faded color with MG 7120

[taueva]

I'm finally getting around to printing color pix on my MG7120 (with Mac 10.6.8 from Photoshop Elements file}.

The photo is bright, saturated, and contrasty. The print is flat and unsaturated almost to being a monotone.

I am using glossy photo paper and have selected high quality. Is there something I can do or is the printer defective?

[Patrick]

Hi taueva,

First, please make sure that the ink tanks are installed in the printer correctly and are in the correct order. The order from left to right is as follows:

CLI-251BK
CLI-251GY
CLI-251Y
PGI-250PGBK
CLI-251C
CLI-251M

Next, a test of the printer should be performed. This will tell us if the printer is working correctly. To do this, please load letter-sized paper in the PIXMA MG7120 and follow these steps:

1. Flick the HOME screen and then tap Setup.

2. Tap Maintenance.

3. Tap Print nozzle check pattern.

4. Tap Yes.

The Nozzle Check will print. Please compare your printout to the exampleat the end of this post. If they differ, please perform a few printhead cleanings.  To perform cleanings, please follow these steps:

1. Flick the HOME screen and then tap Setup.

2. Tap Maintenance.

3. Tap Cleaning.

4. Tap Yes to clean the printhead.

5. Tap Yes to print another Nozzle Check.

Does the Nozzle Check print correctly?

[taueva · Accepted solution]

I forgot to say that I had run the test and it came out perfect. (Thanks anyway, Patrick.)

I then noticed that the paper I was using said laser, not ink-jet, so I wondered if that was the problem. Rooting around in the closet I came upon a couple sheets of Canon matte photo paper that had come with the printer. I tried that and, voila!, the colors came out true. So maybe the printer didn't like Hammerhill brand, or laser paper needs different inks, but the problem turned out to be the PAPER!

Problem solved. Now I need to run out and buy paper.