Canon has expanded its Image Prograf line of six-color wide-format inkjet printers with two new 44-in. wide W8200 models. The W8200D model uses dye inks; the W8200PG model uses a newly formulated, wide-gamut water-based pigment ink that offers both lightfastness and a high level of ozone resistance.
Canon's pigment ink uses super-fine pigment particles to generate sharp images at 600 x 1200 dpi in the standard mode and up to 1200 x 1200 dpi in the best-quality mode. The pigment particles in the lighter density cyan and magenta inks in the six-color inkset are coated with an extra-high polymer compound that protects the colors from fading and helps ensure that prints will retain their desired level of sharpness or subtlety for years.
Like other printers in Canon's Image Prograf line, the W8200 is built for speed. The W8200 printers use Canon's 1.07-in. printhead, which has 7680 nozzles (1280 nozzles per color). The means a standard A0 print (about 33 x 46 in.) can be output in about five minutes in the standard mode and nine minutes in the highest quality mode.
Other features include a PS Level-3 compatible RIP and 330-ml ink tanks. When necessary, operators of the W8200 can easily replace printheads themselves and avoid the time and expense of an outside service call.
Third-party RIPs for the W8200 printers are available from Scanvec-Amiable, Wasatch, Onyx, and Best. A Colorbus print server can operate the W8200 in conjunction with Canon's W2200 desktop proofing printer or 24- and 36-in. W7200 and W7250 series inkjets. Base price of the ImagePrograf 8200 is $7995. According to sources at Canon, a fast, 24-in. inkjet printer that uses the new pigmented inks is currently in the works. (www.usa.canon.com)