdown by media type
 * many of the printer control panel current settings
 * parts status (cryptic)

You can save this information to a file by clicking on "Status Saving" on the Information tab.

=How can I determine what version of firmware is installed?=

There are several ways:


 * 1) Turn on printer and when it boots up it will display firmware version
 * 2) From the printer control panel, press Menu button -> press Right Arrow until you get to Information -> press Down Arrow twice
 * 3) Using Status Monitor, click on Information Tab, then Status Display

=What is the granularity of the ink tank and maintenance tank readings in Display Status portion of GARO Status Monitor?=

While the answer to this question is not definitive, it appears that Status Display readings are fairly coarse, with changes of 20% needed to show a change. In other words, the only readings that are displayed are 100%, 80%, 60%, 40%, and 20%. This makes it hard to determine how much ink is being used to do the daily cleanings from sleep mode, as the maintenance tank reading doesn't change and then suddenly jumps to the next lower value (20% lower). According to another poster, the increments are 10% on the printer LCD.

=What does Canon mean by the terms Cassette and Tray?=

Cassette
The place where you load a stack of paper and insert into the printer beneath the ouput area. Usually called a tray by most other printer makers.

Tray
A vertical slot at the top of the printer for feeding single sheets. No one knows why it would be called a tray.

=What is a Media Type?=

A Media Type specifies settings the printer should use to print on a particular paper:


 * How much ink to lay down (total ink limit)
 * Whether to allow use of the cassette, roll holder or both
 * Whether to use Photo Black or Matte Black ink
 * Affects the native (unprofiled) gray balance
 * Media Detail Settings:
 * Roll Drying Time
 * Scan Drying Time
 * Feed Priority
 * Adjust Length
 * Head Height
 * Skew Check Lv.
 * VacuumStrngth
 * NearEnd Rll Mrgn
 * Cut Speed
 * Trim Edge First
 * Cutting Mode
 * Bordless Margin
 * CutDustReduct
 * Nr End Sht Mrgn
 * Tray Source


 * Note:** The Media Detail Settings can be changed from the printer LCD. The following Media Detail Settings can be specified in the driver, which will override the settings in the printer:


 * Drying Time Between Pages
 * Drying Time Between Scans (for each pass of the printhead)
 * Roll Paper Near End Margin (for safety - 3 or 20 mm)
 * Cut speed

=What is the Media Configuration Tool and how do I run it?=

The Media Configuration tool is a separate program. To run it:

On Windows: Start -> All Programs -> IPF5000 Media Configuration Tool -> IPF5000 Media Configuration Tool

The Media Configuration Tool allows you to do very specific (and limited) things with with Media Types:


 * Add new Media Types via a Media Description File (.med file extension). New Media Types are displayed in the driver and on the printer LCD. You can't create your own Media Description File, they are supplied by Canon for Canon papers. You may be able to get media description files for third party papers if the paper manufacturer produces them. There are two options:
 * Add a batch of media types (used when the Media Configuration Tool is updated by Canon with a lot of new Media Types)
 * Add new media types one at a time (e.g., for third party Media Types or if Canon comes out with one new paper)
 * Edit Media types
 * Delete media types (but the Canon media types can't be deleted)
 * Show or Hide media types (only applies to the driver, hidden media types are still displayed on the printer LCD)
 * Rearrange the order that exisiting media types are displayed (for both the driver and the printer LCD)
 * Upload information on the added, deleted or rearranged Media Types to the printer


 * Summary:** Unless Canon releases new Media Types, the only things you can do with the Media Configuration Tool is to hide Media Types in the driver and change the order in which Media types are displayed for both the driver and on the printer LCD.

=What is Poster Artist?=

Poster Artist is included with the iPF5000. As the name implies, it is for creating posters/banners and is probably only of interest to those who have those specific needs. I could find no use for it for those printing photos or fine art reproduction.

For the iPF5100/iPF6100 series Poster Artist is no longer included. It is now a separate program with a list price of about $700.

=What are the five modes the printer can be in?=

Online
Print jobs are processed immediately. Toggle between this mode and offline mode with the Online button.

Offline
Print jobs are held without processing; you can feed or cut roll paper manually; printer goes offline if job can't be processed (e.g., there is some kind of error or media mismatch)

Sleep Mode
power saving mode. Enters this mode if no print jobs for buttons pushed for 5 minutes (default, can be changed in Sleep Timer portion of Menu). Exit this mode by sending a file to the printer, or by pressing any button.

Menu Mode
Menus are displayed on the printer LCD, and you can select, set or execute menu items. Print jobs are held without being processed. Enter Menu Mode by pressing the Menu button. Exit this mode by pressing Online button.

Submenu Mode
Submenus are displayed for ink, paper type, paper size and amount of roll paper left. Enter Submenu mode by pressing the Information button. Exit this mode by pressing any other button, or just waiting for 5 seconds.

=What do each of the buttons and LEDs on the control panel do?=

LED lamps

 * Data (green) - flashes when the printer is receiving or prcessing print jobs, or when the printer is paused or updating the firmware
 * Message (orange) - On when warning message is displayed on LCD. Flashing when error message is displayed.
 * Roll/Cassette (green, on left) - On when one of these auto feed paper sources is selected
 * Tray (green, on right) - On when manual feed (either top loading tray or front loading paper feed slot) is selected

Left buttons

 * Online (button and green LED) - toggles printer online (steady green glow) and offline (not lit)
 * Feeder Selection - toggles between auto feed and manual feed paper source, and lights the associated LED
 * Menu - displays the main menu of the printer on the LCD
 * Information
 * Toggles between submenus containing information about:
 * Ink cartridges & maintenance tank
 * Paper type
 * Paper size
 * Amount of roll paper left
 * To exit submenu mode, press any other button on the Printer Control Panel, or just wait for 5 seconds
 * Holding Information button down for 3 seconds starts Print Head Cleaning A (duration - 4 minutes; not as long as Head Cleaning B, which takes 6 minutes).

Center "joystick" buttons

 * Up Arrow - in Menu Mode moves up one level on the menu tree. In offline mode rewinds rolls manually.
 * Down Arrow - in Menu Mode move down one level on the menu tree. In offline mode feeds roll paper manually.
 * Left Arrow - Displays previous menu item or setting value
 * Right Arrow - Displays next menu item or setting value
 * OK - in Menu Mode, confirms or executes the selected item or setting

Right buttons

 * Power - turns printer on. Pushing and holding for more than one second turns printer off.
 * Stop/Eject - Stops jobs in progress or clears the menu and ejects the paper.

=How do I navigate the menu on the printer LCD?=

General instructions

 * Press the Menu button to go into Menu Mode.
 * As you navigate the menu structure, there will be a Right Arrow, Down Arrow or one alternating with the other depending what choices are currently available to explore the current menu branch.
 * The equals sign (=) indicates that this item is the currently active choice.
 * Press the Online button to exit Menu Mode.

Specific navigation

 * Up or Down Arrow - moves up or down one level on the menu tree, respectively
 * Left or Right Arrow - Displays previous or next menu item or setting value, respectively
 * OK - confirms or executes the selected item or setting

=What functions are available in Menu Mode?=


 * Note:** By default, main menu settings apply to all print jobs. However, for settings that are also available in the printer driver, the values specified in the printer driver take priority.

Text in parentheses shows the possible settings. Text in square bracket shows non-abbreviated meaning with comments on function if known and relevant.


 * Head Cleaning (Head Cleaning A/Head Cleaning B)
 * Force Cutting (No/Yes) [only visible if roll paper installed or roll paper media selected]
 * Paper Settings
 * Cas Paper Type (Plain Paper/.../Special 5) [Cassete Paper Type]
 * Cas Paper Size (ISO A2/.../13"x22") [Cassete Paper Size]
 * Tray Paper Type (Plain Paper/.../Special 5)
 * Tray Paper Size (ISO A2/.../Manual Setting)
 * Roll Media Type (Plain Paper/.../Special 5)
 * Chk Remain Roll (On/Off) [Check Remaining Roll]
 * Roll Length Set (1 inch ~ 300 feet) [Sets length of roll so you can monitor with Check Remaining Roll]
 * Med. Detail Set. [Media Detail Setting]
 * Plain Paper/.../Special 5
 * Roll Drying Time (Off/30 sec./1 min./3 min./5 min./10 min./30 min./60 min.)
 * Scan Wait Time (Off/1 sec./3 sec./5 sec./7 sec./9 sec.) [Time to wait between each pass of printhead]
 * Feed Priority (Automatic/Band Joint/Print Length)
 * Adjust Length (-0.70 ~ 0.70%)
 * Head Height (Automatic/Lowest/Low/Standard/High/Highest) [Set higher if getting head strikes]
 * Skew Check Lv. (Standard/Off/Loose/High Accuracy)
 * VacuumStrngth (Automatic/Strongest/Strong/Standard/Weak) [Vacuum Strength stronger for thick papers]
 * NearEnd Rll Mrgn (3 mm/20 mm) [Near End of Roll minimum Margin - set to larger 20 mm if desired]
 * Cut Speed (Standard/Fast/Slow) [Applies to roll cutter]
 * Trim Edge First (Forced/Automatic/No Cutting) [Whether to trim the roll for to make a smooth edge before printing]
 * Cutting Mode (Automatic/Eject/Manual) [Applies to roll cutter]
 * Bordless Margin (Automatic/Fixed) [Borderless Margin]
 * CutDustReduct (On/Off) [Reduces dust made by cutting by printing a line before making a cut]
 * Nr End Sht Mrgn (3 mm/20 mm) [Near End of Sheet minimum Margin - set to a safer 20 mm if desired]
 * Tray Source (Top/Front) [Whether to use the top load or the front load for this type of paper]
 * Return Defaults (No/Yes) [Reset to factory default settings]
 * Adjust Printer
 * Auto Head Adj. [Auto Printhead Adjustment, same as Alignment]
 * Advanced Adj. (No/Yes) [Uses one extra page compared to Standard, to do alignment. Difference not known.]
 * Standard Adj. (No/Yes) [The one done when you first set up the printer; requires 5 sheets 11X17 paper]
 * Auto Print (On/Off)
 * Manual Head Adj. (No/Yes) [Manual Head Adjustment, same as Alignment]
 * Auto Band Adj.[Auto Band Adjustment, same as Media Feed Amount Adjustment in GARO Status Monitor]
 * Standard Adj. (No/Yes)
 * Advanced Adj. (No/Yes)
 * Manual Band Adj. [Manual Band Adjustment]
 * Adjust Band (No/Yes)
 * Adj Far Ed Feed (No/Yes) [Adjust Far End Feeding]
 * Adjust Length (No/Yes) [Use if length of elements in line drawings are not exact, but need to be]
 * Interface Setup [Settings for networking if you are using Ethernet connection; using GARO Device Setup Utility is easier]
 * EOP Timer (10 sec./30 sec./1 min./2 min./5 min./10 min./30 min./60 min.)
 * TCP/IP
 * TCP/IP (On)
 * IP Mode (Automatic/Manual)
 * Protocol
 * DHCP (On/Off)
 * BOOTP (On/Off)
 * RARP (On/Off)
 * IP Setting
 * IP Address (0-255.0-255.0-255.0-255)
 * Subnet Mask (0-255.0-255.0-255.0-255)
 * Default G/W (0-255.0-255.0-255.0-255)
 * Netware
 * NetWare (On/Off)
 * Frame Type (Auto Detect/Ethernet 2/Ethernet 802.2/Ethernet 802.3/Ethernet SNAP)
 * Print Service (BinderyPserver/RPrinter/NDSPserver/NPrinter)
 * AppleTalk (On/Off)
 * Ethernet Driver
 * Auto Detect (On/Off)
 * Comm. Mode (Half Duplex/Full Duplex)
 * Ethernet Type (10 Base-T/100 Base-TX)
 * Spanning Tree (Not Use/Use)
 * MAC Address
 * Init. Settings (No/Yes)
 * Maintenance
 * Replace P. head [Replace printhead]
 * L. Printhead (No/Yes) [Left Printhead]
 * R. Printhead (No/Yes) [Right Printhead]
 * Move Printer (No/Yes)
 * Clean Roller1 (No/Yes) {**Note:** added with Firmware 1.13 or 1.23}
 * Clean Roller2 (No/Yes) {**Note:** added with Firmware 1.13 or 1.23}
 * Clean Platen (No/Yes)
 * System Setup
 * Warning
 * Buzzer (On/Off)
 * Detect Mismatch (Paue/Warning/None) {**Note:** changed with Firmware 1.13 or 1.23}
 * Keep Media Size (On/Off)
 * Sht Selection (ISO A3+/ANSI B Super) [Sheet Selection]
 * Roll Selection1 (ISO A3 (297mm)/300mm Roll)
 * Roll Selection2 (10 in. (254mm)/JIS B4 (257mm))
 * TrimEdge Reload {**Note:** added with Firmware 1.13}
 * Nozzle Check (Off/5 pages/10 pages/Automatic)
 * Sleep Timer (5 min./10 min./15 min./20 min./30 min./40 min./50 min./60 min./240 min.) {**changed** Firmware 1.23}
 * Length Unit (meter / feet / inch)
 * Time Zone (-12 ...+12)
 * Date Format (yyyy/mm/dd / dd/mm/yyyy / mm/dd/yyyy)
 * Date & Time
 * Date (2000~2050/01~12/01~31)
 * Time (00~23:00~59)
 * Language (English/etc.)
 * Reset MediaType (No/Yes)
 * Test Print (Status Print/Media Details/Print Job Log/Menu Map/Nozzle Check)
 * Information
 * Version (Firm/Boot/MIT)
 * RAM
 * Ext. Interface
 * MAC Address
 * Error Log
 * Job Log (Document Name/User Name/Page Count/Job Status/Print Start Time/Print End Time/Print Time/Print Size/Media Type/Interface/Ink Consumption)
 * Counter
 * Cut Count

=How do I set the length of time until the printer goes into sleep mode?=

On the printer select the following: Menu -> System Setup -> Sleep Timer -> = 60 min.

Recommended to choose a time of 60 minutes (or 240 minutes--available with Firmware 1.23) so the printer doesn't keep cycling on and off (which is extremely annoying). According to Michael Reichmann of the Luminous Landscape, iPF5000 won't go into sleep when it's set to Manual feed mode. It has to be set to Cassette / Roll to go into sleep mode.

=What paper paths are available for printing on the iPF5100/iPF5000?=

There are four paths to feed paper to the printer:

Auto Feed
> ===Cassette=== > > A "tray" for holding a stack of paper. Located right **//below//** the paper output tray.

> ===Auto Roll Feed=== > > An optional piece of hardware that installs at the back/top of the printer. The tray has to be removed when installing the auto roll feed, but there is still a slot available for feeding paper manually.

Manual Feed (one sheet at a time)
> ===Tray=== > > Also known as Top Load Manual feed - a vertical slot (looks similar to the feed area for Epson desktop printers) visible when opening a panel on top of the printer, toward the back.

> ===Front Paper Feed=== > > Also known as Front Load Manual feed - used for loading very thick media. Located right //**above**// the paper output tray.

