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Issue with printing from Photoshop vs. Print Studio Pro

jennifercastle
Apprentice

I recently purchased a Pro-100 for an inkjet printing class I'm taking, and I was have an issue with banding and strange color saturation. I went through all the advised rigamorole (realigning print heads, cleaning nozzles, etc.) and the problem wasn't solved. I'd been printing through Photoshop 5, but somehow I stumbled on some information about how using Print Studio Pro would somehow fix the issue. Lo and behold, it did! I was beginning to think I'd purchased a lemon or that the printer line itself just wasn't living up the glowing reviews I'd read. 

Several of my classmates also purchased Pro-100s, but none of them expressed having that problem. My question is: Would the fact I'm using Photoshop 5 instead of a new version be the problem? After testing out 20 different types of paper and icc profiles after I installed Print Studio Pro, I was genuinely shocked and impressed by the prints made. While I'll obviously keep using the software so I don't feel like tearing my hair out every time a print kicks out of the machine, it's another step to go through. If I upgraded to a newer version of Photoshop, would the banding issue theoretically stop?

7 REPLIES 7

jrhoffman75
Legend
Legend

Since you are getting good prints with PSP but not Photoshop the problem must be one or more settings in Photoshop.

 

Typically when folks have printing problems it is because they are double profiling - having the software and the printer both control the printing process. PSP selects all the right "switches" to be sure that doesn't happen.

 

If you let Photoshp manage printing the correct settings are as follows:

 

Capture.JPG

John Hoffman
Conway, NH

1D X Mark III, Many lenses, Pixma PRO-100, Pixma TR8620a, LR Classic

Thank you, John! I'll make those adjustments when I get back to my desktop this evening, and then test out a print to see the results. I'll get back to you when I'm finished.

ebiggs1
Legend
Legend

Jennifer,

 My daughter's name by the way, Smiley Happy here is a starting point to more successful printing with the Pro-100.  Make sure you do as Mr. Hoffman sugests above.

 

First, you must not let the printer set anything.  Turn off every bit off control it has.  You can do this with the Canon My Printer under the Printer Settings tab.  Do you know how?  I will guess, yes, because you read the above post.  If you don't, get back to me.

 

Second, you need to have your photo editor (like Photoshop) handle all the settings and color matching.  You know how to do this in PS?

I prefer Photoshop and I use AdobeRGB color space.  You do not need Print Studio Pro.

 

And lastly, it is essential you get some settings on your monitor that somewhat matches what the printer is printing.  Your printer may be doing exactly what you are telling it to do and you have no idea it is, because your monitor is so far off.  If you don't do this step, you can forget all the other steps.  However, there are only a few things that you need to be concerned with. You don't need any fancy extra add-ins to do this.  No additional software or monkey gadgets, etc.

Most people set their monitors too bright.

 

You must get the gray-scale very close.  You need to get the brightness very close and you need the contrast very close.

 

After you do these things you can make adjustments to your prints by just looking at your screen.  Because you know the monitor and printer are on the same level.  One more point, you can NOT get a printer to print every color exactly the way you saw it.  It isn't possible as all colors and adjustments effect all others.  My goal is to get the skin tones right.  That is what people notice most. Remember you are dealing with two different disciplines here.  One is colored light and the other is colored dyes or pigments.  They are not the same thing.

 

For instance, I know my Pro-100 tends to print darker than what I see on the monitor (typical).  So, I automatically know to set it's prints 1/2 to one stop brighter in Photoshop, in my case.  It also prints with a slightly warn tone.  Most of the time, with portraits especially, this if OK but sometimes it is not.  In that case I adjust the "temp" setting slightly cooler in PS.

 

All the Canon photo printers I have ever seen have this warm/magenta cast.  Canon engineers must prefer this look.  It can not be changed.  You need to "fix" it in post.

 

Make sure you have the correct ICC profiles and you are using Canon brand ink and paper until you get good with the printer.  Very, very important, otherwise you don't know if the printer is doing exactly what you are telling it to or not.

An alternative source for paper is Red River Paper.  They have an extensive line and the correct ICC profiles for your Pro-100.

 

Important, use the USB connection until everything is right.  You are just adding another issue when you try to set up the printing and the wireless (wi-fi) all at the same time.  Just like using Canon branded products until it is a go.  Use a real printer USB cable at first.  Not just any old USB cable. Get everything right before you explore.

 

 

EB
EOS 1DX and 1D Mk IV and less lenses then before!

Hi, ebiggs1!

Yes, I'm using CS5, and I also prefer using AdobeRGB. I went ahead and bought a monitor calibrator for the same class because we were required to do so, and I've been using it about once a month. I never expected to get the colors exactly right on prints, but what I'd been getting when printing through Photoshop were appalling. We were also required to purchase 20 different types of paper to create test prints with both color and black and white images, and I found myself enjoying Moab's line of papers (which also has an extensive line of ICC profiles). Before I purchased my Pro-100, I read several reviews that indicated that it tends to print darker than other Canon printers, so I was aware of the issue. I'm guessing that's why I ended up liking Moab's Lasal Matte paper best because it's a pure white rather than an off-white that so many papers are, and it seemed to mitigate the darkness well. I'll go ahead and edit my photos a full stop lower in the future since I tend to shoot about a 1/2 stop higher.

Thanks for replying and for the tips! I appreciate it!

Hi Jennifer. You are on the right path by developing a color-managed workflow. Review the article at the link below and download the test image.

http://outbackprint.outbackphoto.com/printinginsights/pi049/essay.html

Print the image using your CS5 with the proper printer settings. Do not make any adjustments to the image. It is correctly exposed and color balanced.

Evaluate the image in your preferred viewing conditions. That may or may not be where your printer is.

The web article goes into detail what to look for, but you can just look at it and ask yourself is it a print I like, and if not what is wrong. I have helped a number of people set up printers, and only in one instance was the actual print too dark. If you like how the print looks, but think iit's darker or lighter than your monitor then it's your monitor that should be adjusted. Most people have their monitor too bright. For photo processing you want a relatively dark room and no light shining on the monitor screen. Then you minimize room effects on your print adjustment. If you follow those guidelines a brightness of 70-90 cd/m^2 should be a good setting. Adjust your monitor brightness so that it looks like the good print that you like. I have found that setting brightness and contrast to the 50% point before starting the calibration gives me a good result.

If you find that the print does need to adjusted I prefer to adjust at the source i.e the printer. You can adjust printer brightness, contrast and color in the driver and save the adjustments and other settings as a preset. Then, when you want to use that paper again just select that preset in the driver.

Here's another resource:
http://luminous-landscape.com/why-are-my-prints-too-dark/
John Hoffman
Conway, NH

1D X Mark III, Many lenses, Pixma PRO-100, Pixma TR8620a, LR Classic

"...  iit's darker or lighter than your monitor then it's your monitor that should be adjusted. Most people have their monitor too bright."

 

 

This is so very true.  Who knows how the so-called reviewers saw or evaluated the print?

EB
EOS 1DX and 1D Mk IV and less lenses then before!

ebiggs1
Legend
Legend

"Would the fact I'm using Photoshop 5 instead of a new version be the problem?"

 

You are referring to CS5?  If yes it and CS6 or CC are the same.  It won't make any difference.

EB
EOS 1DX and 1D Mk IV and less lenses then before!
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