PixmaPro9000 is misbehaving

[jcn]

Dear people,

My PixmaPro9000 is misbehaving. All ink cartridges are installed, full according to the printer driver, and in the correct order, with airholes uncovered. The printer previously printed photos fine, but has been rarely used for a couple of years. Having reloaded with ink cartridges, I have printed the nozzle check many times, cleaned twice, and deep cleaned until the nozzle-check pattern is as shown on the screen, with proper colors and no streaking.

Yet when I print a photo on matte photo paper, the result is atrocious: blue sky washed out, all darker colors riddled with dark dots, dark outlines on fine details.

Can you suggest a remedy?

[ebiggs1]

2 years and you are trying to use these ink cartridges?     Get fresh new cartridges.

[jcn]

Thanks, ebiggs1, for the response -- I should have pointed out that the cartridges have been replaced either recently or within the last few months, and all have ample liquid ink in their reservoirs.

Are you saying that even so, they should be replaced and there's no other possible reason for the ghastly reproduction I'm getting? I doubt the heads are "worn out" (term used in the instruction manual), as they've been used to print only 100 or so 11x14 prints.

Thanks for any more perspective!

[ebiggs1]

Thanks for the clarification.

No, cartridges less than 6 months should be fine. So your printing cleaning measures look good when you are through?

If so, I would look else where for the problem.

I actually get petty good ink life out of my printer. I do not print everyday with it but I probably use it every week. I have three printers and I use different ones for different photos. None gets used daily.

If you use Photo Shop, or Light Room, make sure it is handling the printing operation and NOT the printer. You can turn this off in the Canon My Printer software that came with the machine.

Also, I recommend you use ONLY Canon paper and cartridges. At least until you understand how the printer behaves. They all (Canon printers) seem to have a red bias. It is difficult to remove but Canon engineers like the warm rather than cool photos it produces. Most of the  time it is acceptable but I wish they would make it natural.