Home / Wide-Format Printers / Canon imagePROGRAF
Canon · Wide-Format Plotter
17" wide-format inkjet printer
Analyst take
Not sure if the iPF5000 is right for you?
Compare key specs and an AI analyst read-out against similar models.
Overview
Canon imagePROGRAF iPF5000, 2400 x 1200 DPI, 448 x 1608 mm, A2, A3, A4, B3, B4, A3, 0.07 – 0.8 mm
Expert analysis
Key takeaways
At 4:45 p.m., the person at this printer usually needs a clean 12 x 18 coordination sheet, a marked-up detail, or a color exhibit that can leave the office before the meeting does. The Canon imagePROGRAF iPF5000 is a compact 17-inch device for that kind of desk-side, small-format wide-format work—not for cranking out a contractor’s full-size plan-room set.
Its value in an AEC environment is flexibility. It accepts cut sheets and roll paper, supports coated, glossy, opaque, photo, proofing, vinyl, and film media, and handles architectural 9 x 12-inch and 12 x 18-inch output. That makes it useful where drawings share space with presentation graphics, GIS exhibits, and client review sheets.
The iPF5000 fits a small architecture studio, engineering discipline group, survey team, or construction office that needs color output in modest sheet sizes. Its 17-inch maximum width covers 11 x 17-inch, 13 x 19-inch, and 17 x 22-inch ANSI media, plus 12 x 18-inch architectural sheets. That is enough for detail packages, check plots, redline copies, color utility maps, site logistics sheets, and presentation boards that do not need full D- or E-size output.
The 2400 x 1200 DPI maximum resolution matters most when a PDF carries fine hatch patterns, small callouts, or color layers that need to remain distinct. Resolution is not a cure for a poor PDF, naturally. But it gives the printer room to reproduce careful source files. Ethernet LAN and USB 2.0 support let it serve a small shared workgroup or operate directly from a local workstation.
Bottom line: This is a useful color-output point for small sheets, not a substitute for full-size construction-document production.
The printer accepts media from 0.003"–0.031" thick and supports both rolls and cut sheets. That gives an operator choices: ordinary opaque paper for working drawings, coated stock for client-facing exhibits, or film and vinyl media when a project calls for something less ordinary. The maximum print size is 18" x 63", while the maximum roll width is 17 inches. Read those together before assuming a long graphic is the same thing as a full-size plan set.
Its supplied software list includes Printer Driver Extra Kit6, PosterArtist 20067, Digital Photo Print Pro9, and GARO Status Monitor. For an AEC buyer, the practical questions are whether the driver behaves predictably with the firm’s PDF workflow and whether the old operating-system support listed for the unit matches the workstation environment still expected to run it. Supported systems include Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP/2003 Server and Mac OS 9.1/X 10.2/10.3/10.4.
Bottom line: The media menu is broad, but the 17-inch width is the decision that will matter every working day.
For a same-width comparison, look at the Canon iPF5100 17-in. Both are listed at 17 inches and 2400 x 1200 DPI, so a buyer should compare the actual workflow, connectivity expectations, media needs, and service arrangement rather than presume the model number settles the matter. If 17 x 22-inch output is already too small, the Canon iPF6000S 24-in changes the conversation simply by moving to a 24-inch format.
For an installed unit, confirm the condition and availability of the Canon PF-03 printhead and Canon Roll Holder Set RH2-11. Also confirm Ethernet access, driver deployment, and the operating system that will submit files. A printer can be mechanically willing and still become an IT project. Those are rarely the fun kind.
Bottom line: Move wider when the workflow requires wider sheets, not because a larger chassis looks more serious in the print room.
Compare before committing
The read
The Canon imagePROGRAF iPF5000 makes sense for an AEC team that needs flexible color output up to 17 inches wide and can support its established workstation and network environment. It is less appropriate for full-size bid sets, routine 24-inch-and-wider drawings, or a print room where mixed-size production must run with little operator attention. Treat it as a capable small-format technical and presentation printer. Do not ask it to become the plan room after everyone else has gone home.
Spec analysis
Overall performance
Individual dimensions are shown where the specs support them.