=Should the side of the sheet paper to be printed be facing up or down? For which paper paths?=


 * Cassette - side to be printed face down (use plastic insert if printing on glossy paper)
 * Top Tray - side to be printed face up (**Note:** the diagram on the top tray is in error)
 * Front Feed - side to be printed face up (**Note:** the diagram inside the top cover of the printer is in error)

=What paper thickness can be used with each paper path?=


 * Cassette: 3.2-11.8 mil
 * Manual Feed:
 * Top Loading 3.2-19.6 mil
 * Front Loading 19.6-59.0 mil
 * Roll: 2.8-31.4 mil


 * Note:** There seems to be conflicting experience about the thickness of papers that can be fed from the Cassette outside of the stated specifications:


 * Michael Reichmann of the Luminous Landscape says "I feed Hahnemuhle and Entrada 308 g papers from the Cassette all the time, with no problems." (These papers are 19 and 22 mil thickness, respectively).
 * A contrary view is expressed by another poster: "What is more interesting is that we have moved from the European Hahnemuehle papers to American Crane papers --for a couple of reasons. The Hahnemuehle papers don't want to load from the cassette. That goes for the satin, photorag and the A5 cards. The Crane Museo Fine Art paper loads without a hitch and also demonstrates considerable increase in gamut over the European paper."

=Which Media Types can be used with which paper paths?=

Which black ink do they use?
All media types can be used with the regular "Manual" setting. Using this setting, the trailing border has a minimum size of 0.9 inches. Starting with Firmware Version 1.23 and Photoshop plugin 2.03 there is also a setting for "Manual (3 mm Margins)" for some Media Types. The paper paths are specified as the "Media Source" on the Page Setup tab of the operating system driver or the Photoshop plugin. Summary of likely photo paper settings:


 * Cassette
 * Matte Black Ink - Premium Matte Paper, Matte Photo Paper
 * Photo Black Ink - Photo Paper Plus, Photo Paper Plus Semi-Gloss, Special 1-5
 * Roll
 * Matte Black Ink - Premium Matte Paper, Fine Art (all choices), Canvas Matte 2
 * Photo Black Ink - Glossy Photo Paper, Semi-Glossy Photo Paper, HW Glossy Photo Paper, Heavyweight SemiGlos Photo Paper, HW Satin Photo Paper, Special 1-5

The table below shows a detailed list of which media types can be used with the Cassette, Roll Paper, or both, and whether Photo Black or Matte Black ink is used:


 * Special Note:** These Media Types were available after installing Version 2.50 of Media Configuration Tool and Updating Media Types. According to the imagePROGRAF Media Guide, Premium Matte Paper is the ONLY photo quality paper -supported- for use with the Cassette. The other various photo quality papers checked below for use with the Cassette are officially "Not Supported; setting suggested(use at your own risk", according to the Media Guide. The Media Guide for the 5000 seems to conflict with recommendations for the 5100 Paper Reference Guide. "use at your own risk" may have been an overly cautious commentary. Caveat Emptor.


 * **Media Type** || **Cassette** || **Manual** || **Manual (3mm Margins)** || **Roll** || **Monochrome** || **Black Ink** ||
 * Plain Paper || X || X || X || X ||  || Matte ||
 * Economy Bond Paper ||  || X ||   || X ||   || Matte ||
 * Universal Bond Paper ||  || X ||   || X ||   || Matte ||
 * Premium Coated Paper ||  || X ||   || X || X || Matte ||
 * High Resolution Paper || X || X || X ||  || X || Matte ||
 * Heavyweight Coated Paper ||  || X ||   || X || X || Matte ||
 * Premium Matte Paper || X || X || X || X || X || Matte ||
 * Premium Super Gloss ||  || X ||   || X || X || Photo ||
 * Glossy Photographic Paper 190 gsm ||  || X ||   || X || X || Photo ||
 * Satin Photographic Paper 190 gsm ||  || X ||   || X || X || Photo ||
 * Glossy Photographic Paper 240 gsm ||  || X ||   || X || X || Photo ||
 * Satin Photographic Paper 240 gsm ||  || X ||   || X || X || Photo ||
 * HW Glossy Photo Paper ||  || X ||   || X || X || Photo ||
 * HW Satin Photo Paper ||  || X ||   || X || X || Photo ||
 * Premium RC Photogloss ||  || X ||   || X || X || Photo ||
 * Premium RC PhotoMatte ||  || X ||   || X || X || Photo ||
 * Premium RC Photo Luster ||  || X ||   || X || X || Photo ||
 * Fine Art Photo ||  || X ||   || X || X || Matte ||
 * Fine Art Heavyweight Photo ||  || X ||   || X || X || Matte ||
 * Fine Art Textured ||  || X ||   || X || X || Matte ||
 * Fine Art Watercolor ||  || X ||   || X || X || Matte ||
 * Backprint Film ||  || X ||   || X ||   || Unknown ||
 * Matte Photo Paper || X || X || X ||  || X || Matte ||
 * Photo Paper Plus || X || X || X ||  || X || Photo ||
 * Photo Paper Plus Semi-Gloss || X || X || X ||  || X || Photo ||
 * Plain Paper (High Quality) || X || X || X || X ||  || Matte ||
 * Plain Paper (High Grade) || X || X || X || X ||  || Matte ||
 * Coated Paper || X || X || X || X || X || Matte ||
 * Glossy Photo Paper ||  || X ||   || X || X || Photo ||
 * Semi-Glossy Photo Paper ||  || X ||   || X || X || Photo ||
 * Heavyweight Glossy Photo Paper ||  || X ||   || X || X || Photo ||
 * Heavyweight SemiGlos Photo Paper ||  || X ||   || X || X || Photo ||
 * Synthetic Paper ||  || X ||   || X ||   || Unknown ||
 * Adhesive Synthetic Paper ||  || X ||   || X ||   || Unknown ||
 * Backlit Film ||  || X ||   || X ||   || Matte ||
 * Thin Fabric Banner 2 ||  || X ||   || X ||   || Matte ||
 * Proofing Paper ||  || X ||   || X || X || Photo ||
 * Fine Art Block Print ||  || X ||   || X || X || Matte ||
 * Canvas Matte 2 ||  || X ||   || X ||   || Matte ||
 * Japanese Paper Washi ||  || X ||   || X || X || Matte ||
 * POP Board ||  || X ||   ||   ||   || Matte ||
 * Special 1 || X || X || X || X ||  || Photo ||
 * Special 2 || X || X || X || X ||  || Photo ||
 * Special 3 || X || X || X || X ||  || Photo ||
 * Special 4 || X || X || X || X ||  || Photo ||
 * Special 5 || X || X || X || X ||  || Photo ||

=Where can I find a list of supported Canon media and the Media Type setting for each of these media?=

There is an updated (4/6/07) Canon Media Guide PDF file located here:



Correct Media Type for papers not listed in Media Guide:


 * Canon Photo Paper Pro - Photo Paper Plus

=How do I determine the optimal Media Type to use when creating custom profiles for non-Canon papers?=

Here are suggestions for 3 different method:


 * 1) Suggestions from Gary Cay:
 * First decide what black you want / need to print with (matte or photo)
 * Read your media guide and match the type of paper and form of the paper (roll or sheet, and cassette or tray feed) with the black you need.
 * From that list pick the one closest to the paper/media type you are printing on.
 * At this point you may elect to print a known target onto the paper with the different settings on your list to exam for information about ink densities, satuaration etc. - to see if one looks better than another.
 * Check here for information about what others say is working for them and consider if that is useful to you or not.
 * Proceed and keep notes about results. Make modifications if and when experience suggests or encourages it.
 * 1) Select media type by printing grayscale step-wedge with different media selections. Look for some separation in the #5 and #10 squares. Inkjetart has [|very good instructions] (see Selecting the Right Paper Type on their web page) about how to do this using their [|Density] file.
 * 2) Canon recommended printing a test pattern of pure black box with a pure yellow box in the middle, and determine how how far can go before you see ink bleed. Wayne Fox provided a Canon Ink Density Test file which he created, and described his use of this test file as follows:
 * When profiling a new paper, I will print an 8x10 of the file with color management turned off, one print for each of the 5 Special settings for whichever black ink I want to use.
 * For matte papers, I mainly looking for puddling in the large black section. For PK ink papers I look at the transitions between the yellow/black areas for bleeding/overspray with a pretty good loupe.
 * As I mentioned, this was suggested by David Sparer at Canon when I was testing the 5000. Seems to work OK. Most good photo papers handle Special 4 or 5 density without any trouble. With Museum Etching I used special 8 (same as Special 3 except uses matte black ink; only available on iPFX100 series printers) because I could see some issues in the solid black area.



To use the test file, open in Photoshop and enter the Media Type you are using in place of the current place-holder, Photo Paper Plus Semi-Gloss. The file has been cropped to 8 X 5 inches so that you can print with one Media Type on the top half of an 8.5 X 11 inch paper, then turn the paper over once the ink has dried a bit and print again (also on the top half) using a different Media Type.

For additional information, see also the section on creating custom profiles for non-Canon papers.

=What are the Media Types marked Special 1-5?=

Which black ink do they use?
These are Media Types which are presumably meant for non-Canon papers:


 * Special 1 lays down the least amount of ink. The amount of ink increases with each Media Type with a higher number, Special 5 putting down the most ink.
 * All of the Special Media Types use Photo Black ink, per Canon USA.

=What are the total ink limits for different Media Types?=

According to Steven Katzman in his [|IPF5000 Field Test] the total ink limits for some Media Types are as follows:


 * Photo Black Ink
 * Special 1 - 160%
 * Special 2 - 180%
 * Special 3 - 200%
 * Special 4 - 220%
 * Special 5 - 240%
 * Premium Gloss - 240%
 * Heavyweight Semi-Gloss - 240%


 * Matte Black Ink
 * Fine Art - 220%
 * Premium Matte - 220%

iPFX100 Series Only

 * Matte Black Ink
 * Special 6 - 160%
 * Special 7 - 180%
 * Special 8 - 200%
 * Special 9 - 220%
 * Special 10 - 240%

=Where can I find the Media Detailed Settings for each Media Type?=

You can print a list from: GARO Status Monitor -> Information Tab -> Print Media Detailed Settings

However, don't bother. You will get a 6 page cryptic list which I will summarize for you in half a page. All default Detailed Media Settings are identical for all of the Media Types with just a few exceptions. Here are the settings for almost all of the Media Types:


 * Roll Drying Time - Off
 * Scan Wait Time - Off
 * Cut Speed - Fast
 * Near End Roll Margin - 3 mm
 * Near End Sheet Margin - 3 mm
 * Trim Edge First - No Cutting
 * Cutting Mode - Automatic
 * Tray Source - Top
 * Borderless Margin - Automatic
 * Cut Dust Reduction - Off
 * Skew Check Lv. - Standard
 * Vacuum Strength - Automatic
 * Feed Priority - Automatic
 * Head Height - Automatic
 * Calibration - OK

Exceptions:


 * Default Cutting Mode is Eject for: HW Glossy Photo, HW SemiGloss Photo, Backprint Film and CAD Matte Film
 * POP Board has Cut Speed - Slow and Tray Source - Front

Note: The two settings you would be most likely to change, Vacuum Strength and Head Height, list "Automatic", so you don't really know how much stronger/higher to set them if you are getting printhead strikes on the paper.

=How can I change the Head Height and Vacuum Strength to work properly with my paper?=

You may need to change the Head Height and/or Vacuum strength to work properly, particularly with a non-Canon paper. If the paper is very thin (e.g., 4 mil), you may need to decrease the Vacuum Strength to Weak to avoid printhead strikes. If the paper is too thick, you may need to increase the Vacuum Strength to Standard or Strong. If you are still getting printhead strikes increase the Head Height. A setting of "Automatic" for Head Height causes the printer to physically measure paper thickness and set the height of the printhead accordingly. If you are getting printhead strikes you probably need to try a setting of High or Highest. See also pages 49-50 in printed IPF5000 Reference Guide that came with your printer.

To set the head height, you have to go to the Printer Control Panel and set it under the paper type as follows:

Menu button -> Med. Detail Set. -> Select media type you want to change setting for -> Head Height


 * Note:** you can set Vacuum Strength in a setting adjacent to the Head Height setting. The problem with setting the head height or vacuum strength for a media type in the printer control panel is that it will remain that way until you change it back. In earlier versions of the plugin (before 2.03 anyway) you could set the Vacuum Strength from the Plugin using the "Set Button" on the Main Tab. This function has been removed.

=Is there any problem leaving roll paper loaded for extended periods of time?=

Yes, according to Bill J: "I went away for about five days and left a roll of Canon Satin Photographic paper (7 mil, 190 gsm) loaded in the printer. I turned off the printer before I left. The first print I made after I came back showed four dents made by the rollers attached to the auto roll feeder unit, exactly 1 1/2 inches from the leading edge. I've also noticed some very shallow dents in the Canon Fine Art Bright White (20 mil, 330 gsm) after just a day or so of non-use. The light has to be at a very steep angle to see them, though. The printer was on, but sleeping, during this time. So, I recommend that you not leave roll paper loaded for very long, or at least plan on trimming off the first 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) if it's been a few days since you used the printer.

Gary Cay agrees: "I had a similiar problem, and even had the tech guy come out. He basically decided it is better to remove roll paper if not printing within about 24 hours because of the dents. Canon Support thought dents should not occur, but the tech did not know anything he could "fix" anything to make it different. So now I eject the roll when finished printing from roll or if turning off the printer overnight or longer. It is easy enough to insert the roll and get going again."

Others have reported no problems: John Hollenberg leaves a roll of Epson Premium Luster loaded all the time and may go weeks between prints. No problems noted.

=Where can I find directions on loading the front Paper Feed Slot?=

It is in the HTML manual. Try clicking links in this order:


 * 1) Basic Operation and Instructions
 * 2) Loading paper for printing
 * 3) Steps to Load Sheets in the Paper Tray
 * 4) Follow the listed steps 1-4 on that page
 * 5) Click on "Put Sheets in the Tray"
 * 6) Click on the link in this text: "However, if you have specified POP Board, insert the sheet in the Paper Feed Slot."

=What are the various paper sizes available when converted to inches?=

Common U.S. sizes:


 * 8.5 X 11 - ANSI Letter
 * 11 X 17 - ANSI B
 * 13 X 19 - ANSI B Super
 * 17 X 22 - ANSI C

All sizes:


 * ISO A2+ 17.00 X 24.00
 * ISO A2 16.54 X 23.39
 * ISO A3+ 12.95 X 19.02
 * ISO A3 11.69 X 16.54
 * ISO A3 (L) 16.54 X 11.69
 * ISO A4 08.27 X 11.69
 * ISO A4 (L) 11.69 X 08.27
 * ISO B3 13.90 X 19.69
 * ISO B4 09.84 X 13.90
 * ISO B4 (L) 13.90 X 09.84
 * JIS B3 14.33 X 20.28
 * JIS B4 10.12 X 14.33
 * JIS B4 (L) 14.33 X 10.12
 * ANSI B Super 13.00 X 19.00
 * ANSI B 11.00 X 17.00
 * ANSI B (L) 17.00 X 13.00
 * ANSI Letter 08.50 X 11.00
 * ANSI Legal 08.50 X 14.00
 * ANSI Legal (L) 14.00 X 08.50
 * ARCH B 12.00 X 18.00
 * ARCH A 09.00 X 12.00
 * ARCH A (L) 12.00 X 09.00
 * DIN C3 12.76 X18.03
 * DIN C4 09.02 X 12.76
 * DIN C4 (L) 12.76 X 09.02
 * 14 X 17 14.00 X 17.00
 * 14 X 17 (L) 17.00 X 14.00
 * 12 X 16 12.00 X 16.00
 * 12 X 16 (L) 16.00 X 12.00
 * 10 X 12 10.00 X 12.00
 * 10 X 12 (L) 12.00 X 10.00
 * 10 X 15 10.00 X 15.00
 * 10 X 15 (L) 15.00 X 10.00
 * 8 X 10 08.00 X 10.00
 * 8 X 10 (L) 10.00 X 08.00
 * USPhoto 16x20 16.00 X 20.00
 * Poster300X900 11.81 X 35.43
 * 13 X 22 12.95 X 21.97

Note: There is a Wikipedia article which describes in detail various [|Paper Sizes]

=What are the borderless capabilities of the IPF5000?=

According to Inkjetart:

"You can do edge-to-edge borderless on sheets and full borderless on rolls. Sheets can't do borderless because the printer doesn't have anywhere for the ink on the top and bottom to go, it only has areas for the lateral overspray."

