Help. Colors print as pastels (light)
c mateland
prints correctly, but the colors are light and pastel looking. I ran
all the maintainance tasks available such as nozzle cleaning,
alignment, etc, but it still prints light. It should be much more
vibrant or saturated. I already checked the settings and it's on
standard. Anyway it used to print fine like this and now it doesn't.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Chuck
ftran999
"c mateland" <chuckm...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1151354650.3...@i40g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
Color management issue maybe?
1. Make sure you are using the correct profile for the type of paper
surface you are using.
2. Is your monitor calibrated? You can google for a free program (WYSIWYG
by Praxisoft for example) which will do a basically decent job, but I would
invest in a good calibration software such as Colorvision's Spyder2.
3. What are you using for imaging software? (e.g. PhotoShop). I'm not sure
if this applies to your Canon, but the instruction manual for my Epson
states that if prints are too light you probably have both the printer and
imaging software handling the color mgmnt. It is best to disable CM in the
printer and let your imaging software handle the CM.
Also you may want to check the troubleshooting on Canon's site:
http://alpha03u.c-wss.com/inc/ApplServlet?SV=WWUCA900
measekite
an IP4000 that has always used Canon ink. Never had a cleaning cycle
and never had a problem.
c mateland
I think it's more general than that. Even the test page with the
Windows icon in the upper left is pastel. So, It doesn't seem to be
isolated to any particular program I'm printing from. In fact, even the
alignment test print (where it prints the individual colors) from the
printer's program comes out light.
c mateland
I'm using genuine Canon ink and always have, so I don't get it.
George E. Cawthon
selected and to see that something didn't get set
wrong. For example, the paper type, the print
quality set to draft quality, etc.
Click print, then click Properties, under the Main
tab check the paper and the print quality. If the
Color Adjustment is set to Manual click Set and
check the Intensity.
measekite
c mateland wrote:
I find this difficult to understand since this does not happen to me.
Check to see that all carts are in the right slots. Reset your driver
to all of the defaults. Turn off all color mgt in your editor. Find a
neutral test foto. Print and see what happens.
If all fails call Canon Tech Suppt. They are very good.
Tony
Chuck
Try some basics.
What does the printers internal nozzle check look like?
Open the driver, select the Maintenance tab and print a nozzle check pattern.
How does it look?
Tony
zakezuke
#1: Don't listen to Measekite. He pretty much associates everything
with a printer with aftermarket ink, and assumes that a canon will run
forever with OEM ink. This is simply not true. Heads have a limite
life on Canon, even with OEM ink.
-----
That being said, Tony's advice about the nozzle check is good. Also,
there is a procedure to get the printer to print something on it's own
without your computer. This would help isolate whether your issue is
computer related or printer related.
1) Make sure printer is off and is plugged in
2) Hold down [RESUME] (Triangle pointed down) hold down [POWER] and
wait.
3) Release [RESUME] but Continue to hold [POWER]. Double click
[RESUME]. Release [POWER]. You are now in service mode.
4) Check that you have paper in your feeds. Press [POWER] then
[RESUME] This will cause a diagnostic page to print.
5) When done press [POWER] by it self to resume normal operation.
http://pixma.web1000.com/Pixma345/images/0096.JPG
This is the ip3000 diagnostic page, the ip4000 one is similar but has
an extra black. There are seperate checkboard nozzle checks for the
large nozzles and the smaller ones. In addition, it wil print some
solid bars.
This won't help you solve your problem, but will help isolate it.
Based on your description, I can't tell if it's a pc problem or printer
one.
frank
C...you're dealing with a known idiot named meashershithead. Kill file
his stuck-on-stupid ass and be done with him.
Frank
c mateland
I checked all that and experimented with changing them, but same
result. The colors come out light. I even manually set the intensity to
maximum, but no difference.
c mateland
I checked the tanks several times, thinking they may be the problem. In
the driver's program, I hit DEFAULT on all subjects. I may have to call
Canon.
c mateland
It looks like the benchmark model, but the colors are light.
c mateland
I'll try that. Thanks.
Tony
In that case the problem is the printhead or the printer itself. I am inclined,
based on limited information, to suggest that it is the printer rather than the
head (if it was the head I would not expect all colours to be light, just some
of them with missing nozzles). Is the printer in warranty? If so, call Canon
and get it repaired or replaced.
Tony
zakezuke
c mateland wrote:
> > This won't help you solve your problem, but will help isolate it.
> > Based on your description, I can't tell if it's a pc problem or printer
> > one.
>
> I'll try that. Thanks.
Odds are since the nozzle check didn't pan out, this won't either. But
it doesn't hurt just to be sure.
My last support call with canon took about 1/2 hour, and I was out of
warranty. I got the full treatment, from what paper I was using to the
speeches about how canon isn't accountable for unacceptable results on
paper other than their own. My point is even if you are out of
warranty they may replace your head for free. This is normal and to be
expected after 10 or so cartridges changes. I'm not saying it is your
head as i've seen similar simptoms with cartridges which have their top
inlet hole blocked, like for example if you didn't unwrap all the
cartridge plastic properly. It is possible.
Canon doesn't want their old head back, so if you get a free one you
may feel free to employ some advanced cleaning techniques offered on
"http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/".
My prior support calls were spead up because I was able to say with all
honesty that I took the ink out of one printer which wasn't working
well, and put it in another.
c mateland
interactive trouble-shooting guide at the Canon support site. It had me
do a nozzle check from the printer (which we already did) to confirm
what we found. It then had me do cleanings and a deep clean, which did
not help.
