Pixma Pro 100s dull colours

[Kwyjibo]

Hello

Will I ever be able to get vibrant colours from a Pixma Pro 100s?

I have tried everything I can think of, i have tried countless ICC profiles, software packages and other suggestions on the internet but nothing works.

I make a lot of prints of my own art and decided to start printing myself  instead of outsourcing and the 100s seemed a good choice from internet feedback. But I'm very much regretting it at this stage and feels like a waste of money if it cannot match vibrant colours. Even regular colours seem a bit on the dull side.

Anyone else with a 100s care to attempt to try and replicate vibrant colours with similar tests?

i know a backlit screen and tablets and monitors helps, but the printer isn't even coming close. This is probably my best attemp ttout of many.

is it even possible to get a true cyan/magenta/etc colour?

[jrhoffman75]

Welcome to the forum Kwyjibo. We will need more info in order to try an assist.

In general, the answer to your question is yes. With the appropriate paper and printer settings you will get accurate colors with the Pro-100. Canon Photo Paper Pro Platinum is tops for bright colors - like the Cibachrome prints back in wet darkroom days.

What paper are you using?

Is there a recommended ICC profile and media type for that paper (if its not Canon paper).

What is your operating system?

What software are you printing from ?

Can you post a screenshot of your software print module settings?

Have you calibrated your monitor, espescially brightness?

Download this test image and print it from your software - do not make any brightness or color adjustments to the on screen image. Jiust open it and print - preferably on Canon paper.

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

[Kwyjibo]

Hello, thanks for the reply!

I’m using a combination of Canon pro platinum and run of the mill matte photo paper. There are no big differences between the 2 really.

I’ve used the canon ICC and others for the canon paper and all kinds for the matte.

I’m printing on a combination of Win10 and IOS on iPad.

I’ve tried using ProCreate and the Canon printer app on iPad
Photoshop and lightroom on Win10

I’m getting very very slightly better results on photoshop, colours are a bit bolder but still not at all light and vibrant that I want.

I’m allowing photoshop to choose colours over the printer and force disabled any options that the printer may interfere with photoshop colour management.

I haven’t calibrated my screen but I’m testing using the CMYK values on the prints so should be seeing those colours on the print ......right?

I will do that test print. Thank you.

[jrhoffman75]

"I haven’t calibrated my screen but I’m testing using the CMYK values on the prints so should be seeing those colours on the print ......right?"

What can happen is that if your monitor is too bright you would adjust exposure in the photo app to look right on screen. Then when you print it could be too dark.

That's the test print is for. It is calibrated to produce a good print. When you print it it should should look "right" in standrard viewing conditions. Then compare it to how the image looks on screen.

There is another option we can discuss after you run the test print.

[bellevuefineart]

I have the same issue with the Canon Pro-1000. There are certain bright greens that I cannot hit, and it isn't just with one paper, it is with many papers. I have paid to have profiles made for certain papers, both photo papers and matte papers, and I have tried many profiles from Hahnemuhle and Canson. 

I print for a living. It is my business, and I bought a Canon Pro-1000 to test the waters and see if I could move away from Epson printers. Sadly it is my conclusion that there are certain bright greens that I will never be able to attain. And I say this after spending countless hours testing every possible setting, and many many paper types, and doing the same using the same image, over and over again, also on an Epson P-5000, P-9000, and Epson 9900. I have also paid to have profiles made for those printers, as well as using profiles from Canson, Hahnemuhle, Lexjet, Breathing Color and others. 

It is my conclusion that since Canon has removed the green ink in its latest printers, that there are bright greens that are unattainable on any of the new Canon printers that do not contain green ink - where Canon has replaced the green ink with the Chromo Optimizer. 

I would love for someone to prove me wrong and I'm even working on a video about it to help others, but it is my professional opinion that there are indeed bright greens that are just unattainable with the new Canon printers. I have a 18x24 portfolio book with identical test prints from the Epson 9900, P5000, and Canon Pro-1000, and under no circumstances have I been able to get color parity between the Canon Pro-1000 and the Epson printers. I've spent a good 80 hours on this project, and have not found a solution. The closer you get to RGB 0,255,0, the more you see that it can't be printed. 

I can post pictures if you would like. But I am seeing exactly what you are with the greens. 

Papers I have used (I have had companies that specialize in making ICC profiles make custom profiles for all of these, and/or I have used profiles from the paper manufacturer. In some cases I have tried two or three ICC profiles): 

Epson Enhanced Matte

Epson Semi-Matte

Epson proofing Semi-Matte

Lexjet Semi-Matte

Lexjet Premium Archival Matte

Lexjet Premium Sunset Select Canvas

Canson Aquarelle Textured Rag (Arches)

Canson Velin Rag

Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Bright White

Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Satin

Hahnemuhle Fine Art Baryta

Hahnemuhle William Turner Rag

Hahnemuhle German Etching Rag

Hahnemuhle Museum Etching Rag

Hahnemuhle Torchon

Canon Luster

Canon Matte Photo

Canon Gloss Photo

Breathing Color Lyve Canvas

[bellevuefineart]

Note: I have not had issues with the Cyan or Yellow, or any other color. The yellow is briliant, as is the red, and in all cases when I print with the correct media type, the colors are brilliant. 

It's also worth noting that the issue with green is limited, but it is there. I have an X-right SG color chart that I use in creating camera profiles, and I have a digital copy that has had each color patch adjusted to be the exact RGB value of the physical chart that shows very limited color differences and in most cases very good color. It's just that bright green that eludes me. 

[bellevuefineart]

I work with another printer in the area that is all Canon. He recently bought a Pro-2000 24", and I asked him about the green because he also has animagePROGRAF iPF8400 andimagePROGRAF iPF9400 with green ink. We compared a stack of test prints he did after having profiles made, and sure enough, it looks just like the Pro-1000 - the green ink is weak and dull, but the greens on his olderimagePROGRAF iPF8400 and imagePROGRAF iPF9400 were bright and showed better color. 

The newer Canon printers that replaced green ink with the Chroma Optimizer show weak greens. Bright green appears to simply be out of gamut and impossible to hit. For me anyway it's a serious issue

[Vlad_Zaytsev]

The best green transfer paper is matte photo paper. Canon website has profiles for art papers, keep this in mind and it’s better to print with original cartridges.

[bellevuefineart]

I don’t need transfer papers. Again, I’ve tested this with many papers on the pro-1000 with custom profiles and the canon pro 1000 cannot hit certain bright greens, period. Since my first post I’ve also verified this on a canon pro-2000 (same ink set) with many papers, and the bright green is out of gamut. Period. 

Look at the difference between an older iPf-9400 and the new pro-2000. I think it was a huge mistake for canon to remove the green ink. The bright greens are dull. 

I would love love for someone to prove me wrong, but please do it with a concrete example and Repro steps, not a supposition  or “probably” type statement. Thanks.

[Vlad_Zaytsev]

On matte paper, green looks richer and more juicy than on a glossy or glossy floor.