Full borderless is possible with most roll widths, including 10 inch, 16 inch and 17 inch. It is NOT possible with 8 inch rolls.

For undocumented reasons, some media types disable borderless printing for roll paper. Kier Darby found that the 'Coated Paper' media type, which he used with Canon Coated Matt Paper loaded, was one of these media types that disallows borderless printing.

=What is the smallest sheet paper size I can print?=

8 X 10 inches is the official specification. However, one poster writes, "I have successfully run 6" wide (x 11")stock thru the top 'tray', with the printer thinking that it is using letter stock, without a problem."

=What are the smallest margins I can print?=


 * Cassette - 3 mm (0.12 inches) for all margins
 * Manual feed (top load or front load) - 23 mm (0.9 inches) for bottom margin. All other margins are 3 mm (0.12 inches). **Note:** with Firmware 1.23 there is now a 3 mm bottom margin setting available for some media types.
 * Printing on roll paper allows full borderless.

=What is roll length tracking and how do I enable it?=

Information from Inkjetart Review:

"Roll length tracking keeps track of how much paper is left on the roll. Once enabled it will ask you the length of any new roll you put in the printer. When you select to eject a roll it will print a barcode (uses up about 2.5 inches of paper) on the end of the roll which encodes the paper type you had selected along with the remaining length. It also prints it in plain text so you can read it. When you put a roll back in it reads the barcode and sets the paper type and length which is also communicated back to the status monitor on the computer."


 * Change the unit of measure if desired, e.g: Menu -> System Setup -> Length Unit -> feet
 * Unload the roll
 * To enable roll length tracking from the control panel: Menu -> Paper Settings -> Chk Remain. Roll -> On
 * Now when you load the roll it will ask you what length it is
 * To eject a roll, press Stop/Eject on printer control panel for more than one second. The remaining length will be printed on the roll.

=Where can I find a description of the Canon papers that are available?=


 * The Media portion of the Canon web site can be found [|here].
 * There is a Large-Format Color Specialty Media Swatch Kit and a new Genuine Specialty Print Media Swatch Kit described [|here]. Some of the vendors offer one or both of these swatch kits free with the purchase of a new printer. Retail cost is about $9.00 each.
 * There is a guide provided by Canon to match up printer with paper, including available sizes and part numbers: [[file:consum_LargeFormatGuide.pdf]]
 * There is also a list at [|Shades of Paper].

=What are the three basic types of photo inkjet paper?=

In general, there are three types of inkjet photo paper available for your printer: Resin Coated, Nanoporous and Cast-Coated.

=Has anyone found a supplier for Canon 17" paper rolls in the UK?=

[|Park Cameras] stocks all Canon roll papers and also carries the two currently available Kodak papers, which they strongly recommend for use with the iPF5000. They also have a comprehensive range of inks for the printer.

The following information was provided by Park, who can be reached either via their website, or using the following email address: sales@parkcameras.com.
 * **Manufacturer** || **Product Name** || **Weight** || **Roll Length** || **Code** || **Price** ||
 * Kodak || Premium Rapid-Dry Photographic Glossy Paper || 260gsm || 30m || 1714344 || £49.91 ||
 * Kodak || Premium Rapid-Dry Photographic Lustre Paper || 260gsm || 30m || 8701518 || £49.91 ||
 * Canon || Art Paper Extra Smooth Paper || 250gsm || 12.2m || 1573B003AA || £64.99 ||
 * Canon || High Glossy Heavy Photo Paper || 255gsm || 30m || 1564B007AA || £74.99 ||
 * Canon || Satin Photo Paper || 240gsm || 30.5m || 1574B004AA || £79.99 ||
 * Canon || Matt Coated Paper || 180gsm || 30m || 7215A009AA || £18.49 ||
 * Canon || Economy Satin Photo Paper || 200gsm || 30.5m || 1567B004AA || £49.99 ||
 * Canon || Economy Glossy Photo Paper || 200gsm || 30.5m || 1566B004AA || £49.99 ||
 * Canon || Matt Coated Paper || 140gsm || 30m || 8946A007AA || £34,99 ||
 * Canon || Matt Coated Paper || 120gsm || 30m || 9171A004AA || £11.49 ||
 * Canon || Pearl Photo Paper || 260gsm || 30m || 1568B004AA || £92.99 ||
 * Canon || Water Resistant Art Canvas || 340gsm || 12.2m || 9172A005AA || £75.99 ||

Note: all rolls from this Park Cameras list are 17" wide and all prices exclude VAT. Their website has now been updated to show their full stock list.

[|www.revolutiontransfers.co.uk] also stocks the iPF5000. Reports are that their support is very good. They have a long list of canon roll papers including 17".

http://www.plotterprice.co.uk/ also stock Canon large format printers and accessories and will replace for free defective ink cartridges. Prices are competitive.

=How do I access the Photoshop 16 bit Export plug-in?=

From the Photoshop menu: File -> Export -> IPF5000 Print Plugin

=How many bits of data does the 16 bit Export plug-in send to the printer?=

According to Steven Katzman in his [|IPF5000 Field Test] the plug-in //sends only 10 bits of data per color channel to the printer//. Another poster to the Wiki was told the same thing by a Canon Rep. Obviously that's not as good as 16 bits of color data per channel, but it's still a huge improvement over 8 bit--to the tune of 1024 colors per channel, rather than 256 for 8 bit. This is reported to result in smoother gradients.


 * Update 11/23/07:** Scott Martin reports being informed by Canon that the plugin //sends 12 bits of data per color channel to the printer//, not 10.

=Is there a way to turn off the annoying confirmation dialog when exiting the plugin?=

No. This is very poor software design from a usability standpoint.

=How can I create Favorite settings to remember the combination of paper size, type, etc?=


 * 1) Click on Print History tab
 * 2) Click Details
 * 3) Click on a print job from the Print History (upper left hand box)
 * 4) Preview the Settings on the 3 tabs in the bottom half of the dialog box
 * 5) Click the large blue right arrow to add it to favorites
 * 6) Give it a name, add a comment if desired, and click OK

To use this Favorite, click on it, then click "Apply".

=How many settings can be saved as Print History Favorites?=

According to Tony Bonanno, "For those of you using the Print History in the Plug-In to save your favorite print settings. Be aware that there is a limit of 50 settings or "favorites" that can be saved. At least this is the case on Windows. Once you reach 50, you'll have to delete some to make space for any new settings you want to save. 50 sounds like a lot, but I was surprised how quickly I reached that number using several different papers and different settings for monochrome, color, etc."

=What happens if their is a conflict between the plugin and the printer in the setting for media type or media source?=

It depends on the value of a setting in the printer firmware (for firmware version 1.23, default shown in bold type):

Menu button -> System Setup -> Warning -> Detect Mismatch -> **Warning**/None/Pause


 * Warning - system warns of mismatch, but makes print anyway. The media type and media source set in the plugin take precedence over the printer settings
 * None - print is made without warning. Plugin settings take precedence as above
 * Pause - system warns of mismatch and pauses, allowing you to synchronize the settings. //This is probably the preferred setting so you don't accidentally set the wrong media type or source in the plugin and not have your error caught.//

=Why are prints made through the plugin with Relative Colorimetric intent darker than prints made through the driver?=


 * Problem:** When I use softprooofing in Photoshop using relative colometric intent with black point compensation on pictures look one way, but if you use relative colorimetric in print plugin with softproof checkbox on the print looks exactly the same as PS softproofing without black point compensation on.


 * Resolution:** None. This is apparently Canon's design, not a bug. Relative Corimetric intent does not use (or allow) Black Point Compensation. This renders the Relative Colorimetric intent useless when printing through the plugin.


 * Workarounds:**


 * Convert to the printer profile in Photoshop with Relative Colorimetric intent and Black Point Compensation on. Then, print through the plugin with Output Profile set to None. This method confirmed by John Hollenberg.
 * Print through the 8 bit operating system level driver instead using Relative Colorimetric intent. Black Point compensation will be applied in Photoshop.

=Is there a difference in gamut between the regular driver and the plugin?=

The consensus on the Wiki is that there is NO significant difference in gamut between prints made through the 8 bit operating system level driver and the 16 bit Photoshop plugin. This is based on the following evidence:

1) John Hollenberg created custom profiles for both the driver and the plugin on Canon Heavyweight Satin Photo Paper using the Bill Atkinson 1728 patch target and Profilemaker Pro 5.08. He followed the procedure for creating custom profiles detailed in this Wiki section. While there were slight differences in the measurements for some of the patches, 90% were within 0.5 delta E 94, and the worst 10% had a delta E 94 of 1.2. The patch with the biggest difference between the two targets still only showed a delta E 94 of 2.4. For reference, delta E of 1.0 is the smallest difference that can be reliably seen visually by the human observers. Of course, the resulting profiles showed virtually identical gamut when examined in Colorthink, with a very slight advantage to the profile made through the driver (yup, that is the driver that had a very slightly larger gamut 734,000 vs. 724,000 per Colorthink Pro calculation).

2) Some of those who initially thought that the plugin had a larger gamut turned out to be using slightly different methods to print the targets for plugin vs. driver, or were creating “8 bit profiles” for the driver using Printfix Pro, but “16 bit” files for the plugin. While the number of bits in the LUT (= Look Up Table) of the profile may not be that significant, the 8 bit profiles used a coarser grid (9 grid points vs 33 grid points) for the portion of the profile used for softproofing (or to display the gamut in Colorthink), thus giving a false impression as to the actual gamut of the profile. Prints made through both the driver and the plugin were not compared.

3) One poster who initially thought that the plugin had a higher gamut did more extensive testing and discovered that the number of passes (8 vs. 12 vs. 16) had a significant effect on the gamut. In some of the earlier comparisons, the targets for the driver may have been printed with only 8 passes rather than 16—hardly a fair comparison.

4) It seems likely that Color Management was inadvertantly left on in the driver for some of the people who saw a larger gamut for the plugin. If color management is on, you may be creating a profile for a printer color space already somewhat limited in size. Again, correct procedure is documented in the section on creating custom profiles.


 * Tentative Conclusion:** The gamuts of the driver and plugin appear nearly identical when custom profiles are made for each under highest quality and equal conditions. When printing targets this means:
 * Using 16 bit targets for both driver and plugin
 * Printing targets using 600 PPI
 * Printing targets using 16 passes
 * Making “16 bit profiles” for both driver and plugin
 * Setting unidirectional or bidirectional printing the same for both methods

When making actual prints to compare, the same 16 bit file should be used, and the settings should be identical to those used when the profile is made.

See also the discussion in [|this forum thread].


 * Update 9/20/07:** Scott Martin of [|Onsight] confirmed that there is no difference in gamut between the plugin and driver.

=Do 16 bit targets make better profiles if printed through the 16 bit plugin vs. the 8 bit OS driver?=

The 8 bit profiling targets that come with all ICC color profiling packages today will yield identical results when they are printed with the 8 bit or 16 bit modes in the Photoshop plugin or through the OS level driver. Bill Atkinson's unique 16 bit profiling targets (compatible with some but not all profiling packages) have been found to yield slightly better results when printed with the 16 bit option of the Plugin. These profiles can also be used with the 8 bit option of the Plugin and OS level printer driver. This information is from Scott Martin, who writes, "I have tested this carefully and with these printers it __does__ matter if a true 16 bit target is printed in 8 or 16 bit mode. Printing a 16 bit target in 16 bit mode makes slightly better profiles."


 * Note:** Colorvision PrintFix Pro package (now rebranded as Datacolor Spyder3 Print) is a closed system that uses the Datacolor 1005 spectrocolorimeter with proprietary software. It requires you to use the Patch Targets associated with the software in order to make either 8 bit or 16 bit icc profiles. The Datacolor Patch Targets are all 8 BIT TIFF files. Thus Datacolor users can profile either way with their targets (no advantage to printing targets through the Photoshop plugin). Those using other profiling software can consider using Bill Atkinson's 16 bit targets and profile the 16 bit Photoshop plugin for best results.

=What differences __have__ been observed between prints made with the driver and the plugin?=

While there do not appear to be any significant differences in gamut between the driver and the plugin, the plugin nevertheless does show some subtle improvements in image quality:


 * Smoother gradations in areas of gradual transition in color or tone
 * A very slightly “sharper” appearance to the naked eye, perhaps due to finer transitions that create higher accutance. If you are printing with files that contain at least 12 bits of real data (16 bit conversion of RAW files from a DSLR) and want the highest image quality, printing through the plugin is recommended.

=Why is Monochrome Photo mode missing in the plugin?=

Monochrome Photo mode is not available with the following media types:


 * Plain paper
 * Synthetic paper
 * Backlit or Backprint Film
 * Thin Fabric Banner 2
 * Canvas Matte 2
 * POP Board
 * Special 1-5

Select a different media type in order to have Monochrome Photo mode available.

=Is there a way to rearrange the order of all the custom media sizes I've added to the Print Plug In size options?=

No, not for the iPFX000 series printers. The answer isn't known yet for the iPFX100 printers.

=How can I keep file size reasonable, but still get the benefits of printing with 600 PPI files?=

Here is a workflow developed by Marc MccAlmont that preserves quality, but saves time:

"I've had an iPF5000 since July, 2006. Here is what works for me after a lot of experimentation. In Photoshop I resize the file to 6"x9", 600 PPI, using bicubic smoother. When all adjustments are complete I use smart sharpen/lens blur. I save this as my master file. I print only with the plugin, 600dpi and let it resize using bilinear interpolation (no sharpening set for the plugin). I have found this to be optimum with a reasonable file size. I tried up-rezzing to a full sized file with bicubic smoother, genuine fractals and Qimage/pyrimid/print to file and am hard pressed to see any difference when compared to the above method (letting the plugin resize a sharpened 6x9 600ppi file). The large files are not worth the hassle for a questionable improvement."


 * Note:** Bilinear interpolation can be set in the print plugin from the Main tab, by choosing Set Configuration.

=Will the Photoshop plugin work with my version of Mac OS X?=

With the latest updates available on [|Canon USA] and [|Canon Europe] there are no reported problems with later versions of Mac OS X (e.g., 10.4.8).

The download for the iPF 5100 at Canon Europe is a file that runs 113mb. I have yet to complete that download, but Onsight has published a link for a download from their FTP server that weighs in (for the Mac version) at 15.1 MB. I downloaded and installed and used the MacOS UB plugin with CS3 on an Intel Mac. The details are at [|Luminous Landscape].

=What versions of Photoshop will the plugin work with?=

Reported to work with Photoshop 6, 7, CS, CS2, and CS3.

The plugin will **not** work with Photoshop Elements, but Elements users can still print through the driver as normal.

For Windows-based users of the shipping version of CS3, the installer for the current version of the plug-in (v. 2.04) will look for an installation of CS2. When it can't find one, it will give the option of putting it in some other directory. Rather than put in in your CS3 Plug-ins folder, try dropping into some other folder of your choosing (this will allow a cleaner solution once official support for CS3 is built into the plug-in). Once that is done, go into CS3's preferences and add that folder as an additional plug-ins folder. You should then be able to use it. **Update 9/25/07:** There is now a version of the plugin specifically for Photoshop CS3. See the Latest Drivers page for the Windows version, see the Home Page of the Wiki for a link to the just-released Mac Universal Binary version.