Oddly, I found on the nozzle check printout, along with the colors
being light, the black ink on the labels ("6C, 6M, 6Y" etc) is an olive
green instead of black. However, the black bars next to 6BK and the
"6BK" label itself are jet black and so are the grid lines. But, again,
the remaining labels are an olive color and none of the bars next to
them are jet black, but either a greenish gray or medium gray, while
the long bar next to 6BK is a pure medium gray.
Can this be the regular BK tank or head causing the problem?
Anyway, the Canon site said to leave the printer off for 24 hours and
try again. So, I'm doing what they say and I'll let you know.
Thanks.
c mateland
where would I buy such a component so I can get a cost estimate? And
what's involved in installing it?
Thanks.
Tony
The vertical bars and the text for 3eBK (line 1) should be solid dense
black.The panel to the right should be an unbroken grid sloping slightly
downwards.
The other vertical bars are composites (made up from a mixture of colours
including 6BK)
The text 6C,6M and 6Y (on lines 2,3,4,5 and 6) shoud be a mid gray (with
perhaps a touch of magenta making them ever so slightly pink, barely
noticeable).
The vertical bars next to lines 2,4 and 6 should be a composite black which
shows as an extremely dark gray, almost black).
The vertical bars next to lines 3 and 5 should be the same as the 6C,6M and 6Y
text but perhaps slightly lighter.
The bars, text and horizontal band on line 7 (6BK) should be a good quality mid
gray.
The horizontal bands should be -
line 2 6C Cyan
line 3 6C light cyan
line 4 6M magenta
line 5 6M light magenta
line 6 6Y yellow
Hope that helps
Tony
zakezuke
Canon may opt to replace it. I don't know how far out of warranty a
printer needs to be in order to them to tell you to bugger off but they
are somewhat liberal. My last phone call with them started out "oh no
you are totally out of warranty, you should buy an extended one" then
followed by "I'll ask my manager, ok, we'll do it just this once since
you've never had a problem befroe" which was funny as I had the entire
printer replaced before.
Expect to spend about $80 for the "QY6-0049", printhead assembly. I
see some on e-bay for $55 or so, amazon.com links to the same e-bay
auctions. The e-bay ones I "suspect" as being ones from Canon which
users got free from Canon.
The cost is high enough that one may consider another printer. The new
ip4200 for example fetchs about $80ish on sale, though right now it's
$100 on buy.com $85 + shipping from Amazon.com (they sometimes offer
free shipping), but the best price at the moment is from newegg.com
$79.99 free shipping till july 4th. If your in the market anything
under $80 is the buy me price.
Now you may wish to keep your ip4000 in service. The bci-6s average
about $10/pop where the ink for the new printer averages $13.50/pop on
a good day. The large black is like $12 for yours, $17 for the new
one. If you prefer prefilled aftermarket tanks, they are NOT an option
for the ip4200 but they are for the ip4000.
measekite
Burt
"zakezuke" <zakez...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1151794603.8...@m79g2000cwm.googlegroups.com...
http://www.inkcessories.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=63
printhead for the ip4000 for $50. Just be sure you aren't mistakenly using
PHOTO cyan and PHOTO magenta in error as these are only for six or eight
color canon printers. These are lighter dye-load inks than the cyan and
magenta that are used in all the canon printers in several of the generation
of printers before the current ones with chipped carts.
zakezuke
Burt wrote:
> http://www.inkcessories.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=63
> printhead for the ip4000 for $50. Just be sure you aren't mistakenly using
> PHOTO cyan and PHOTO magenta in error as these are only for six or eight
> color canon printers. These are lighter dye-load inks than the cyan and
> magenta that are used in all the canon printers in several of the generation
> of printers before the current ones with chipped carts.
Yes yes yes, I totally forgot about this. Yes, some very inteligent
people, and even those who took the advice from those in the ink shop,
have bought "photo" cyan thinking it was some spiffy special ink for
their ip4000, or other 4-5 tank canon printer. This would be a valid
explanation to pastel colors and blacks not blacks in the self test and
in the nozzle check.
measekite
You do not want to replace the printhead. It costs about as much as a
new IP4200. The real replacement for your machine is the IP5200 since
that prints photos at about the same speed as the IP4000. The IP4200
prints photos much slower than your printer but otherwise it is about
the same.
When on sale with rebates the cost is:
IP4200 = $80.00
IP5200 = $110.00
zakezuke
measekite wrote:
> IP5200 = $110.00
Where can you get the ip5200 for $110?
While it's true I paid $121.86 for mine, ($112 + tax from amazon), this
was an extraordinary deal. I "almost" never see it under $120, but
when I did in April, I bought it. If you were to buy it today, odds are
you'd spend $150. Anything under $130 is the buy me now price.
Also, you spoke of rebates, and I'm not aware of a rebate for the
ip5200. The only place "I" know of which offered a rebate is Fry's
electronics, and this was the month of december 9th to December 13th,
And the instore price was $149, and the mail in rebate was $30.
This is another case of Measekite's false or misleading information.
He's never been able to justify the $110 price he quotes yet he
continues to do plaster it everywhere as if it's a regular deal.
frank
> measekite wrote:
>
>>IP5200 = $110.00
>
>
More of meashershithead's lies!
Kill file his stupid ass!
Frank
c mateland
> Just be sure you aren't mistakenly using
> PHOTO cyan and PHOTO magenta in error as these are only for six or eight
> color canon printers. These are lighter dye-load inks than the cyan and
> magenta that are used in all the canon printers in several of the generation
> of printers before the current ones with chipped carts.
That was the problem. I switched them out and it's printing great
again.
Thanks to you and everyone!!