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PIXMA PRO-100 Blacks are printing dark gray

UNIVACCP642B
Contributor

I have old prints on Staples Matte Photo Supreme on which the blacks are pitch black and beautiful.

 

For some time (months or years), I've experienced all blacks printing out as a dark grey, never pitch black, on what should be the same paper

 

I've only ever used Canon inks.

 

I know that Staples has recently replaced the old Photo Supreme papers with a cheaper alternative, and I do not buy that new junk. I had been buying what I thought was NOS Matte Photo Supreme, but perhaps it is fake?

 

Maybe the inks I'm buying are actually counterfeit? I have been buying ink through Amazon and Best Buy. I ask because I got a counterfeit toner cartridge that looked legit, so perhaps it is a problem more pervasive than I'd like to think.

 

Is there any other MATTE paper I can get that should allow me to rule out the brands I've been buying? I print on standard letter size and 13 by 19. I'm quite exclusively printing on matte paper to avoid distracting shine.

 

I just want black to be black, the way it was years ago.

 

Thanks!

6 REPLIES 6

jrhoffman75
Legend
Legend

The Pro-100 is a fantastic color printer. Monochrome can be iffy.

 

Were the prints from years ago from a Pro-100?

 

What media type does the Staples paper recommend selecting?

John Hoffman
Conway, NH

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

ArthurJ
Product Expert
Product Expert

HI UNIVACCP642B,

 

Please reply with the information that is listed on the cartridges( ink number, where it was made, etc) that way we can check to see if they are third party that are made to look like Canon Ink.

 

If you would like assistance in real time, please give us a call at 1-800-OK-CANON (1-800-652-2666), Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM EST.

 

We look forward to hearing back from you.

I have a yellow, CLI-42Y, still in the box. It has a holographic sticker in the upper right. 1318G17. Made in Japan. I'm looking at a sealed black, CLI-42BK. On the plastic wrap inside the outer plastic packaging, I read EU ONLY adjacent an image of an X-ed out trash can and Made in Japan.

 

That said, I now firmly beliieve paper is the problem.


Staples replaced its high-end matte photo paper, called Matte Photo Paper Supreme. It was in a yellow package with a photo of either a bride in a field or a bride and child. The new product, Ultra Premium Photo Paper, features red, white a blue packaging, It's basically card stock, not photo paper.The old Matte Photo Paper Supreme was amazing—probably the best matte photo paper on the market.

 

I erroneously assumed the Staples paper changed when the packaging and name changed. Today, I realize that the paper was surrupticiously replaced prior to the rebranding. Old Matte Photo Paper Supreme, which prints very black, has a slightly rougher texture to it—almost grainy. New paper in the same yellow packaging, feels smooth in comparison. A couple years back, the 8½ by 11 Matte Photo Paper Supreme went from printing black as black to black as dark gray (actually, everything was printing with reduced saturation—not just black).

 

The larger 13 by 19 paper in similar yellow packaging and also labeled Matte Photo Paper Supreme still prints as black as it did years ago—at least, the stuff I've bought off eBay thus far does print black. I've not bought any of the new Ultra Premium Photo Paper in 13 by 19.

 

I understand that what I've written, above, may not make sense to anyone unfamiliar with Staples brand photo papers. Suffice to say, Staples' Matte Photo Paper Supreme was the best thing around at one point, because of the high-quality coating and double-sided design. However, the 8½ by 11 paper in the same yellow packaging still vailable from some online sellers that one might assume is quality Matte Photo Paper Supreme is trash, trash, trash. Today, Staples' Ultra Premium Photo Paper affords color saturation only marginally above plain paper. The large 13 by 19 Matte Photo Paper Supreme still floating around online appears to be as fantastic as always. Finally, my focus on black refects only the most apparent problem in the work I do.

 

Now I need a paper that allows for black to look black, and I need recommendations, if someone can help.

 

I do have a package of 13 by 19 Canon Photo Paper Pro Premium Matte. It's black looks pretty good, even compared to the old Staples Matte Photo Supreme stock. I've not printed the same sort of things with it, yet, and cannot compare them with authority.

 

My printer settings are as they've been for years: Matte Photo Paper and High quality. It is the paper that has changed behind the scenes.

Look into Red River Palo Duro Baryta.

John Hoffman
Conway, NH

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

OK, but $28 for 25 sheets of 8½ by 11 is a bit rich. Maybe I'm spoiled.

 

I can say that the 13 by 19 Canon's Photo Paper Pro Premium Matte has much better saturation than the Staples Matte Photo Paper Supreme. Side-by-side, the Staples paper is several degrees brighter, nearly pure white, but that is its only advantage.

 

Staples no longer sells Matte Photo Paper Supreme. Many online sellers will mislead consumers with photographs of old packaging to sell the garbage Ultra Premium Photo Paper replacement. Tracking the good stuff down is a crap shoot.

 

I suspect that Staples once produced the best photo paper it could, ensuring compatibility with the widest possible range of printers. Then, as is often the case, some overpaid idiot in a suit decided to cut corners, reduce quality, and charge the same price to consumers

 

I will continue looking for a bright white matter photo paper that affords outstanding color saturation.

 

 

Office Max has paper that is a little better than the trash Staples sells. It's not as good as the old Staples stuff, regardless. I can't believe this is even a problem these days, or that Canon doesn't maintain a list of recommended papers—aside from their own stuff, which isn't that great, either.

 

Maybe it's just the matte paper no one wants to manufacture well? There's not enough market for it?

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