 * Note:** The CS3 version of the plugin is reported to handle images up to 60,000 pixels wide as opposed to 30,000 pixels for earlier versions of the plugin (at least for Mac OSX).

=Does the Photoshop plugin work with version 4 ICC profiles?=


 * Background:** Profile-making software such as Profilemaker Pro and Monaco Profiler can make ICC profiles that are compliant with an older specification, version 2, or a newer specification, version 4. Most of the available profiles from printer and paper manufacturers are version 2 profiles.


 * For the iPF5000:**


 * Mac - version 4 profiles work on Photoshop CS2
 * Windows - version 4 profiles don't work on either CS2 or CS3 (they cause "Internal Error")

Information on compatibility of version 4 profiles is not available yet re: the iPFX100 series printers.


 * Workaround:** Convert to version 4 ICC profile in CS2 or CS3 and then assign an alternative profile (or assign no profile - set to untagged RGB). Print from the plugin without color management. It can look pretty wild on screen, but the numbers are fine as is the print.


 * Note:** The 8 bit OS level driver works with version 4 profiles on either platform.

=How can I change the default unit in the plugin from millimeters to inches?=

If you are a Canadian user and //English(Canada)// has been selected in Windows operating system, your default for paper size in the plug-in will be in millimeters. In Windows XP I changed the language to //English(United States)// and now the default for paper size is in inches.

=How do I ensure that prints made with the Photoshop/DPP plugin on roll paper consume the least amount of paper and are correctly oriented?=

When printing an image whose longest dimension is 17" or less, you will want to ensure that the printer uses the //width// of the roll for the longest edge of the image, in order to minimize the amount of wasted paper.

To do this, follow these steps.

Firstly, open your image in Photoshop run the //iPF Print Plug-in// from the File > Export menu.

Select the correct media type on the //Main// tab (gloss, semi-gloss, coated etc.)

Switch to the //Page Setup// tab and set the //Media Source// to **Roll**.

//The Page Layout Tab//

Assuming you are using a 17" wide roll, set the //Media Size// to **ISO A2+** so that the width of the paper is 17". If you are using a 16" roll or smaller, create a new Custom Media Size whose width is equal to the width of your roll, and the length of the paper is approximately 1.5x the width.

Using the //Preview// control, ensure that **Print Area Layout 1** or **Print Area Layout 2** is selected, so that you see a representation of your image placed onto a white background in the preview window.

Check that the //Orientation// control is set to **Portrait**. Note that this control relates to the orientation of the //paper//, not the image to be printed. When paper is fed from a roll, portrait orientation instructs the printer to place the image with its //top// edge parallel to the end of the roll, whereas landscape orientation has the printer place the image with its //left// edge parallel to the roll end.

The paper orientation should be switched if the image to be printed is taller than it is wide. As a general rule, to conserve roll paper and have the //long// edge of the image printed across the width of the paper roll, a landscape format image should be printed on portrait orientation paper, while a portrait format image should be printed on landscape orientation paper.


 * [[image:plugin-A2-portrait-dir.png]] || [[image:plugin-A2-landscape-dir.png]] ||
 * //Portrait orientation// || //Landscape orientation// ||

You should now see your image placed on a vertical sheet, as seen above in the //Portrait orientation// image.

Click the //Roll Paper Options// button and tick the **No spaces at Top or Bottom (Conserve Paper)** box. This will instruct the printer to cut the paper immediately after it has printed the image, rather than spool out an entire A2+ length from the roll.



Check the size of your image against the preview image and either go back to Photoshop an resize it so that it fits the paper properly, or click the //Enlarged/Reduced Printing// box, select //Scaling// and then drag your image around to place it on the paper in the correc place and scale it to the correct size.

//Scaling the image with the plugin//

If you choose to have the plugin scale your image, go back to the //Main// tag, click //Set Configuration// and change the //Image Enlargement Method// to **Bi-linear** for the best possible results.

Finally, return to the //Main// tab, ensure that all your color profile and quality settings are correct, then hit the print button...

=How can I be sure that my borderless prints are oriented the way I want from the plugin?=

Due to a rather nasty interface oversight in the iPF Photoshop plugin, (still present at the time of writing with plugin version 2.03) it is very easy to mistakenly have a borderless print end up massively too large or much too small by confusing the output orientation in the plugin.

Therefore, when printing an image with a 3:1 aspect ratio and intending the output image to measure 17" x 5.6" with the roll width used for the long edge of the image, it is all too easy to end up with a massive print of 17" x 51" with the roll width used for the short edge of the image.

Normally, switching between landscape and portrait orientation in the plugin alters the preview panel, affording the user a reasonable indication as to how the image will be placed on the paper, as described here.



However, when borderless printing is enabled, the preview panel becomes all but useless, as it simply shows the image in its original orientation with no paper borders or indication of roll direction in the preview. Switching between portrait and landscape output mode makes (almost) no difference to the preview shown.

Fear not, all is not lost. When borderless printing is enabled, a second indication of the output print size becomes available on the //Page Layout// tab in the //Enlarged/Reduced Printing// control group.

To ensure that your image will not be printed the wrong way around and end up far too large or far too small, keep a close eye on this size readout. If you expect your image to have its long edge printed across the roll, ensure that the largest dimension given does not exceed the width of the roll. Alternatively, if you want your print to be as large as possible, and have the short edge of the image printed across the roll, ensure that the smallest dimension given is (roughly) equivalent to the width of the paper.

The following images demonstrate this. Note that this print is destined for a 17" (431.8mm) wide roll.



In the above image, the portrait format image is being sent to the printer in landscape orientation. This instructs the printer to rotate the image, causing the long edge of the image to be printed across the width of the roll, resulting in a print of approximate dimensions 17" x 8.6".



This second image shows what happens when the same portrait format image is sent to the printer with portrait orientation specified. In this case, the printer places the short edge of the image across the width of the paper, resulting in a huge print measuring 17" x 33.5".

=How do I turn the printer off?=

Hold the Power button down for more than one second. However, first:


 * Check to make sure that the data lamp isn't flashing. If it is, the printer is receiving a job to print and turning off the printer during printing could damage the printer.
 * Check to make sure that the Message lamp isn't flashing. If it is, attend to the problem before turning off the printer.

=I told the printer to print from the tray when I meant the cassette. How do I cancel this request?=

Just press and hold **Stop / Eject** on the top panel for more than a second.

=How can I print from the Cassette? It is not listed as a paper source in the Photoshop plugin.=

You have probably selected a Media Type that is only allowed for Roll Paper. Check the FAQ on Media Types for help in determining if this is the problem, by checking to see which media types are associated with the Cassette and which are associated with Roll Paper.

=When not printing, should I leave the printer on (sleep mode) or off to conserve ink and avoid clogs?=


 * The [|official Canon recommendation] is to leave the printer on continuously according to Michael Reichmann at the Luminous Landscape. Of course, it will go into sleep mode in 5-240 minutes depending on the setting entered from the printer LCD. It is said that the printer will awaken from sleep mode about once a day and run a small cleaning cycle, which will keep the printhead free from clogs.
 * According to a poster on the Wiki, "the printer will go through a 5 minute cleaning cycle if turned off for 2 to 3 days. Not sure yet on that exact number or days or hours that triggers the longer cleaning cycle. If used every day, then the cleaning cycle is 1 minute long."
 * Another poster reports, "The support tech who came out to fix my roll feed unit recommended leaving the printer's power on at all times- -and he is not a Canon employee. He said the nozzles can clog very easily, and it's just not worth the tiny ink savings you would get by turning it off."
 * Kier Darby states "I'd be inclined to leave the printer on standby unless you know that you won't be printing for a week or more, in which case the longer cleaning cycle will probably use less ink than the short daily cycle."
 * John Hollenberg changed to turning the printer off, but it seemed to be using up a lot more ink when it was turned on each time. He went back to leaving the printer in standby mode; ink usage appears to be less.
 * There are several reports from individuals that knowledgeable techs at Canon support have recommended leaving the printer OFF rather than on (=sleep mode). Apparently, the daily cleaning cycles can add up to a significant amount of ink over time, such that those who print infrequently may use less ink by keeping the printer off.
 * TomH reports: "I just spoke with a Canon tech support rep this morning who told me to absolutely turn the printer off. He stated the printer may automatically initiate a cleaning cycle every few hours and not just one time per day. He further stated the iPF5000 adjacent to his desk has been used to print only a couple of sheets of paper over the last two months. He has kept the machine on 24 hours a day for that period of time. Two of the black ink tanks have been drained in that period of time just by use of the auto cleaning cycles."
 * Gary Cay states: "My observational (not measured) experience is that turning the printer OFF uses less ink and avoids unnecessary cleanings which in fact do add up, albeit they are small. Until one of us figures out how to measure ink use and actually does it, this is a working hypothesis only and not a fact. However, this is my working hypothesis after 5.5 months of living with this printer." The downside of this approach is that sometimes upon turning printer on it would clean for 5 minutes.


 * Summary:** Some users report less apparent ink usage if printer is turned off, while others found that leaving the printer on (in standby mode) worked better for them. You may need to experiment to find what works best for you.


 * Update 9/22/07:** A report by Tom Huxley suggests it may be best to leave the printer turned on. He found 2.9 ml per day was used when the printer was in standby mode, but the printer used a much larger amount when turned off for a couple of weeks. The figure of 2.9 appears to be fairly accurate, and was confirmed by another poster in an FAQ on ink used for cleaning. Don't be alarmed by the amount of ink used when the printer was turned off, as many are not reporting anything like this kind of ink usage.





=How much ink does the printer use per square foot of paper printed?=

There is no good answer, as it really depends on the nature of the images you print (and probably the Media Type as well). There is a [|forum thread] with various usage figures. However, here is what I consider a good estimate and fits with my own experience:

"I just made 2 prints on the iPF5000 (glossy photo) both 11 x 17 (actual image aprox 10 x 15 = about one square foot). One was almost white (0.3 ml of ink) and one almost black (1.5 ml of ink). I would use an average of 0.9 ml per square foot so at full retail for the inks I calculate ink cost at about 55 cents per square foot."

[|JGentry reports] using 6,401 ml to print 7,911 square feet of media. This works out to 0.81 ml per square foot.

In comparison, most estimates of ink use I have seen for the Epson 4800 are around 2 ml per square foot, which with 220 ml cartridges at cheapest street price would run about 78 cents per square foot.

DJ Garcia has produced a spreadsheet that allows you to calculate ink cost based on your own usage. His figures are included as a start, and show the estimated cost of ink to produce various size prints. Note that this cost figure includes the cost of ink used for cleaning, but not the ink used for initial priming with the starter ink cartridges:



There is also a cost analysis PDF produced by Canon which gives estimates for 3 different images on cost of ink and media:



John Hollenberg used the Canon data to calculate ink usage for each of the three images on ANSI C. The calculation is ml/square foot of printed media (white borders around image not included in figuring square footage of print):


 * Bicycle Image - 0.40 ml/square foot
 * Flower Image - 1.46 ml/square foot
 * Clouds Image - 1.01 ml/square foot

A similar cost analysis PDF produced by Canon is available for the IPF8000 and IPF9000:



=Can I Use Qimage with the IPF Series Printers?=

Yes. However, you will be printing through the regular 8 bit operating system level instead of the 16 bit Photoshop plugin. The gamut should be the same printing through the driver if properly configured. There may be some differences in subtle tonal gradations and a very slight decrease in edge sharpness (accutance) printing through the driver instead of the plugin. Qimage is for PC only and can be found [|here]

=What Print Settings Produce the Finest Quality?=

Marc Almont: I had little luck finding information specific to the iPF5000 in the forums so I took time to do a little testing and although the observations are subjective I am pleased with the results. All tests were done with the following constant. 17"x22" Ilford smooth gloss, 16 bit 600ppi, 8.5x11" file.


 * 1) Printed with the Canon windows print driver, Qimage and the Canon 16 bit plug in (16 bit, high accuracy, 16pass 2400dpi); the 16 bit plugin was superior.
 * 2) Used canon profiles and custom profiles (Cathy's Profiles); The custom profiles were superior.
 * 3) Sent the 16 bit plugin a 300 ppi 17"x22" file, a 600ppi 8.5"x11" file (let the plugin size to fit) and sent the plugin a 600ppi 17"x22" file upsized twice in CS2 using bicubic smoother; the latter was superior.

Summary: Use the plugin, a custom profile, upsize the file in photoshop to 600ppi resolution and actual print size using Bicubic Smoother. The difference between the drivers, rendering intent and profiles was more than subtle, the difference in upsizing method was slight but noticeable. My conclusion is sending the printer 12 bits of data makes a difference.

John Hollenberg initially confirmed Marc's findings, but after viewing the Luminous Landscape Tutorial From Camera to Print went back and re-tested. He now believes that if the PPI will be between 180 and 480, no resampling should be done in Photoshop, and the file should be set to 600 PPI (without resampling) and then re-sampled in the Photoshop Export plugin using Bilinear. Detailed steps follow, starting with a duplicate of master file:


 * 1) Capture sharpen with EasyS from Outback Photo (I usually use Low with Halo Control, and may set the opacity of the sharpening layer to 50-90% depending on how much sharpening has been done by the raw converter)
 * 2) Flatten the image
 * 3) Resize to my desired output size without resample (let the PPI float)
 * 4) Output sharpen with Photokit Sharpener for the proper media and using the proper PPI (e.g., Inkjet glossy 180 PPI)
 * 5) Resize to 600 PPI without resample (let the size float)
 * 6) Print from PS Export plugin using 600 PPI, highest number of passes, unidirectional, proper media type, and resample to desired size (same as in step 3) using bilinear in the plugin.

For more details, see [|this Forum thread] and [|this Luminous Landscape thread].

=What factors affect the gamut attainable on a particular paper?=

Besides the characteristics of the paper itself, the main factor is:


 * What Media Type was selected when the profile was made - there are a number of reports that the gamut can vary significantly depending on the Media Type selected. It is crucial to select the optimal media type, yet limited information is available (for non-Canon papers) on how to best do this. Known information is summarized on the Wiki page Creating Custom Profiles for Non-Canon Papers. For Canon papers, use the Media Type specified in Supported Canon Media

=How much difference is there quantitatively between the Cool and Warm settings in Monchrome mode?=

To assess the difference quantitatively, step wedges were printed on Epson Premium Glossy Photo Paper using perceptual intent. Step wedges were printed for Cool Black (X of -36) and Warm Black (X of 36), and measured with an Eye-One spectrophotometer. The results are plotted against %K for L* a* and b* in separate graphs. White point for the paper was 95.0, -0.3, -4.0. The a* channel was so close that any variation between the two settings is most likely due to measurement error. Note that the highlights are on the left, deep shadows on the right in these graphs. Charts follow:







=How can I profile my printer for Black and White printing?=


 * Question:** How can I profile my iPF5000 for black and white using a Gretag Eye-One Pro spectrophotometer?


 * Answer:**


 * 1) Select a Canon Media Type that has Monochrome photo mode
 * 2) Then use the technique described in [|this Outback Photo article]

=What method of interpolation do the printer driver and 16-bit Photoshop Export Plug-in use?=

Both the printer driver and the printer itself use nearest neighbor interpolation (the least accurate). The 16 bit Photoshop Export plugin defaults to nearest neighbor, but can also be set to bilinear on the Main tab by choosing Set Configuration. Preferred method of interpolation for best quality when upsizing is to use Bicubic Smoother in Photoshop and size to desired dimensions at 600 ppi before opening the Export plugin.


 * For iPFX100 series printers**, Bicubic is also available as a resizing method for the Photoshop Export plugin (and perhaps for the driver--no information yet).

