I’ve long used my Canon Pixma Pro-9000 printer for my home printing needs which I got via a similar rebate when buying my long absent 5D many moons ago, and after about 10 years of use, I jumped on the Pro-100 rebate which is essentially an upgraded Pro-9000 with wireless printing capabilities.  Canon has a history of nearly giving their large media printers away when you purchase new cameras, but I’ve not seen this rebate before.  This time around, if you “purchase” a substantially discounted 50 pack of 13×19″ Canon Photo Paper Pro Luster (normally $75) for $0, you get the printer (normally $379) for $130 after a $250 mail in rebate (click here to see at B&H) along with the 13×19″ photo paper 50 pack.  Considering that to purchase all 8 ink cartridges for this (or just about any higher end photo printer) is $125, you’re basically getting a printer and 50 sheets of 13×19″ paper for $5, while “buying” the ink which is also included in the purchase.  Well, the ink is always where they get you, and that doesn’t change regardless of how much you pay for a printer, but in this case, I bit after doing a little research on this Pro-100.  C’mon in for links to all the rebate info, which runs through a purchase by date of December 31st this year, and see some prints which I just ran through both the Pro-100 and Pro-9000 printers for comparison’s sake.  I’m pretty damn impressed…

A little while back, I’d done a home print vs pro lab print comparison, looking primarily at printing black and white.  Admittedly the Pixma Pro-9000 never was amazing at B&W prints, and I was let down by my home prints when looking at the pro prints from Digital Silver Imaging, which were beautiful, but not cheap.

I had always been happy with my color prints though, and hadn’t been shopping for a new printer.  That said, I’m amazed at the difference between my older 9000 and the new Pro-100 printer not only for color prints, but black and white as well.  Have a look:

The two prints above are printed on 8.5×11″ Canon Photo Paper Plus Glossy II with my system calibrated with my printer, well, at least with my Pro-9000.  I shot them side by side on a black sheet, illuminated by a single light source coming from the top of the image as we see it.  For the print on the left, done by the new Pro-100, I let the printer manage the colors and, wow.  The Pro-9000 print is on the right and there is a decidedly magenta shift, even having been profiled with my system.  I ran another print, allowing the Pro-9000 to manage the color, and it was worse.

Here is the original image file, followed by 100% crops from the Pro-100 first, and Pro-9000 second:

The difference is night and day.  The skintones are what I’m looking at primarily, and while both are warmed up by the paper’s natural color, the skin in the Pro-100 print is far more natural, and far closer to the original file.  This is, again, without any profiling for the Pro-100 with all management by the printer at a default color profile.  The Pro-9000 is “calibrated” with my screen and system, or at least my profiling says so.

Next, I did the same run with a black and white landscape image with a whole lot of dynamic range.  The print on the top is the Pro-100 and the bottom, the Pro-9000:

Here is the original file, followed by 100% crops as before:

Now, this is a little different.  I actually prefer my Pro-9000 print here at first glance, but when I started to really look at the detail, I began to see how much more information in the shadows and blacks in general, the Pro-100 print brought out.  The detail on the Pro-100 print is superb, and I will certainly fiddle with calibration to get the tonal gradations and shifts to where I have with the 9000.  That detail isn’t coming back though, no matter how much I fiddle with my Pro-9000 profiling as this is more to do with the ink and print head which is obviously better (albeit brand new) in the Pro-100.

Basically, instead of buying another round of ink tanks for my Pro-9000, I decided to buy the Pro-100, and get a 50 pack of free 13×19″ paper, and I’m thrilled that I did.  I’d not had my interest peaked with the Pro-100 when it was released and promoted.  I didn’t see any need to buy what I saw as an upgraded version of my trusty Pro-9000, but with the rebates, I decided to give it a go, and I’m glad I did.

B&H has this promotion running through the end of this year (must be purchased by Dec 31st, 2017), with the deadline to submit your mail in form for the $250 rebate by way of an Amex Debit card, by January 31st, 2018.  As with many of these types of rebates, you’ll need to jump through a couple hoops, but fear not, I’ve got you covered.

If you’re interested in this deal, you can find the Canon Pixma Pro-100 Printer + 50 sheets 13×19 Canon Luster Paper at B&H Photo HERE.  If you do use this link, I get a small reference commission which would be lovely, so thank you for the consideration if you do.  The purchase price should be $379.99 with free shipping.  I know, it’s a chunk not getting the rebate immediately, but with the $250 rebate, it’s a slammin’ deal.  I’d imagine that many of these mail in rebates depend on a portion of buyers not following through, or not properly following through, getting stuck with the full bill.  Don’t get stuck holding that check.

To get the rebate, here’s what they need…

First, you can download the rebate form directly from B&H HERE.  What I realized is that you can “Pre-Submit your Rebate Claim” by going to the Canon website HERE.  Keep in mind that to pre-submit, you’ll need the printer’s serial number and UPC code so this is something you do after you’ve received the printer itself.  Make sure to check the right box, which on the B&H form is the very last box that shows the printer + luster paper combo.  On the ‘pre-submittal’ form, it is a little more complicated as you need to know the paper’s product code which is “LU-101“.

Next, you’re going to need a receipt showing the date purchased which only works if you “buy” the combo of paper+printer.  It needs to show both the paper and printer on the same invoice/receipt.  Make sure you “sign in” or create a profile via B&H (which is just essentially ticking a box if you don’t already have one) which will allow you to print your invoice through B&H after purchasing by signing in and going to your past purchases.  THE EMAILED “RECEIPT” THAT YOU GET FROM B&H DOESN’T SHOW THE DATE PROPERLY AND WILL NOT QUALIFY FOR THE REBATE SO MAKE SURE TO PRINT AND INCLUDE THE INVOICE!  This is the second trick.

Finally, you’ll need to cut the UPC Barcode and label from the box that the printer comes in.  This will render your ability to return the printer as obsolete, so make sure to do that last, after you’ve hooked up the printer, run some test prints, etc.  Canon requires you to literally cut the cardboard out of the box, leaving a hole in it.  You can’t just peel the barcode off, you gotta cut that sucker out.  If they’re going to cough up $250 bucks, they’re gonna want to make sure you’re on the hook to buy their ink for the foreseeable future, and herein lies the hook.  If you’re going to be printing at home though, you may as well get a nearly free printer and some paper out of the deal though, right?

Outside of that, you’ll just need to record the serial number from the physical printer on your form, pop the rebate form, receipt/invoice showing the pricing of both printer and paper, along with the DATE, and then the barcode cardboard square into the mail, and bob’s your uncle.  Okay, you’ll be waiting for a few weeks to receive your cash card back, but still, as long as you’re not choosing between this printer and bills or food, you should be good to go.

I’ll be playing around with the new printer, so feel free to fire off questions if you’d like.  I’d be happy to try and answer any questions for those of you on the fence.

Thanks all, and happy shooting,

Tyson