Native print resolution Prograf Pro 1000

[dkoretz]

I've always read that the native print resolution of Canon printers is 300 dpi and have always set Adobe software to use that output value in printing with all of my Canon printers. However, I noticed that the specs for the prograf pro 1000 are 600 x 600 dpi. I called Canon today, and the tech had no information on how to set software but confirmed that the nozzle pitch of the Prograf 1000 head is 600 x 600 dpi.

Does anyone know wether it's better to specify 600 dpi in software?

[Patrick]

Hi dkoretz,

The DPI is adjusted automatically based on the media that is selected to be printed on.

[dkoretz]

I ran a test myself, printing the same print using luster or baryta paper (i no longer remember) in three ways:

1. 300 DPI in Lightroom, high quality setting in the Canon firmwarre

2. 300 DPI in Lightroom, highest quality setting in the Canon firmware

3. 600 in Lightroom, highest quality setting in the Canon firmware

#2 was the sharpest. On close examination, it was noticeably sharper than #3.

[irkedpro]

Hello dkoretz:

Glad you brought up this topic.  For starts, I don't know where you found a 600x600 resolution.  I have seen in the online manual 2400 horizontal x 1200 dpi.  And as to the help line stating the native resolution is 600x600, I'd rather see it in writing but, considering dithering, that was my guess.

As to Adobe, and particularly Lightroom Classic, on the "Print Option" page, it states: "To use the native resolution of the photo (as long as it isn’t lower than 72 ppi or higher than 720 ppi), deselect Print Resolution".  So to me this means as you print smaller you will exceed the 720 ppi and limit resolution if you leave resolution unchecked.  An example would be, My D800 is  7380 pixels long length.  Therefore an 8x10 would give 738 ppi and I assume limit resolution to 720.  To be honest, I never new the right way to max out resolution.  What I have done is set the Canon driver to maximum resolution and in LrC enter 9999, let it scold me and then it sets 1440.  My 17x22 prints look beautiful.  However, I've never tried any other setting.

And as to our expert, Patrick, I wouldn't call his 15 word comment helpful.

[dkoretz]

Irkedpro--

The 600 dpi is the nozzle pitch of the prograf 1000. See here.

Printer documentation is confusing because the word "dot" is used in different ways. The very large numbers you cited are the number of droplets, not the number of pixels. The printer uses multiple droplets per pixel.

Lightroom allows two options. One is to specify the ppi and let the software resize to match. The other, as you noted, is not to specify the ppi. In that case, as I  understand it, the software ignores the characteristics of the printer and feeds it whatever the ppi of the file is, given the print size specified (as long as it is within the range that the software can handle).

I have never tried the latter approach. I've always been taught that the best results come from setting the software to the native resolution of the printer. Since I haven't done A/B comparisons myself, I can't verify that, but I would expect that the results will vary depending on the resolution of the file at that size.

My question was simply this: if you do constrain the resolution, do you get better results using the nozzle pitch (600 dpi) or the conventional 300 dpi? the answer, in my test, was 300 dpi.

Patrick--I assume you mean that the printer's firmware sets the resolution based on the media type. I haven't seen this documented anywhere. I thought the firmware changed resolution based on quality settings, not media type. Do you have a source you can point us to that explains this more?

In any case, I think I have the practical answer: I got the sharpest prints by setting the firmware to "highest quality" and setting Lightroom to 300 ppi, not 600.

[irkedpro]

Hello dkoretz:

I looked at your printhead spec link.  To be specific it says, nozzle pitch is 600 dpi x2.  So what does "times two" mean?  Alternately, my readings turned up an article that says nozzle pitch is nozzles divided by head width.  So in the case of Canon's PF-10, 18432 nozzle divided by 1.28 inch width equals 1440.  The exact number that Lightroom limits you to.  Now, I make no claim to intelligence on this matter but, if you're using Lightroom to control the printing, I wonder why you'd use anything less than 1440?

[dkoretz]

I believe x2 means in both directions.

Thanks for clarifying what nozzle pitch means.

Again, I think you are confusind droplets with pixels.

I've resolved this for myself: the answer to my question is that I got the best results with LR set to 300 ppi, which is what I had been doing. So I won't be following this thread further.