=Does Unidirectional printing provide better quality than Bidirectional? How do I select it?=

According to the folks at ColorHQ, Unidirectional printing produces higher quality in deep shadow areas, which may show banding with Bidirectional printing. They strongly advise selecting Unidirectional printing. Others have found little difference. According to Canon Tech Support, the main difference is that there will be a different "angle" or "lean" to the droplets depending which was the head was moving, and that in some cases the reflectivity may vary enough from this to be perceived as banding.

According to Steven Katzman in his [|IPF5000 Field Test] for Rangefinder magazine, "A bidirectional mode decreases printing times but can compromise the integrity of the color since the inks aren’t being sprayed in their proper sequence." He uses unidirectional printing.

To select Unidirectional printing in the Photoshop plugin, select the Main tab, then click on the Set button under the Media Type dropdown box. There is a checkbox in the lower left corner of the dialog box where you can select Unidirectional printing. For optimal color accuracy when making custom profiles, it is probably best to select Unidirectional when printing out the target, since these subtle changes have been reported to affect colors on other printers.

=For Canon-supplied ICC profiles, what do Standard, High and Highest in the profile name mean?=

Note: According to one poster, the **Canon-supplied ICC profiles are ONLY for the 8 bit operating system level driver and should not be used with the 16 bit plugin**. This is also true for almost all of the third party paper generic profiles, with the exception of Crane Museo Silver Rag and profiles created by Booksmart Studio for some Innova and Hahnemuhle papers. If you want to use profiles with the 16 bit plugin, they will have to be custom profiles for most papers.
 * Standard - 1200 X 1200 dpi, 6 pass
 * High - 2400 X 1200 dpi, 8 pass
 * Highest - 2400 X 1200 dpi, 16 pass

Recommendation
For optimal quality with Canon-supplied profiles, use ICC profile with "Highest" in the name. Use corresponding printer output resolution and number of passes as described above. For ultimate quality, use only the 16 bit Photoshop plugin with custom profiles--Canon does not currently supply generic profiles for the 16 bit plugin.

=Which inks get used the fastest?=

According to reports from several posters to the Wiki, Gray (GY) and Photogray (PGY) are used the fastest, with the light colors close behind. One of the posters was printing all color. Full strength magenta and black are the least used colors according to one poster.

=How accurate is the ink consumption data in the Print Log?=


 * Answer:** Probably not very accurate. There are a number of reports of inconsistencies. Here is one from Chromix on 11/2/07:

"The information about ink consumption in the printers job protocol list seems to be not very accurate. Here is an excerpt from my printers protocol:

. . . Job 3 Doc Name: Kalender01_05.tif User Name: Administrator Page Count: 22 Job Status: Comp Print Start Time: 30/10/2007 11:40 Print End Time: 30/10/2007 13:34 Print Time: 6842 Print Size: 297 mm x 420 mm 124740 sq Media Type: Premium MatteP I/F: USB Ink : 14.8 ml

Job 4 Doc Name: Kalender01_05.tif User Name: Administrator Page Count: 1 Job Status: Comp Print Start Time: 30/10/2007 11:19 Print End Time: 30/10/2007 11:24 Print Time: 322 Print Size: 297 mm x 420 mm 124740 sq Media Type: Premium MatteP I/F: USB Ink : 0.1 ml

Job 5 Doc Name: Kalender01_05.tif User Name: Administrator Page Count: 1 Job Status: Comp Print Start Time: 30/10/2007 11:08 Print End Time: 30/10/2007 11:13 Print Time: 321 Print Size: 297 mm x 420 mm 124740 sq Media Type: Premium MatteP I/F: USB Ink : 0.1 ml

Job 6 Doc Name: Kalender01_05.tif User Name: Administrator Page Count: 1 Job Status: Comp Print Start Time: 30/10/2007 11:01 Print End Time: 30/10/2007 11:06 Print Time: 327 Print Size: 297 mm x 420 mm 124740 sq Media Type: Premium MatteP I/F: USB Ink : 0.1 ml. ..

Job 4, 5 and 6 were 2 test prints. Job 3 was the final print of 22 copies of the same file. Job 4,5 and 6 show an ink consumption of 0.1 ml. But in Job 3 14.8 ml were used for 22 prints. Now, 14.8 divided by 22 makes 0.67 - quite a difference compared to 0.1!! Job 3 and 4 were absolutely the same. In Job 5 and 6, I only shifted the print a little (between 1 and 2 mm) to get the borders right, other than that everything was the same like in Job 3 and 4.


 * Conclusion:** "I think this is important information for those who use the protocol to calculate the cost of printing. This might also cause some mistakes when calculating the amount of ink used for cleaning cycles. Maybe the ink was in fact used for printing and not for cleaning and only the numbers in the job protocol were incorrect."

=What is the shelf life of the Canon Lucia inks? How long are they good after installation in the printer?=

The shelf life of the Canon Lucia inks used in the IPF5000 is 18 months, according to the expiration date which should be on the package of each ink cartridge. The Service Manual states that the inks should be replaced 6 months after they are installed. However, many people have had cartridges installed for a year without any noticeable change in quality.

=How can I make Sepia Toned Prints?=

I experimented with sepia toning using an action set from Digital Outback Photo. I was quite pleased with the results. I'm not an expert at B&W printing since my 5000 is the first printer I've owned that can make one without an ugly color cast. Take a look at these articles for more information:

http://www.outbackphoto.com/artof_b_w/index.html

Here's the article about (nine) "Classic Tones" and a link to a free Action download from ePaperPress:

http://www.outbackphoto.com/artof_b_w/bw_01/essay6.html

I printed mine from CS2 using the 16-bit export module.

=Creating a Test Strip=


 * Question:** How can I print a test strip or other very narrow print on roll paper without wasting a lot of paper?


 * Answer:** (from Jim Harrison)


 * 1) Create a test strip in Photoshop to be a bit under the roll's width and, say, 1 inch tall (as an example). Let's assume we're using a 17" wide roll of paper for this example.
 * 2) In the print plug-in, under the "size options" button, create a custom paper size of 17" X 8" (for whatever reason, Canon limits us to 8" as the minimum length even though we know that the printer can print narrower and trim anyplace it wants). Then select that custom size in the Media Size menu.
 * 3) Set the orientation (portrait or landscape) to place the strip running across the 17" width of the sheet. The preview shows it centered up in the 8" long, 17" wide sheet, but have no fear!
 * 4) Click the "Roll Paper Options" button and in that menu, check the "No Spaces At Top Or Bottom (Conserve Paper)" check box. Make sure "Automatic Cutting" is set for "Available".
 * 5) The printer will then print the test strip with the minimum border (3mm) on the top and bottom and will cut it off automatically.


 * Note:** Be sure to uncheck that box before you try to print real prints which you want to have borders.

=If an ink cartridge runs out in the middle of a print, can I replace it and continue?=

Yes. There are reports of perfect prints when doing this. However, it is important to note that time is of the essence when ink runs out during printing. If the cartridge is not replaced fast enough the printer will cancel the print and eject the unfinished print. You may want to be around the printer when printing and ink levels are low so you can swap out carts if one runs out without losing the print.

=How do I find out what versions of firmware and software are installed?=


 * Firmware
 * From printer LCD - Menu -> Information -> Version
 * From GARO Status Monitor - Information Tab -> Status Display
 * Printer Driver
 * Windows - Printers and Faxes -> Click on IPF5000 -> Right click and choose Properties -> Device Settings Tab -> About
 * Mac OS X - select the application Printer Setup Utility. A window called Printer LIst will open and show the name iPF5000 (and any other printers you are using). Select iPF5000 and click on the Show Info icon. A new Printer Info window will open, showing Printer Name, Location, Queue Name, Host Name, Driver Version and PPD File Version.
 * GARO Status Monitor - Help from top menu -> About
 * Media Configuration Tool - Click About
 * Photoshop Plugin (must have an image open first) - File -> Export -> IPF5000 Print Plugin -> Print History Tab -> About

=What do I need to do after installing a newer printer driver to make sure the Media Types are up to date?=

After installing a new printer driver, the "CLIP" file may not be correct. The Clip File is a look-up-table (LUT) of data on the installed media types (printer head height, vacuum setting, which black ink to use, etc.). Apparently, the Clip File can easily get out of sync with the firmware / software.

On Windows, you can find the version of the CLIP file that you have currently installed by either:


 * Start Menu -> Printers & Faxes -> iPF5000 - Right click and select Properties -> Device Settings Tab -> About.
 * Photoshop -> File -> Export -> IPF5000 Print Plug In -> Print History -> About

For printer driver 3.50 for iPF5000 (Windows), the CLIP file should be version 2.4, dated 12/25/06. Likely yours won't be correct; after installing driver 3.50, mine was wrong. Here is how to fix the problem:


 * 1) Uninstall the old Media Configuration Tool: Start -> All Programs -> iPF5000 Media Configurtion Tool -> Uninstaller (PC)
 * 2) Download and Install the Latest Media Configuration Tool
 * 3) Run the Media Configuration Tool and Select "Update Media Types"
 * 4) Select your printer and click "Next", then click "OK"
 * 5) The program will take 1-2 minutes to update your printer firmware, printer driver and photoshop plugin with the new media types

As a final check, see that the version of the CLIP file has been updated using the either of the methods described above.

=How do I run do a Nozzle Check and what size paper do I need?=

Before running a nozzle check, load paper that is 11X17 or larger (note that the manual says letter size paper but printer LCD insists on paper **larger** than A4 or letter). Plain paper will work fine. To run a nozzle check:


 * From the Printer Control Panel:
 * Menu button -> Test Print -> Nozzle check -> OK
 * From the GARO Status Monitor:
 * Maintenance tab -> Nozzle Check Print

When I run a nozzle check, the horizontal lines slant down as they go to the right. Is this normal?
Yes, this is the standard nozzle check pattern. As long as there aren't gaps in the slightly sloping horizontal lines, the nozzle check is OK.

=What functions are available in the firmware to adjust the printer for optimum print quality?=

There are two types of adjustments available in the firmware to optimize image quality: Printhead Alignment and Banding Adjustment. Printhead Alignment adjusts the timing of the firing of the nozzles so that straight __vertical__ lines are actually straight. Banding Adjustment adjust the paper feed mechanism precisely so that there is no __horizontal__ banding with the multiple passes made by the printhead as it moves back and forth to print a section. Remember that the highest quality setting in the Photoshop plugin involves 16 passes of the printhead to print any area; if the feed amount between passes isn't exactly right you will get some degree of banding.


 * Note:** According to Canon Tech Support, the banding adjustments are per media type. The last adjustment done (either manual or automatic) will over-write the previous adjustment for that media type. Posters to the Wiki have found that this is clearly true for the Far End Feed Adjustment, but don't know if it actually applies to the more general Manual Adjust Band. The question remains: if you do a Manual Adjust Band using one media type, do the other media types use that same adjustment if no Manual Band Adjustment has been performed for the other media types, or do they have no adjustment at all? In general, one would expect far less difference between media types for the Manual Band Adjustment than for the Far End Manual Feed, because the Far End Manual feed handles the transition from rear rollers to front rollers for the paper transport. However, this has not been tested by posters to the Wiki.

In the firmware there is an option to do each of these adjustments either:
 * Automatically - the printed patterns are read by a laser while the paper is still in the printer OR
 * Manually - a pattern is printed on the paper and read by eye using a loupe to get the best visual match

The adjustments available are listed below with a description of the process for each type of adjustment. The currently recommended adjustment procedure is shown in **bold type**:


 * **Auto Head Adjustment**
 * Standard - prints 5 pages (11X17 minimum paper size) and reads automatically
 * **Advanced** - prints 6 pages (11X17 minimum paer size) and reads automatically
 * Manual Head Adjustment - prints 2 pages of columns (portion of first page shown below), each column using a different color of ink, including the type of black (photo or matte) that is used with this media type. There are a total of 11 columns (one for each ink). Each column is divided into an upper and lower section, for a total of 22 sections. The sections are labeled D-1 through D-24. D-6 and D-12 were missing from the manual adjustment page I printed. Since the media type I used was Photo Paper Plus, these missing labels are presumably for matte black ink, which isn't used on this media type. For each section there are 11 patterns, labeled 0, 2, 4, ... 20. The pattern labeled 0 is slightly concave to the right, while the pattern labeled 20 is slightly concave to the left. Somewhere around 10 (depending on how far off the alignment is) will be a pattern which looks perfectly straight. You will definitely need a loupe to make an accurate determination. In the enlarged example below 12 is the straightest pattern. If you can't decide between two adjacent numbers, you can use the number in between (e.g., 11). Write down the number of the pattern which looks the straightest, then go on to the next section. When you have finished reading all 22 sections, go back to the printer LCD and enter each number using the arrow keys and the OK key. When you are done entering the numbers, there is one more choice just past section D-24 which is "Save Settings". If you think this sounds like a lot of hassle, you are right. The manual method appeared fairly precise; when I repeated the alignment all of the values were within 2 of the previous alignment value. //However, it isn't clear to me that there is any benefit to using the manual method over the automated method.//






 * Auto Band Adjustment - only adjusts for main part of page; does not adjust far end feed, which must be done manually
 * Standard - prints one page and reads automatically
 * Advanced - prints two pages (one darker, one lighter) and reads automatically




 * **Manual Band Adjustment**
 * **Adjust Band** - //used to adjust feed optimally to prevent banding in all parts of the print except the trailing end of cut sheets//. Prints "Paper Adjustment Pattern A" with strips number 0, 2, 4, ... 16. You choose the one that shows the __least__ banding (probably 8) and enter that number on the printer LCD. Then prints "Paper Adjustment Pattern B" with strips numbered 0, 1, 2, 3, ... 8. You choose the one that shows no banding (in my case, 3; note the subtle horizontal banding in pattern 4 in the enlargement below) and enter that number on the printer LCD. This adjustment is easy and very precise. You know you won't get any visual banding because you did the adjustment visually.






 * **Adjust Far End Feed** - //used to adjust feed optimally to prevent banding in the trailing end of cut sheets//. Prints "Paper Adjustment Pattern C", two rows, C1 and C2, at the trailing end of the sheet of paper. Patterns in each row are numbered 0, 2, 4, ... 32. Take a loupe and find the pattern in each row that shows no visual banding. In the enlarged example below, 28 is the best choice, as 26 still shows subtle horizontal banding. If you can't decided between two adjacent pattersns, choose the number in between, e.g., 27. Enter the numbers for C1 and C2 on the printer LCD. Note: This is the adjustment used to resolve the problems with Banding in the trailing 1.25 inches of sheets fed from the Cassette. See image below:



=How do I run a printhead alignment once the printer and software have been installed?=

Use 6 sheets of good quality paper so you won't get ink bleed or poor reflectivity causing problems with the alignment. A printhead alignment can be performed:


 * From the Printer Control Panel:
 * Menu button -> Adjust Printer -> Auto Head Adj -> Advanced Adj (**Note:** Advanced recommended)
 * From the GARO Status Monitor:
 * Maintenance tab -> Printhead Adjustment

What is the difference between Standard and Advanced printhead alignment?
Standard Alignment is the alignment done when you are first setting up the printer. Advanced alignment prints 6 pages instead of the 5 printed with Standard. The first page is unique to Advanced, the remaining 5 pages appear identical to the Standard alignment pages. According to Canon Tech Support, it is best to use Advanced Printhead Alignment, as it does the alignment per color, but be sure to use a glossy type paper to get a very exact alignment. The Manual refers to the Advanced Head Alignment as adjusting the nozzle, ink tank, and printing direction.

