Canon imagePROGRAF PRO vs Epson SureColor P-Series: Which Photo and Fine Art Printer Fits Your Shop?

When customers shop for a professional photo or fine art printer, the comparison almost always comes down to two brands: Canon's imagePROGRAF PRO Series versus Epson's SureColor P-Series. Here is the short version: Epson is built for maximum color gamut, faster throughput, and rigid media capability. Canon is built for consistent, repeatable color, better scratch resistance on glossy media, a user-replaceable printhead, and a dual-roll system. Both are exceptional printers, and both will produce output your clients will love. The difference is in how you work, what you print, and how you want to manage the machine over time.

Within each lineup, the printers are essentially the same machine at different widths. Canon's PRO-2600, PRO-4600, and PRO-6600 share the same ink set, the same printhead, and the same software. The same is true across Epson's line, with one exception we will call out: the P20570 is its own machine. So this is really a comparison of the philosophy behind each brand.

Printers covered:

• Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-2600 (24 inch), PRO-4600 (44 inch), PRO-6600 (60 inch)
• Epson SureColor P7570 (24 inch), P9570 (44 inch), P20570 (64 inch)

Watch the full comparison:

1. Ink and Color: Maximum Gamut vs Repeatable Consistency

Epson runs a 12-channel UltraChrome PRO12 ink set: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Light Cyan, Light Magenta, Gray, Light Gray, Orange, Green, and Violet, plus dedicated Photo Black and Matte Black channels. The goal is gamut, the widest possible color range, especially in blues, reds, and greens where inkjet printing traditionally struggles.

Canon goes a different direction with its 11-color LUCIA PRO II ink set: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Photo Cyan, Photo Magenta, Gray, Photo Gray, Red, and Blue, plus dedicated Photo and Matte Black. Then Canon adds a twelfth channel, but it is not a color. The Chroma Optimizer is a clear coating ink that lays down evenly across the print surface to reduce gloss differential and improve scratch resistance on glossy papers. Epson achieves a similar result differently, through its Black Enhance Overcoat mode built into the driver.

Both brands claim 99 percent gamut coverage, and both use archival pigment ink rated up to 200 years in color and 400 years in black and white. Canon adds built-in color calibration that keeps output consistent across multiple devices and over time, which matters for studios running more than one printer or needing repeatable results job to job.

That philosophy carries into black and white. Epson tends to deliver punchier contrast and deeper blacks. Canon tends to deliver smoother tonal transitions. Portrait photographers often lean Canon for this reason. Fine art and giclee studios often lean Epson.

2. Printheads: Built to Last vs Built to Replace

Epson uses a 2.6-inch PrecisionCore MicroTFP printhead, a piezoelectric design that uses electricity, not heat, to fire ink droplets as small as 3.5 picoliters. It is built to last the life of the printer, and the newer generation includes maintenance doors that let you clean around the capping station yourself on a quarterly schedule, which helps with longevity and clog prevention. If the head ever fails outside of warranty, you are looking at a service call.

Canon's PF-10 printhead is thermal: it uses heat to fire ink, which eventually degrades the head, making it a consumable by design. The upside is that it is fully user-replaceable, so you are not waiting on a technician. The downside is cost: a new PF-10 runs around $700. Canon's head has more nozzles overall, 18,432 versus Epson's 9,600, but Epson fires a smaller minimum droplet size, which is part of how both brands can legitimately claim excellent detail.

Both printers come with a one-year warranty, and both offer extended service plans. Best pricing on those is always at time of purchase, so factor that in before you buy, not after.

3. Speed: Epson Is Faster, When It Matters

In our experience selling and using both of these lines, Epson runs faster, around 15 to 25 percent faster than Canon in comparable print modes, helped by the PrecisionCore head and dedicated black ink channels that mean no switching between Photo Black and Matte Black. For most print shops, speed is not an issue. But if you run a lot of production, or volumes spike at certain times, it is something to consider. Both lines have different print modes, Epson has quality, production, and max speed modes, so you decide which level of quality is acceptable for you or your customer.