Verified specifications
| Maximum print width | 17 in |
|---|---|
| Maximum resolution | 2400 x 1200 DPI |
| Maximum print size | 448 x 1608 mm |
| Media thickness | 0.07 – 0.8 mm |
| Ethernet | Yes |
| Sound level (printing) | 58 dB |
| Power consumption | 100 W |
Specifications
| Color | Yes |
|---|---|
| Maximum resolution | 2400 x 1200 DPI |
| Sound power level (standby) | 35 dB |
|---|---|
| Sound pressure level (printing) | 58 dB |
| Cut sheets | Yes |
|---|---|
| Roll paper | Yes |
| Media thickness | 0.07 – 0.8 mm |
| Roll top margin | 0.118" (3 mm) |
| ANSI paper sizes | 8.5 x 11", 8.5 x 14", 11 x 17", 13 x 19", 17 x 22" |
| Maximum print size | 448 x 1608 mm |
| Maximum roll width | 17" (43.1 cm) |
| Architectural sizes | 9 x 12", 12 x 18" |
| Maximum media width | 431.8 mm |
| Maximum roll length | 59' |
| ISO A-series sizes (A0…A9) | A2, A3, A4 |
| ISO B-series sizes (B0…B9) | B3, B4 |
| ISO C-series sizes (C0…C9) | C2 |
| JIS B-series sizes (B0…B9) | B3, B4 |
| Borderless printing media sizes | A3 |
| USB port | Yes |
|---|---|
| Ethernet LAN | Yes |
| USB connector | USB Type-A |
| RJ-45 ports quantity | 1 |
| USB 2.0 ports quantity | 1 |
| Ethernet interface type | Fast Ethernet |
| Supported network protocols | IPX/SPX, SNMP, HTTP, TCP/IP, AppleTalk |
| Weight | 90.4 lbs (41 kg) |
|---|---|
| Dimensions (WxDxH) | 39.3 x 28.9 x 12.5" (999 x 733 x 317 mm) |
| Power requirements | 100/240V; 50/60Hz |
|---|---|
| Power consumption (standby) | 1 W |
| Power consumption (typical) | 100 W |
| Operating temperature (T-T) | 15 – 30 °C |
|---|---|
| Operating relative humidity (H-H) | 10 – 80% |
| Safety | UL, CE, TUV |
|---|---|
| Opaque film | Yes |
| Photo paper | Yes |
| Vinyl media | Yes |
| Coated paper | Yes |
| Glossy paper | Yes |
| Opaque paper | Yes |
| Roll-up film | Yes |
| Control panel | LCD (16×2) |
| Proofing paper | Yes |
| High resolution paper | Yes |
| Acoustic power emissions | 6.7 Bels |
| Bundled software | Printer Driver Extra Kit6 PosterArtist 20067 Digital Photo Print Pro9 GARO Status Monitor |
|---|
| Sustainability certificates | ENERGY STAR |
|---|
| Mac compatibility | Yes |
|---|---|
| Compatible operating systems | Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP/2003 Server Mac OS 9.1/X 10.2/10.3/10.4 |
Supplies
Genuine consumables that fit the Canon imagePROGRAF iPF5000 large format printer Colour 2400 x 1200 DPI 448 x 1608 mm Ethernet LAN — only the cartridges, printheads and media compatible with this model.
Questions
It is suited to 12 x 18-inch architectural sheets, 11 x 17-inch details, 13 x 19-inch presentation output, color GIS exhibits, coordination drawings, and check plots. Its maximum media width is 17 inches.
Yes. It supports cut sheets and roll paper, with a maximum roll width of 17 inches and a maximum roll length of 59 feet.
No. The listed ANSI sizes stop at 17 x 22 inches, and the printer’s maximum media width is 17 inches. Firms regularly producing wider plan sets should consider a wider-format device such as the Canon iPF6000S 24-in.
The printer has Ethernet LAN through one RJ-45 Fast Ethernet port and one USB 2.0 port. Supported network protocols include SNMP, HTTP, TCP/IP, IPX/SPX, and AppleTalk.
Check driver deployment and the operating systems used for job submission. The listed compatible systems are Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP/2003 Server and Mac OS 9.1/X 10.2/10.3/10.4.
Confirm the Canon PF-03 printhead and Canon Roll Holder Set RH2-11, along with the media types required for the intended drawing and presentation workflow.
We’ll point you to the current equivalent and quote it for your workflow.
