Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1100 review

A 17-inch pigment printer for people selling prints, and an honest account of what the eleventh ink actually does.

Specifications

Specifications above come from Canon's published specifications. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.

What it does well

• The chroma optimizer is the ink that solves gloss differential, which is the most visible flaw in pigment prints on glossy paper and the thing that separates a professional print from a good one.
• Pigment ink means print permanence, which is what you need if somebody is paying for the print and expecting it to last.
• 17 inches allows A2, which is the size at which a print stops looking like an enlargement and starts looking like a piece.
• Anti-clogging technology on the FINE head, which matters because a photo printer used monthly is the classic clogging candidate.
• Professional Print and Layout handles soft proofing and layout properly, which is where inexperienced printers waste the most paper.

Where it falls short

• Eleven cartridges is eleven things to replace, and running one dry stops the printer. The cash tied up in a full set of inks is substantial and is the real cost of ownership.
• Pigment photo printers need using. Anti-clogging technology reduces the risk, it does not eliminate it, and the honest advice is to print something every couple of weeks.
• Paper matters as much as the printer. A superb print on cheap paper is a mediocre print, so budget for proper media. Our photo paper versus plain paper comparison shows what that difference actually looks like.
• For occasional printing, a professional lab produces excellent results with none of the capital or the maintenance. Owning this only makes sense if you print often enough to justify it.
• It is a large device that needs desk depth for paper handling, and A2 sheets need somewhere to dry flat.

What owners report

Owner reports on Canon's professional photo printers cluster around two things: black and white output, which people repeatedly single out as excellent, and the anti-clogging behaviour, which owners describe as noticeably better than earlier generations without being a licence to leave the printer idle for months.

The consistent complaint is ink cost, and specifically the cost of a full replacement set. Nobody who prints regularly describes it as bad value; people who print occasionally do, which is the clearest signal about who this printer is for.

Who it suits

• Photographers selling or exhibiting prints at A2.
• Anyone who needs colour consistency across a print run rather than one good print.
• Printers who value black and white tonality, where a multi-black pigment set earns its money.

Who should skip it

• Occasional printers, who will spend more on unused ink than on lab prints. Our photo printer versus all-in-one comparison covers that calculation.
• Anyone printing documents, where a laser is faster, cheaper and better.
• People who need 13 inches and are paying for 17.

Alternatives worth considering

Common questions

What does a chroma optimizer actually do?

It lays a clear coat over the print to even out the surface, which removes gloss differential, the effect where inked and uninked areas of glossy paper reflect light differently. On a glossy or lustre print it is the difference between a surface that looks uniform and one that looks patchy under gallery lighting.

Pigment or dye ink for photo printing?

Pigment for anything sold, exhibited or expected to last, because pigment resists fading far better. Dye ink produces slightly punchier colour on gloss and costs less, which suits volume printing of snapshots. For a professional print, pigment is the standard and this printer is built around that choice.

Canon PRO-1100 or Epson P900?

Both are 17-inch pigment printers at similar money and both are excellent. The Epson uses dedicated nozzles for photo and matte black so it never switches ink between paper types, which saves ink and time if you swap between gloss and matte. The Canon's chroma optimizer and Professional Print and Layout software are its own arguments. Neither is a mistake.

How often should I use a photo printer?

Every week or two is a sensible habit. Anti-clogging technology reduces the risk but does not remove it, and pigment printers left for months are the ones that need cleaning cycles, which waste ink. If your printing is genuinely occasional, a lab is cheaper and easier.

Does the paper matter that much?

Yes, more than most people expect. The printer can only put ink on the surface it is given, and a fine art rag or a proper lustre paper renders shadow detail and colour that plain or budget photo paper simply cannot. Our photo paper versus plain paper comparison shows what the difference looks like side by side.

Keep reading

• Photo printer vs all-in-one
• Photo paper vs plain paper
• Best printers for photographers
• Epson SureColor P900 review
• Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-310 review

This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.