4. Media Handling: Takeup Reels, Dual Rolls, and Cut Sheets

None of these printers come with a takeup reel standard, with one exception: the Canon PRO-6600 comes standard with the Multifunction Roll System, which is optional on the PRO-2600 and PRO-4600. That system does double duty. You can configure it as a takeup reel, or you can load a second roll, so you have two different media types ready to go without stopping to swap. You could have a glossy roll and a matte roll loaded at the same time, and the printer switches automatically when the first runs out. On the Epson side, an optional takeup reel is available for the P9570 and the P20570, but not the 24-inch P7570.

When it comes to cut sheets, both printers are fully capable. Epson gets a slight edge because the loading process is simpler. Canon's process involves lifting the front cover, releasing the pinch rollers with a lever, manually aligning the sheet, then lowering everything back down. Epson is more streamlined: tell the printer you are loading a sheet, slide it into the top slot, confirm on the touchscreen, and you are done.

5. Borderless Printing: Custom Sizes vs Preset Sizes

Both can print borderless. Canon gives you fully custom borderless sizes anywhere from 6 inches up to the full print width. Epson uses a preset list of sizes: 10, 13, 16, 17, 20, 24, 30, 36, and 44 inches. Those cover the vast majority of what anyone would actually need, but if you regularly print non-standard dimensions, Canon gives you more flexibility.

6. Rigid Media: Only Epson Prints on Boards

If you need to print directly onto poster board, only Epson supports it. The P7570, P9570, and P20570 all handle board media up to 1.5 millimeters thick through a straight-through front paper path. Canon's maximum media thickness is 0.8 millimeters, so rigid boards are not an option. It is a niche use case for most fine art shops, but if you do any rigid signage work, it is worth knowing going in.

7. Price and Total Cost: Look Past the Sticker

There is more to price than the sticker. Before any promotions, the 24-inch Canon generally comes in around $1,000 less than the Epson. On the 44-inch models, Canon is typically $200 to $700 less depending on current promotions. On the 60 and 64-inch models, the Epson P20570 sticker actually comes in lower than the Canon PRO-6600, but the P20570 ships with no ink at all, which changes the real cost comparison significantly at that tier.

The ink that ships in the box is a real part of the math:

Canon ships with more than twice the ink volume in the box at the 44-inch tier, which is a real consideration when you are doing the total cost math. And when you factor in a full set of P20570 ink packs, the 60/64-inch price gap closes or flips depending on current pricing. Beyond sticker, add up cost per milliliter on ink, anticipated usage per square foot, the value of the ink in the box, extended warranty options, and on the Canon side, budget for an eventual printhead replacement.

The P20570 Deserves Its Own Callout

The P20570 runs the same UltraChrome PRO12 ink set and the same PrecisionCore printhead family as the P7570 and P9570, so color output is consistent across all three sizes. But it is a completely different machine. The body design is its own design: white housing, external ink tower on the side, a full production floor aesthetic versus the dark cabinet form factor of the smaller models.

The ink system also changes. Instead of cartridges, the P20570 uses a high-capacity 1.6-liter ink pack system. Fewer swaps, more efficient at production volume. But one important detail: the P20570 does not ship with ink. The printer and the ink are purchased separately. That changes the real cost comparison significantly at that tier.

Its competitor at that width, Canon's PRO-6600, stays consistent with the rest of the Canon line: same ink formulation, same printhead, 330 ml tanks standard, and the Multifunction Roll System included. All three Canon models also support 700 ml tanks if your volume calls for it.

Canon PRO vs Epson P-Series at a Glance

Which One Fits Your Shop?

• Choose Epson if you want the widest color gamut, faster throughput, rigid media capability, and you are comfortable with Epson's maintenance model. Fine art and giclee studios often land here.
• Choose Canon if you want consistent, repeatable color across multiple sessions and devices, superior scratch resistance on glossy media, the flexibility of a user-replaceable printhead, and a dual-roll system. Portrait photographers and multi-printer studios often land here.
• Ask yourself one more thing: do you already own a printer? Staying with the same brand keeps your workflow unchanged. Switching brands means learning a new workflow. There is no wrong answer, but it is worth knowing which one you are.

Browse the full lineups: Canon's photo and fine art printers and Epson's photo and fine art printers.

The Bottom Line

Look at the printer price, the cost per milliliter on ink, your anticipated usage per square foot, the value of the ink that ships in the box, extended warranty options, and on the Canon side, budget for an eventual printhead replacement. Both of these are exceptional printers. Either one will produce output your clients will love. The difference is in how you work, what you print, and how you want to manage the machine over time.