Problem
I started my printer setup and during the printhead alignment it came up with the Printhead (r) Check Printhead error and Printhead Nozzle Error--check nozzles. Checking the manual it says to reload the printhead. With hesitation (because of lost ink) I ran the replace right printhead in the maintenance menu. That did not work, the same error came back.

Resolution
I talked with canon support today and they are going to send out a new printhead. I also asked if they can cover ink loss during printhead replacement and they are going to check on that. On the printer my left print head ink (all ink) shows 4 bars, the right printhead ink after printhead remove/reinstall shows 2 bars. I think right side showed 4 bars prior to printhead removal/reinstall. Another poster reports: "I had a similar issue and they sent me a new full set of inks." It may be a good idea to request a replacement Maintenance Tank as well, since loading the new printhead used up the Maintenance Tank for one user.

=What do the ink tank lights indicate?=

There is an ink tank light for each of the 12 inks. Here is what they indicate depending on their status:


 * On - ink cartridge installed correctly and enough ink
 * Off - no ink cartridge installed or ink level detection function disabled
 * Flashing slowly - ink cartridge is low on ink (**20% left** per Canon support)
 * Flashing rapidly - ink cartridge is empty

=What is the capacity of the Maintenance Tank?=


 * Update 9/22/07:** The iPF5000 Service manual lists a figure of 957 ml (based on counting ink drops).

The Maintenance Tank when full weighs 1 lbs 11 7/8 oz. (790 grams) according to Tony Bartlett. An unused Maintenance Tank weighs 500 grams (different scale). So the Maintenance Tank holds approximately 290 grams (= 10.25 ounces) of ink. According to Dan Wells, "A materials safety data sheet Epson kindly supplied for UltraChrome ink (Lucia is going to be very similar) claims that it is less than 8% pigments by weight, 5-10% "proprietary organic materials", 15-20% glycerols (lighter than water), and the rest water. The Epson data sheets claim a density 1.07 times that of water, and I'd be shocked if the Canon ink (which smells like it has more glycerol or whatnot in it) is anywhere outside the range of 0.9 to 1.1 times the density of water." Using the Epson figure of 1.07 as a guess at the density, the Maintenance Tank capacity would be approximately 270 ml.


 * Addendum:** Jim Harrison has pointed out that the above figure should be seen as a lower limit:

It seems to me that weighing the used maintenance tanks will not give us any useful information due to varying levels of "dryness" in peoples' tanks. If we assume that the water and other liquids will evaporate away over time, then what are we really measuring when we weigh a maintenance tank? Among the issues are that at various temperatures, you drive off different things. So the drying time and temperature profile must be repeatable to assure that you're not driving off different components one time and not the next, etc. Some components of the ink must volatilize at different temperatures than do others.

I could imagine Canon setting things up for a worst-case scenario where a person would do several head replacements in short order and the maintenance tank would need to be able to hold not only the solids, but also the liquids from a very rapid "filling". On the other hand, for most cases, the ink would have ample time to dry out between "fillings" so the Maintenance tank might end up appearing to be very little used since (if it later hand time to dry out) it'd only have solids in it when removed. Of course, clever printer firmware could anticipate this all and allow for more ink to be put into the Maintenance tank if it was placed there gradually over a longer period of time.


 * Appearance of Full Maintenance Tank**

Tony found that the Maintenance Tank did not appear to be even close to full, raising the question about whether Canon was too conservative in their calculations and if a firmware update could allow more ink to be deposited in the tank before it is discarded. Here is a photo that he took of the "full" tank:



=Where can I find directions on changing the maintenance tank?=

In the html manual click as follows:


 * Printing Functions and Applications
 * Replacing Consumables
 * Replacing the Maintenance Cartridge

=How often does the printer run cleaning cycles and based on what factors?=

Here is information from the iPF5000 Service Manual that gives a general idea of what cleaning cycles are run and when. To get this information from your printers, see the example under FAQ on Entering Service Mode. Perusing the information suggests that using the printer more often than once a week (168 hours) may decrease cleaning cycles:



=How can I enter Service Mode, and what can I do there?=

WARNING!!! If you change anything while in this mode you could screw up your printer royally! Use at your own risk.

 * How to enter Service Mode:**


 * 1) Turn off the printer
 * 2) Turn the printer on while holding down the Feeder Selection and Information buttons until you see "Initializing" on printer LCD
 * 3) "S" is displayed in the upper right corner of the LCD display
 * 4) Message light will continue flashing while in service mode


 * How to exit Service Mode:**


 * 1) Turn off the printer


 * Accessing Service Mode on Printer LCD after entering Service Mode above:** (all arrow buttons below refer to printer control panel)


 * 1) Press Menu button
 * 2) Press Right Arrow until you see "SERVICE MODE"
 * 3) Press Down Arrow

The most interesting information, as shown in the Service Manual is as follows:

 * To see how many cleanings of each type have been performed:**


 * 1) Press Right Arrow until you see "COUNTER"
 * 2) Press Down Arrow
 * 3) Press Right Arrow until you see "PURGE"
 * 4) Press Down Arrow
 * 5) Press Right Arrow to cycle through various CLN readings

Results for John Hollenberg:

A1 (normal cleaning) – 15 [probably Head Cleaning A, about 10 ml] A2 (Ink level adjustment cleaning)– 1 [amount unknown, may be 20-30 ml] A3 (initial ink filling) – 1 [estimate 30-40% of starter carts, or 324-432 ml] A6 (normal strong cleaning) – 9 [amount of ink used unknown, perhaps 15-20 ml] A7 (aging, after replacement of head) – 1 [presumably part of initial install] A16 (precipitated ink agitation) – 49 [amount of ink used unknown]

TTL - 76


 * To see the total amount of ink used for each color:**


 * 1) Press Up Arrow until you see "PURGE" again
 * 2) Press Right Arrow until you see "INK-USE1"
 * 3) Press Down Arrow
 * 4) Press Right Arrow to cycle through the ink use for each color

Results (ml) for John Hollenberg:

Y – 120 PC – 130.4 C – 109.5 PGY – 144.9 GY – 148.5 MBK – 102.4 PM – 142.8 M – 106.8 BK – 101.6 R – 104.6 G – 103.8 B – 104.5

TTL – 1419.8

For a sample analysis of ink used in cleaning and printing, see Discussion Forum topic [|Some Musings on Ink Used for Cleaning].

=How can printhead cleaning be run manually, and how much ink is required?=

A printhead cleaning can be performed:


 * From the Printer Control Panel:
 * Menu button -> Head Cleaning (Head Cleaning A or Head Cleaning B)
 * OR Hold Information button for 3 seconds for Head Cleaning A
 * From the GARO Status Monitor:
 * Maintenance tab -> Printhead Cleaning (Printhead Cleaning A or Printhead Cleaning B)

Differences in Head Cleaning Routines:


 * Printhead Cleaning A - 4 minutes; reportedly the printer goes through a cleaning cycle, then tests the heads (**uses approximately 10 ml of ink** per data from Tom Huxley [[file:Ink_consumption_data.pdf]])
 * Printhead Cleaning B - 6 minutes; reportedly the printer goes through 3 cleaning cycles, then tests the heads (amount of ink used unknown)

=Do I have to drain the ink before moving the printer to another location?=

The official Canon answer is YES. Any other action you take is at your own risk. That said, there are several reports suggesting that you can do this if you are careful. This is an important issue, since ink draining is estimated to waste about $250 worth of ink! See relevant quotes below from others experience:
 * "There is no way I can recomend you not follow Canons instructions, as there is no knowing what damage can be caused. However, I can say we take our IPF5000 to events that are 3 days or longer, just pick it up (2 people) put it in the back of the van on foam and there have been no problems. Journeys average around 40 miles each way."
 * "Brian at ColorHQ advised me not to use the move function for short moves where the printer can be kept more or less horizontal. He mentioned that the Canon rep he works with had driven one halfway across the country in the back of a car without using the move function. Apparently the move function is really for shipping the printer by truck or air, or if you need to turn it on end for whatever reason."
 * "My IPF 5000 was a display model and had it's cardriges installed. I had no trouble getting it home across town in my car without clearing the lines. Just handle it carefully, just as you would anyway."

=Where can I find detailed directions on draining the ink so I can move the printer?=


 * 1) Open the User Manual that came on the CD
 * 2) When you get to the Top Menu, select Printing Functions and Applications
 * 3) Select Printer Maintenance
 * 4) Select Preparing to Transfer the Printer

=How much ink is used when changing the printhead?=

According to Trevere, "The ink usage for filling the new printhead (and aligning, which used a trivial amount) was about 10-11 ml per color." Thus total ink used would be about 130 ml, or one regular size ink cartridge worth. Cost would be approximately $75.00.

=On average, how much ink is wasted on cleaning the nozzles to keep them clear?=

We don't know for sure, but have data reported from two different low volume printing environments:


 * Tom Huxley reported approximately 2.9 ml ink per day used for cleaning when he left his iPF5000 in standby mode for 45 days. He got his data by carefully weighing the ink cartridges on an analytical balance before and after the 45 day period. His final report with firmware 1.25 is shown in the PDF file below:




 * John Hollenberg used a different method and came up with an average of approximately 2.4 ml per day ink used for cleaning over 307 days. He entered Service Mode and got the data from the Ink Counter about the total amount of ink that had been used by the printer. He then looked at the Purge Counter and found out how many cleanings of different types had been done. Estimates were made for the Initial Fill and Aging Cleanings (one time each). Finally, the estimated amount of ink used for printing (based on known number of square feet printed and estimated ml/square foot) was subtracted:

Total ink used - 1419.8 ml

Ink used for initial fill - estimated 40% of starter cartridges - 0.4 * 12 * 90 = 432 ml

Ink used for aging (after new head put in) - estimated 25 ml

Ink used for printing - 200 square feet * estimated 1.13 ml per square foot = 226 ml

Ink used for cleaning - 1419.8 - 432 - 226 - 25 = 736.8 ml

Number of days in service - 307

ml ink used for cleaning per day - 2.4

Cost of ink - 58 cents per ml

Cost per day - $1.39

Cost per month - $41.70

Here is a sample Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet with some estimated numbers plugged in to try to fit the known data. The amounts for various cleaning cycles are estimates/guesses. However, the overall conclusion is expected to be accurate, because the approximate amount of ink used for initial fill is known based on the amount of ink remaining shown on the GARO Status Monitor after the initial fill:



See also [|this thread].


 * Note:** These low volume printing environments may not accurately show how much ink will be used for cleaning. If printer is used more frequently (say every other day) the absolute amount used for cleaning might be significantly lower.

=Can the Maintenance Tank Be Reset?=


 * Question:** Is there a way to reset the maintenance tank.


 * Answer:** As far as we know, no.

="Roll" does not show up as a media source in the plugin or driver.=

This could be due to one of two problems:


 * The software does not recognize the roll feed unit (see below)
 * You have selected a Media Type that is not compatible with Roll paper. See the Media Type Compatibility Table.

How can I get the software to recognize the auto roll feed unit?

 * 1) Open up the "Printer Properties" dialog box. You can do this by right-clicking on the printer icon, or from the printer menu if the printer is open.
 * 2) Click on the tab that says "Device Settings." It should be the rightmost tab.
 * 3) Click "Acquire Status" fon this tab. If this is successful, the the checkbox that says "Roll Feed Unit" will be checked for you automatically. Another possibility is to just click on the checkbox yourself. However, using "Acquire Status" ensures that the driver "sees" the Roll Feed Unit.
 * 4) Click on "Apply" then "OK"


 * Note:** I suspect that there is a check made when the driver is installed and if there is no roll feed unit present this option is left unchecked.

If this doesn't fix the problem, you may have selected a Media Type which does not allow Roll as a Media Source. Check the Media Type Compatibility Table.

=Printing is slow and there is lots of banding when printer is connected by Ethernet.=


 * Problem:** I just got my printer setup and configured it to print with TCP/IP. When I send a print job to the printer it takes a really long time to spool. The printer starts printing and then stops and pauses while the data is downloaded. When the printer first starts printing the picture looks good but, when the pausing starts I get lots of banding where it looks like its not laying down as much ink as it should.


 * Resolution:** I would like to report it was a duplex mismatch and speed setting on my printer. I was set to 10 MBS and half duplex and went to 100 full and solved the problem. I also noticed there was an auto setting and it also worked there. I am not sure how it got set to manual.

=My printer prints part of a photo then stops.=

If your printer is hooked up through USB hubs (e.g., one poster had a 16 foot Active usb hub to a 10 foot usb cable from the machine) this may be the problem. Try plugging the printer directly to the computer with one cord.

=I got an error installing updated firmware and now I can't print.=


 * Problem:** I went to upgrade the firmware and I got an error during the install and now I can't print. The printer says version 1.23 is installed but whenever I print, even test prints from the printer, nothing happens. I've sent prints from the plugin and the data light flashes but again, nothing else happens.


 * Resolution:** There is a utility to allow reinstalling the firmware or installing an older version. Canon sent me a new logic board, but then the service guys sent me the utility to reinstall the firmware and it worked.


 * Update 9/26/07:** The name of the utility, referred to in the Service Manual, is apparently the "L Printer Service Tool". An owner in Australia who had a failed firmware update managed to find an ingenious workaround that fixed his failed firmware update without getting this utility. The workaround is necessary because the firmware upgrade tool cannot overwrite the same version number. His method is as follows:


 * 1) Create firmware version 1.26 (which does not really exist) by renaming the .jdl file from the version 1.25 Firmware update tool.
 * 2) Edit the the .jdl file--on the second line just after ipf5000 change the number 01.25 o 01.26 using bbedit (a very secure plain text editor in MAC). Never use a formatting text editor like Word, just a very plain ASCII text editor otherwise you'll screw up for sure!
 * 3) Bring the printer into Service Mode. There I noticed I could print! So the firmware apparently was installed but only in the last stage of upgrading something went wrong.
 * 4) Use the Firmware upgrade tool, which now sees firmware 1.25 is installed, but firmware 1.26 (the fake version created above) is available. The upgrade button is now active, so click it!

Now the printer was online and the firmware upgrade process finished as it was supposed to do. Restarted the printer, ran several print and paperfeed tests and it feels like a new printer. Nicest of all, the printer tells me that 1.25 firmware version is installed. See also [|this thread].

Here is the jdl file for the "fake" firmware version 1.26 created as described above:



=I get "Carriage Motion Error" every time I turn on the printer.=


 * Problem:** Every time I turn on the printer, I get "Carriage Motion Error" right after the "Initializing" message on the Display Screen. The printer tells me to "Power Up Again". Holding the power button down for several seconds has no effect. I had to unplug the machine to shut it off, but when I plug it in and start it up again, the same thing happens.


 * Resolution:** Look for a thin mylar strip running behind the printheads which should be sitting in a little guide tab, but has probably fallen out. Put the mylar strip back in place. Recommended by Canon support, one poster reports permanent resolution of the problem. The Canon tech said he gets about three calls a week for this problem.


 * Update:** This did not resolve the problem for one poster. The Canon Support Techs came out, tried the initialization, got the same message and proceeded to take the printer apart. They quickly zeroed in on the culprit: one of the blue plastic lids on the print head carriage had somehow opened -- probably in shipment, they said -- and it had been keeping the carriage from moving past the plastic lip over the left chamber where it rests. Kind of like a semi truck too high to fit under an overpass.


 * Addendum:** A third poster had a slightly different experience: I had the very same problem. I called Canon Support and they told me to gently pull on the mylar strip to attempt to "re-seat" it. This didn't work and in fact, the mylar strip hung limp after that. Since it would be several days until the tech could get to me (it was late Thursday) I asked if there was anything that I could try to fix this problem. I'm pretty comfortable with mechanical things, so I thought maybe they could talk me through a solution. They agreed and off we went! I was on my bluetooth headset so I had both hands free while I talked to the repair guy.

