I'm a refilling HP5550 owner, so it's the same sort of issues I faced about 5
months ago.
Generally speaking, the HP's just about never clog, the Canons are not as good
in this respect but are usually OK for most users.
The Canon is faster than the HP for photos. The HP will be better for text on
plain cheap paper if this matters.
If using OEM cartridges, the HP's are dearer to run, but there again you'll
never be stung by having to buy a new head which will eventually happen with the
Canon, and you won't waste ink on cleaning cycles with the HP. Output quality
must drop over a period of time with a Canon as heads wear but of course no one
knows how long a period yet for the newer models.
Refilling is a doddle on both printers but I've not seen grey HP inks available
yet but they'll surely come.
Canons work best with nanoporous papers which give very nice results but are
very prone to gas fading, you could be seeing fade in a matter of weeks if
you're unlucky. Canons are too fast for resin paper and gives a mottled and
pooled appearance as the ink can't dry quickly enough. It's best to always keep
photos covered when using nanoporous papers. HP's generally work well with
resin coated and nanoporous. Resin coated papers don't fade as bad when exposed
to the air but some makes are rather prone to sticking to album plastic sleeves
and losing the gloss finish where it stuck. I find that Ilford Printasia glossy
(resin type) works well with HP's, no fading issues and no sticking problems in
sleeves/behind glass.
I wouldn't know which printer to pick, there's a lot of variables, but it comes
down to your priorities and the importance of speed (Canon wins), longevity
(HP), hassle-free operation (HP), widest choice of papers(HP), costs (Canon with
OEM inks, same with refills), quality of photos (close call, and depends on lots
of things).
<camry@cnospamcanada.com> wrote in message
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