Canon imageprograf ipf600 vs Canon ipf5000?

[Haakon]

Hi!

As somebody may know, I'm looking for an cheap wide format printer, and two candidates is found.:

1: Canon imageprograf ipf600 24" equal to approx 722$

2: Canon imageprograf ipf5000 17" equal to 122 $

Both with claimed defective print head, and both uses the same head, the pf-03

The ipf5000 have som empty ink cartridges, but is much cheaper and is just a few miles away from me. Is this printer still competitive when it comes to print quality?

The ipf imageprograf 600 is one owner, little used, can take wider print, but is steaper price wise.

I suppose the ipf is more modern and newer technology?

Any thoughts will be appreciated

 

[benstarr]

You have to take into consideration the price of a new head if they both have defective heads. They are ~400-500 USD each give or take. The 5000 will use 2 heads and the 600 is only 1, I think.

I think they are both the same generation technology, the 5000 prints with 11 colors while the 600 is only 4.

When you factor in the price of the new heads you're getting close to the price of a new 17" printer so if it was me I'd pass on them.

 

[Johu]

There's another problem there as well. If it is only the print heads that are defective then replacing them will do the job, but with an older firmware the printers were still printing (with a warning though) even if the heads were in a bad condition. This might cause another problem as the printer tried to compensate the defective head somehow (my understanding was that the head was driven with higher current) which put more strain to the system. If this was carried out for too long there was a possibility for further damage inside the machine. This is something that you can not find out before the heads are replaced and you try to print with the printer. In the worst case scenario you invested on new heads and still would have a defective printer on your hands.