We began by taking off the top panels on the left side to determine if the mylar strip had disconnected on that side. We found out that it was fine on that side. Then we set out to dissassemble the covers on the right side. After doing that, we determined two things:

1. The cover that snaps down over the print heads had popped up in shipping and wasn't allowing the print head carriage to travel out to the middle of the printer. That answered the question of the "Carriage Motion Error".

2. The limp mylar strip problem. Turns out that it attaches to a flexible metal portion of the housing that acts as a spring to hold it in tension. When they had asked me to gently tug on that strip during my first phone call, I had inadvertently bent that metal piece, thus not allowing it to hold the mylar strip in its proper tension. I re-bent that metal piece, resulting in proper tension on the mylar strip and voila! We were in business.

Then just about 20 more minutes to re-assemble the casing and I was ready to move on with my setup.

A few thoughts about this process... first, I was really bummed to receive my printer and then have a problem that was going to cause me a 4 day delay before I could see a print. I don't exactly blame Canon - their closest repair guy was 9 hours away and it was going to take some time before he could come to my home.

Second, I'm actually amazed that the repair tech was willing to talk me through a fairly difficult process of dissassembling much of the casing of the printer. Boy, was I glad he was willing to do this! At the end of the call, he joked that he would have to send some service calls my way if anyone else in my area (Northwest Arkansas) had problems...

=I can't install the software on my Athlon 64 processor based computer.=


 * Problem:** If you are installing an iPF5000 on an Athlon 64 based PC, you may discover that the software won't install. There is a major compatibility problem with “Demo Shield” and some 64 bit processors. On my computer DemoShield crashed a half dozen times.


 * Workaround:** "Autorun" on the distribution disk calls "DemoShield" that in turn runs and displays the main menu screen allowing the enduser to start the install. DemoShield is a product of Macrovision is licensed for use to software developers like Canon. InstallSheild, a product of InstallShield Software Corp., is called by DemoShield and actually dose all of the leg work in setting up the drivers. A simple if somewhat time-consuming work-around is to manually install via the old tried and true “InstallShield” facilities found on the distribution “User Software” CD. Go to /DSE/EUS/winxp and click on SETUP to start the process. If you are installing in non English language substitute the directory for your language in place of "EUS".


 * Note:** Another poster reports, "For what it's worth I had no problems installing on a Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core on Windows XP Media edition. I just put the CD in and ran the installer."

=How do I get the AutoLayout program working on Mac OS X?=


 * Problem:** I've installed a Canon iPF8000 in our studio and would like to know how to get the "AutoLayout" feature to work. The printer is connected via ethernet to the studio's LAN, which is an all Macintosh/OS X environment. The printer has a static IP address and is printing well from all computers - but only one image at a time. We'd like to gang images using the AutoLayout feature but can't get it to work. What happens is when the Canon "ExtraKit" is booted, and the "Add" button in AutoLayout is clicked, we get the prompt: //"The printer is not registered in the driver. Add the printer in the driver."//


 * Solution:** Poster had renamed the printer to "iPF8000". Leaving IP address as the printer name fixed the problem and the AutoLayout feature functioned as it should. He feels relieved that Canon didn't distribute vaporware, but is still disturbed by the Canon Tech Support that said this feature was not yet available on the Mac platform. Unfortunately, color managed output is not available with AutoLayout. For a priceless description of an interaction with Canon Tech Support on this issue, read this [|Luminous Landscape Thread].

=How do I run a printhead alignment once the printer and software have been installed?=

Use 6 sheets of good quality paper so you won't get ink bleed or poor reflectivity causing problems with the alignment. A printhead alignment can be performed:


 * From the Printer Control Panel:
 * Menu button -> Adjust Printer -> Auto Head Adj -> Advanced Adj (**Note:** Advanced recommended)
 * From the GARO Status Monitor:
 * Maintenance tab -> Printhead Adjustment

What is the difference between Standard and Advanced printhead alignment?
Standard Alignment is the alignment done when you are first setting up the printer. Advanced alignment prints 6 pages instead of the 5 printed with Standard. The first page is unique to Advanced, the remaining 5 pages appear identical to the Standard alignment pages. According to Canon Tech Support, it is best to use Advanced Printhead Alignment, as it does the alignment per color, but be sure to use a glossy type paper to get a very exact alignment. The Manual refers to the Advanced Head Alignment as adjusting the nozzle, ink tank, and printing direction.

Problem
I started my printer setup and during the printhead alignment it came up with the Printhead (r) Check Printhead error and Printhead Nozzle Error--check nozzles. Checking the manual it says to reload the printhead. With hesitation (because of lost ink) I ran the replace right printhead in the maintenance menu. That did not work, the same error came back.

Resolution
I talked with canon support today and they are going to send out a new printhead. I also asked if they can cover ink loss during printhead replacement and they are going to check on that. On the printer my left print head ink (all ink) shows 4 bars, the right printhead ink after printhead remove/reinstall shows 2 bars. I think right side showed 4 bars prior to printhead removal/reinstall. Another poster reports: "I had a similar issue and they sent me a new full set of inks." It may be a good idea to request a replacement Maintenance Tank as well, since loading the new printhead used up the Maintenance Tank for one user.

=What Do the Various Error Codes Mean?=

Error codes are provided very rarely, but as they appear and we receive explanations we will post them here. See also the iPF5000 Service Manual to look up error codes for that printer.

E602-401B
(**iPF9000 Only**) Confirm the connection of the HDD, and if it is the HDD failure, replace the HDD.

=The roll unit makes a noise and I get the message "Check Roll Paper unit!" and "Power up again.".=


 * Problem:** When I turn the machine on, it goes through the initilization process, then the roll unit makes a bit of noise and I get the messgage "Check Roll Paper unit!" and "Power up again.".


 * Resolution:** The Canon support tech came on-site. It turns out that there is a loose gear in the roll holder unit. It was held on by a spring, which the technician removed, as it doesn't seem to fulfill any particular purpose. He re-ordered the faulty part, but so far the roll unit works.

=I get "Paper Jam" or "Can't Detect Paper" error every time I try to load paper from the top Tray while Roll Feed Unit is attached.=


 * Solution:** You probably have a defective roll feed unit. This is a common problem for the iPF5000 (probably will be uncommon for iPF5100, but no information yet) described in Known Bugs.

=When I try to print to Roll, I sometimes get a "Paper Jam" error.=

This may problem may have more than one cause, with sleep mode or a firmware problem perhaps linked to the problem. Probably the best answer was given by a poster on a [|Luminous Landscape Thread]:

"I was having a terrible time using roll paper, and it turned out to be two mechanical problems:

(1) a white roller down inside the printer that was stuck down, due to a burr or some other snag, which a technician corrected by sticking a screwdriver down the back paper feed slot and pressing the side of the roller. It popped up, and he thought the problem was solved, since he had seen this before, and hadn't been called back.

Solving Problem 1 worked OK for the Canon Matte Coated paper and the Fine Art Bright White (after a struggle), but I couldn't get Canon Waterproof Canvas to load AT ALL. I tried to feed it in as far as it would go, but the paper wouldn't move or go into its back-and-forth roll paper load routine. Then the roll feeder would retract the paper completely and the printer had the audacity to say "Can't detect papr" [sic]. I called back the service technician, and he came out again. He determined that:

(2) the forward feed mechanism on the auto roll feeder wasn't working. The paper would retract, but not advance the paper. He took the auto roll feeder off, and we could hear something sliding around inside. I suggested perhaps a screw loose; he said it sounded more like a spring. He took it apart, and sure enough, it was a spring that was supposed to keep a gear in place that had come loose. He put the spring back in place, and it seems to be working fine so far.

All this was very frustrating, since I had already printed 20 or 30 feet on Canon Matte Coated roll paper without any problem. Then one morning I sent a print job and got the "Paper jam" message, then the "Can't detect papr" message when I tried to reload the paper. As soon as I inserted paper, the feed rollers on the auto roll feeder would clamp down and not move.

If it's working properly, you only have to feed the paper in just enough for the roll feeder rollers to grab it and the printer should take it from there. According to the technician, there is a slight curve in the paper path which might cause a problem if the roll paper has too much curl near the end of the roll.

I asked the technician about what happens if the leading edge of the roll paper isn't exactly square and he said the printer doesn't care too much about the leading edge -- that when it's checking paper alignment to prevent possible paper jams, it's checking the side edges of the paper."

=Hahnemuhle Photo Rag 308 sheets cause Paper Jam every time I try to print.=


 * Problem:** I have begun to have a paper jam using Hahnemuhle Photo Rag 308 on my iPF5000. I am printing to 11 x17 paper, and the right side (facing the printer) of the leading edge of the paper gets stopped somehow, buckling the paper. If I don't stop the print job, the print head runs into the paper and stops. It jams with every sheet. It is winter here in upstate NY now, and I am guessing that there might be some moisture differential leading to paper curl.


 * Resolution:** I left the paper box open overnight to see to allow it to equilibrate with the current much drier air. This fixed the problem.

Note: If this is not the issue, you can also try adjusting Head Height and Vacuum Strength.

=I keep getting paper alignment failures when inserting paper in the top tray feed.=

Suggestions:
 * If the paper is completely blank, try loading the other end to see if it will work better.
 * If the paper already has something printed on it, this may cause a high rate of failure loading the paper. The printer can be seen analyzing the paper with a red and green laser but I don't know what it is checking. If you are trying to print four different 3x5 photos on the same sheet, for example, it can be a lot quicker to keep putting the page in the cassette feeder, as the cassette feed doesn't seem to have this problem at all.


 * Update:** Brad writes, "I've found the best solution is to change the Skew Check to the Loose setting. Also, I read somewhere that the printer does analyze the upper left-hand corner to see if something is already printed on it and will reject the paper if there is."

=My printer produces coarse output/has banding.=

The printhead is likely out of alignment. Running an alignment of the Printhead from the GARO Status Monitor may fix the problem. If the banding occurs when printing from the Cassette and is confined to the last 1.25 inches of the trailing edge of the paper, see below.

There is subtle banding in the last 1.25 inches of paper on cut sheets when fed from the Cassette.
There have been multiple reports of banding in the last 1.25 inches of paper on sheets fed from the Cassette. If the print has a trailing margin of at least 1.25 inches, none of the print will be in the "banding zone" which starts at 1.25 inches from the trailing edge of the paper and ends about 0.6 inches from the trailing edge of the paper.

There is a Banding Test File and exact instructions for reproducing the banding referenced in [|this forum thread]. Some posters have done their own testing and found NO banding when printing as described above. However, when they used the Banding Test File all most have seen some level of banding on close inspection in the trailing 1.25 inches of paper. Banding is generally visually apparent in scenes with soft transitions in the highlights with little detail present to obscure the problem (e.g., monochrome landscape with clouds in sky). Banding has been seen on both resin coated papers and matte papers, and on Canon and non-Canon papers. The level of banding observed appears to vary significantly between different units.


 * Problem Resolution:** Several posters to the Wiki have been studying this problem and looking for solutions. Jim H WY posted the solution that solved his nasty banding problem. The fix was tested by John Hollenberg, who also found that banding was completely eliminated for him. Jim's procedure follows:
 * 1) Install Firmware 1.23 or later (firmware 1.25 is best)
 * 2) On the printer LCD menu choose: Adjust Printer -> Manual Band Adj -> Adj Far Ed Feed and set to "Yes"
 * 3) You can use letter size paper in the Cassette. Printer will print a sheet (assuming you have paper in the Cassette and have the Cassete selected)
 * 4) Examine the rows C1 and C2 with a loupe and find the column in each row that shows no banding. If you can't choose between two adjacent columns, use a number between them.
 * 5) Enter the number determined above for C1 and C2 by using the right and left arrow keys and choosing OK.

You need to make this adjustment for every media type you'll be using, and you may need to make it again if you switch to a signficantly different paper while still using the same media type. The printer saves these parameters separately for each media type (confirmed by Canon engineer). Thus is you perform the adjustment with Photo Paper Plus media type and then print with Photo Paper Plus Semi-Gloss media type (presumably on a different paper), you will still see the banding (unless you have previously done an adjustment for Photo Paper Plus Semi-Gloss). You can record these values for each paper type and if you have to re-enter them, just print the pattern on a blank sheet 20 lb. bond paper so you can get to the part where you enter the values for C1 and C2. See also the FAQ topic on Firmware Adjustments.

Per Canon Tech Support, both the Automatic banding adjustment and the manual banding adjustment work per media type. The last one (either automatic or manual) performed over-writes the previous setting for that media type. It isn't known how different the values may be for different media types or different papers and the same media types. John Hollenberg found that values for both C1 and C2 of 28 eliminated banding for both Epson Premium Luster and Lexjet 10 mil Gloss (which were printed with different media types, thus separate calibrations were done for each). For additional information, see [|this forum thread].

Note the coarsening of the dots in this band:



=The colors are off using a generic profile.=

A generic profile is a profile which is either supplied by Canon, or by a paper supplier for their own paper. Possible causes of color problems:


 * You are using a profile made for the 8 bit operating system driver, but printing with the 16 bit Photoshop Export plug-in or vice versa. You need a different profile for each of these two different methods of driving the printer. Note: According to one poster, the **Canon-supplied ICC profiles are ONLY for the 8 bit operating system level driver and should not be used with the 16 bit plugin**. **This is also true for most all of the third party paper generic profiles (except Crane Museo Silver Rag and profiles for Innova and Hahnemuhle papers from Booksmart Studio). For other papers, if you want to use profiles with the 16 bit plugin, they will have to be custom profiles for optimal color.**
 * Your printer differs significantly from the one used to make the generic profile. Andrew Rodney (AKA The Digital Dog) reported signficant variation between two printer targets he measured from different printers. While too small a sample to draw conclusions, there was a suggestion that the Canon printers may have more variance than the Epson printers. You can read the details on the Luminous Landscape Discussion Forum [|here]. If this is the problem, you probably need a custom profile.

=Auto Color from the Photoshop Export plug-in doesn't look right to me.=

According to C.D. Tobie of Colorvision:

"The export module does not use the correct gamma when printing via the default color (i.e., Auto Color) or grayscale settings, so it must be used with a custom ICC profile."

=I am getting head strikes.=

You need to adjust Head Height and/or Vacuum Strength to avoid printhead strikes. There is conflicting information on how to best accomplish this:


 * According to Eric Bullock: "The vacuum strength does not seem to have much to do with the head strike problem. Its a head height issue exclusively. You can either set the head height on the Printer Control Panel manually, or choose a media type suited for thicker papers."
 * Another poster adjusted the vacuum to "strongest" and head height to "high" and has had no further strikes.

If you adjust the head height throught the Printer Control Panel, be sure to set it back to Automatic (or whatever previous setting was) so it works as expected with other papers.

This problem has been reported especially with Hahnemuhle Fine Art Pearl paper and Harman FB Al Gloss. The fix for Harman FB Al Gloss fed from the top manual tray was to set head height to "Highest".

How can I correct printhead misalignment problems causing head strikes with Canon paper and correct Media Type?

 * Problem:** I use Canons own Photo Paper Plus Semi Gloss (10.2 mil thickness) and get stripes at the broders of the image and sometimes more in the middle. Seems like the print head 'gets stuck' and hits the borders of the paper and then scratches on the surface. I also hear it, does not sound good.


 * Resolution:** This suggestion from Canon Tech Support fixed the problem:

On printer LCD - Menu button -> Maintenance -> Clean rollers

Apparently, this forces forces the printhead to move up and down and resets it. Then reload cassette, and double check/set the paper type and size.


 * Update:** The problem recurred within one day; a service call has been scheduled by Canon.

=When printing the first side of a blank page I am getting a mark on the rear side.=


 * Problem:** When printing the first side of a blank page I am getting a mark on the rear side about 1/2 inch from the right side and on the trailing edge. It seems to line up with the exit roller (which is clean).


 * Cause:** I have figured out what is causing the problem--it is not dirty rollers as I first suspected. The problem occurs when I print right up to the 3mm border and the printer is printing on the side opposite the papers natural curvature. When the paper gets to the trailing edge the vacuum pulls the edge down slightly into the borderless ink grooves near the printhead rest position. This causes the underside of the paper to drag on the edge of the groove and that is where the mark is coming from. I am guessing the vacuum is dragging in ink mist and it collects on the edge of the groove.

It appears to me that Canon could improve the platten design to stop this happening. If I build up the ridge between the two grooves with some tape it improves things. Changing the vacuum strength does not significantly change the severity of the mark.


 * Solution:** Make sure you feed the paper the right way up (curvature-wise) so the vacuum does not pull it in and cause the mark. My recommendation is that if you want to do double sided printing dont print up to the 3mm margins (I have to at the moment).

=I am trying to print on microceramic glossy paper and the inks are running.=


 * Solution:** "The solution was idiotically simple: place paper in cassette print side down." (in other words, printing on the non-coated side of the paper caused the problem)

=The last half inch of my print on Hahnemuhle Fine Art Pearl fades to white.=


 * Problem:** My iPF5000 has suddenly developed a problem printing on Hahnemuhle Fine Art Pearl (8.5x11). It isn't printing the last half inch of image. the iamge starts to fade a half inch up from the bottom edge of the image and that quickly fades to paper white. I am seeing banding in this transition area.


 * Resolution:** I had switched the paper type on the printer from Special 5 to Special 1. Switching back to Special 5 solved the problem. Special 5 is Canon's recommendation for Hahnemuhle Fine Art Pearl.

=There is an odd artifact on all my prints that looks like "ghosting"=


 * Problem:** Jim Harrison encountered a strange artifact on all of his prints. The problem is a strange "shadowing" of dark black areas. There appears to be a "ghost" image displaced from the original dark lines. In the jpeg image shown below the left side is the Banding Test file at actual pixels (100%), while the right shows a photo of the print containing the artifact. There is a red line above the branch that shows the "ghost image" directly BELOW this branch:




 * Resolution:** The service tech first tested to be sure that the problem was reproducible from his laptop to eliminate any possibility that it was an issue with my computer or the communications. He connected via USB while I normally connect via Ethernet. These tests showed the same issue was present, so that eliminated pretty much everything associated with the data being sent to the printer and the method of data transfer. Next, the main controller assembly was replaced. This is the "main board" for the unit and must perform all of the intricate calculations determining ink-droplet generation and placement. This, unfortunately did not resolve the issue either. The third step was to swap out the carriage relay PCB assy which seemed like the logical next step. It was clear that the heads would need to be removed in order to do this so we pulled them out. However, once the heads were out it became clear that replacing this board would still require that the carriage be completely removed from the printer and disassembled separately--not a trivial matter.

Since there was nothing to lose and everything to gain, the heads were reinserted. We then printed one of my test grids and it looked even worse than before! In a way, that was encouraging because it showed that the heads don't necessarily go in exactly the same each time. We ran an advanced automatic head alignment and then printed a test grid. Perfect! So we ran a few more tests, and the "ghosting" had been totally eliminated.

The conclusion seems to be that the heads don't necessarily go in exactly the same each time you install them, which is to be expected. In my case, it appears that the way they went in when I first set the machine up had one or both positioned such that the head alignment procedure simply could not accommodate their relative positions. There simply must not have been enough "range" in the alignment system to compensate for the mechanical error that existed. Oddly, before the heads were removed and reinserted, the manual head alignments appeared to be fine when you ran them, yet the result still did not get the alignment of all of the colors with respect to each other to be correct.

=A print came out with a 3/8 inch wide cyan strip in the white border on the long dimension on one side.=


 * Problem:** A print made via the 16-bit plug-in--of an image with with wide white borders around the image area--came out with 3/8 inch cyan stripe right down the middle of one of the long-dimension borders.


 * Workaround:** Turning the printer off briefly and then back on again cleared up the problem, at least temporarily.

=My Prints Have Washed Out Colors and a Purple Hue=


 * Problem:** My prints have washed out colors and a purple hue.


 * Resolution:** Poster reported fixing the problem by uninstalling Photoshop and reinstalling it. A friend of his had seen similar problems before where uninstalling one printer driver and reinstalling another may over-write or remove/rename a photoshop or a shared file and cause nearly maddening problems.

=Prints made through the Export plugin are dark and muddy and have a color cast=


 * Problem:** Prints made through the Export plugin are dark and muddy and have a color cast. Prints made from Photoshop through the regular 8 bit driver are fine.


 * Comment:** It appears that the prints are missing either the red/green (a*) channel or the yellow/blue (b*) channel of the L*a*b* color system.


 * Resolution:** None.


 * Workaround:** Convert image to printer profile in Photoshop before starting Export plugin and print with output profile set to "None (No Color Adjustment)".

=Small White Specks Randomly Placed Show Up on Every Print=


 * Problem:** I am having a problem with small white specks randomly showing up on almost every print. I am feeding from the tray but fed one from the manual feed and a few still showed up.I am assuming the unit has accumulated dust or paper fragments. Any ideas on how best to go about cleaning the machine or eliminating the dust?


 * Resolution:** Unclip the rear cover and pull it off, you will probably find it is full of paper dust. You can also see into the cassette feed mechanism and see if there is dust that needs vacuuming out. With one of the papers I use I have make sure I brush any paper dust off the edges of the stack of paper before putting it in the cassette. Otherwise I get major 'white speck' issues

=How do I fix "Internal Error" messages when trying to print from the Photoshop plugin on Windows?=


 * Answer:** This is probably due to trying to print with a version 4 ICC printer profile (which is not currently supported on the Windows version of the plugin) rather than a version 2 profile.


 * Workarounds:**


 * Use only version 2 printer profiles
 * Print using this sequence of steps:
 * Convert to the version 4 profile in Photoshop using the desired rendering intent before starting the Export plugin
 * Set to Untagged RGB in Photoshop using Edit -> Assign Profile -> Don't Color Manage This Document
 * Print from the plugin using profile set to "None (no color correction)"

="Roll" does not show up as a media source in the plugin or driver.=

This could be due to one of two problems:


 * The software does not recognize the roll feed unit (see below)
 * You have selected a Media Type that is not compatible with Roll paper. See the Media Type Compatibility Table.

How can I get the software to recognize the auto roll feed unit?

 * 1) Open up the "Printer Properties" dialog box. You can do this by right-clicking on the printer icon, or from the printer menu if the printer is open.
 * 2) Click on the tab that says "Device Settings." It should be the rightmost tab.
 * 3) Click "Acquire Status" fon this tab. If this is successful, the the checkbox that says "Roll Feed Unit" will be checked for you automatically. Another possibility is to just click on the checkbox yourself. However, using "Acquire Status" ensures that the driver "sees" the Roll Feed Unit.
 * 4) Click on "Apply" then "OK"


 * Note:** I suspect that there is a check made when the driver is installed and if there is no roll feed unit present this option is left unchecked.

If this doesn't fix the problem, you may have selected a Media Type which does not allow Roll as a Media Source. Check the Media Type Compatibility Table.

=The remaining capacity of one of my ink cartridges suddenly dropped from 60% to 0%.=

This is almost certainly a defective ink cartridge. There are multiple reports of starter ink cartridges (=90 ml) with this defect. Canon USA now replaces these defective ink cartridges without question. There have been a few reports of refusal to replace the defective cartridges in other countries.


 * Possible Workaround:** Some have reported that removing the cartridge and re-seating it fixed the problem (at least temporarily). This has not worked for others. There is also one report of another temporary fix: "Figuring I had nothing to lose I removed the cart and hit the chip section with canned air. A lot of canned air. For some reason the printer recognized the cart after the air blast. It's done this at least four times now and hitting it with the canned air has worked each time."

=When I print from the plugin to the roll the paper is cut too short.=


 * Problem:** When I print from the plugin to the roll the paper is cut too short.


 * Solution:** Uncheck "No Spaces at Top or Bottom (Conserve Paper)" in the Roll Paper Options Dialog Box on the Page Setup Tab.



See also [|this thread].

=I had a power failure and now my printer is dead. It won't turn on at all.=

Canon customer service recommended unplugging the printer for 10-15 minutes "so that the capacitors will drain". This worked for the poster who encountered the problem--much to his surprise. Apparently this is in place of a reset button.

=The Photoshop plugin crashes Photoshop frequently.=


 * Problem:** One report of Photoshop frequently crashing when Export plugin is started. Depends on size of file--at over 400 MB, will likely crash first time plugin is invoked. With smaller files, repeatedly starting the plugin and then closing it (without printing anything) will crash Photoshop within 10 starts of the plugin--often much less. Application Error log in Windows shows Event ID 1000, Faulting application Photoshop 9.0.2, faulting module either ntdll.dll or unknown. **Note:** The plugin for DPP 2.2 works fine, does not produce this error.


 * System details:**


 * P4 3.0 GHz, 3 GB RAM, Matrox P750 dualhead with 2 analog monitors
 * Win XP SP2, latest critical updates, 3 GB fixed size Windows paging file
 * 25 GB free disk space on both system disk and Photoshop scratch file disk
 * Firmware 1.23, Plugin version 2.03, GARO driver version 3.41
 * Photoshop CS2, CS3 beta (both versions of PS cause same problem).
 * Printer connected by Ethernet.
 * Export plugin works fine from DPP 2.2


 * Resolution:** Finally traced to profiles in the Windows directory c:\windows\system32\spool\drivers\color. It turns out that profiles with an internal name that is very long (between 64 and 128 characters), or perhaps containing characters such as space, underscore and hyphen, cause a problem for the operating system. Problem eventually observed in Lightroom and Profilemaker Pro as well as Photoshop, so this is not a bug in the plugin. Once the internal profile name was shortened with Colorthink, problem was resolved.

=The Photoshop plugin prints with the wrong orientation when using roll paper.=

Comments from Wiki Discussion Section:

Prints unnecessarily waste roll paper
//The Photoshop plugin can print the wrong way on a roll without ever telling the user or noting it in a preview (11x17 going the long way on a 17 inch roll with 6 inches of white space, for example). The page preview for this can look identical to the preview going across the roll!//

In order to avoid this, always use the **Print Area Layout 1** preview mode, and follow the instructions provided here:
 * Conserve Roll Paper**

Borderless prints are too large / too small - how do I check the orientation before printing?
//[The problem] occurs for me when the borderless button is checked in the plugin. I see that when I check that button the previews stop shifting from portrait to landscape and back, but they do shift when you've got the button unchecked.//

This is a problem of bad interface design, but it can be overcome when you know where to look. A full description of what to look for and what to do is available here:
 * Borderless Print Orientation**

=When the printer is in sleep (//power saving//) mode, sometimes it will not wake up when a file is sent to it.=


 * Problem:** I have installed an ipf 5000 as of two days ago, on a LAN with the TCP/IP connection. It works fine if the 5000 is "awake", but if it has timed out to go to sleep, it will not wake up from the PC. I can "ping" it OK when it is awake but it basically takes itself offline in the sleep mode.


 * Solution:** I rebooted the printer (turned it off, waited one minute, turned it back on) and now the sleep mode is just as advertised. I have had no more problems since rebooting the printer. It's gone to sleep, woken up, etc. for several cycles.


 * Workaround:** The printer can be brought out of sleep mode by pressing any button on the printer control panel. If you press the power button, hold it down only briefly, as holding it down for longer than one second will turn the printer off instead.

=How do I contact Canon Service directly?=

In the US, Canon's Direct Service telephone number for the iPF printers is 1-800-423-2366 then press "2". You do have to listen to the recording for a bit before they will accept the "2"

=The GARO Status Monitor says there is a paper jam, but no problem is reported on the printer LCD.=

One user reported success by unplugging the printer for one minute and then plugging it back in, as suggested by Canon Tech Support. The printer was printing OK even before this erroneous report from the Status Monitor was corrected.

=The GARO Status Monitor crashes when I try to start it.=

One user reported fixing the problem on Windows as follows:


 * 1) Start Menu -> All Programs -> GARO Status Monitor -> Uninstaller
 * 2) Uninstall the Status Monitor
 * 3) Reinstall the latest version from the Latest Drivers page

=The GARO Status Monitor says "Cannot Acquire Status" of the printer while the printer is turned on.=

USB Connection
According to Canon Support, this is probably due to the IPF5000 having more stringent requirements for the USB voltage than some other devices. If your USB port does not fully comply with those standards, the computer may lose communication with the printer. Apparently, there is nothing in the USB protocol to allow the computer to reacquire communication. Cable was about 15 feet, but Canon said length of cable was not the problem.


 * Workarounds:** One of these will probably work for you.


 * Unplug the USB cable for a couple of seconds and plug it back in. This worked for one poster, which according to Canon probably confirms that the voltage on the USB port is the problem.
 * Rebooting the computer may solve the problem (worked for same user).
 * Change connection to Ethernet.


 * Note:** Canon **recommends not using a USB connection in conjunction with Standby mode** (readme for windows printer driver 3.41).

Ethernet Connection
One poster reported still having the problem occasionally even on Ethernet connection. **The only solution was to temporarily turn off (power cycle) the printer.** Simply rebooting the computer did not fix the problem. It could also be the router, assuming you are using a local router. Sometimes the cabling is bad or intermittent. I would advise also cycling the power on the router if one is used.

=I selected "Center Print" in the Plugin, but the print is off center by about an eighth of an inch printing from the Cassette.=


 * Problem:** Printing from the Photoshop plugin with "Center of Output Media Size" selected, landscape images have right margin 1/8 inch greater than left margin. Portrait images have bottom margin 1/8 inch greater than top margin. Due to a bug in the Export plugin (confirmed by Canon Tech Support). One poster reported that the problem occurred on super B paper (13 X 19) with one inch margins, but did not occur when printing on letter size paper with 1/2 inch margins. Does not occur when printing through regular 8 bit printer driver. Reported not to occur when printing from the top tray.


 * Update 9/28/07:** **Bug appears to be fixed in Windows version 2.04 of plugin.**


 * Workaround:** In the Photoshop Export plugin, go to the Page Setup tab and find the Layout section. For Landscape oriented images, add 0.07 inches to the Left Margin calculated by "Center of Output Media Size". The "Specify Print Start Position" will be automatically selected. The small preview pane will show the image slightly off center, but it should now print correctly. Same correction for Portrait oriented images, but add 0.07 inches to the Top Margin instead of the Left Margin.

=My prints from the top Tray aren't centered.=


 * Problem:** Prints from the top Tray on Canon Photo Satin 8.5 X 11 aren't centered (reported for Mac OS). The print is landscape orientation, cropped to 11 X 8.5 (W x H) before printing. Printed through Photohsop Export plugin, page setup ANSI etter, fit to media, and orientation to landscape.The left margin is 1/8in, the top and bottom is 1/4in and the right margin is 1.75inch.


 * Resolution:** Uninstalled all the canon IPFf5000 drivers, went into spotlight and searched and deleted all ipf5000 references. Restarted my Mac, installed all the printer drivers and voila, my prints are centered.

=Where Can I Get the iPF5000 Service Manual?=

Right here: