Print Studio Pro Slow/Freezing

[rwslippey]

Good afternoon all.

I just got a Canon Pro-100 Printer and I'm having some issues with Canon Print Studio Pro running very slow when trying to pattern print.

I'm very new to printing and I've seen others suggest pattern printing to be able to make adjustment vs using ICC profiles directly in lightroom.

I'm running the latest version of Lightroom and Photoshop CC, Windows 7 On a very capable computer (16GB Ram, 6 core 3.3 Ghz processor)

When I open up PSP it works fine. As soon as open the pattern print dialog box everything screaches to a halt. Sometimes it'll load the preview, sometimes it won't. After about 30 seconds (if and when it renders the preview) it completly stops responding. Task Manager says its running but I can't click anything at all and it does nothing.

Any ideas?

Thanks

[jrhoffman75]

Hello and welcome. 

First, be sure you have the latest version of PSP. Download version 2.0.2 from the Canon support site. 

Pattern print is is not a replacement for ICC profiles. Pattern print lets you fine-tune the printer color settings. You don't do it in Lightroom. You would find the setting you like best and enter those settings in the printer driver. 

Ill post additional info. 

[rwslippey]

Hi john,

thanks for your reply. Sorry I forgot to mention I'm using the latest version of everything, as download from Canon today.

I guess I miss-understood that PSP would aid in managing the color profiles.

Right now color prints look good, I expected a little better, but I'm rather disappointed with a blueish tint to a black and white I just did. It might be me though? Again totally new to pro level printing so I'm just learning.

EDIT:  I should add also that PSP works great as long as I don't enter the Pattern Print Screen. I can print fine from inside PSP with no lag or anything. It just seems like a software bug to me.

[jrhoffman75]

Hi Rob.

Black & white on a PRO-100 can be tricky, especially if you are using glossy paper. I have very good luck; others get color casts.

If I am printing B&W I don't allow the printer to convert a colr image to B&W printing. I convert to B&W using Nik Silver Efex Pro (you can download the Google Nik plugins for free now). The I print it just as if it was a color image; I don't select grayscale or B&W in the printer driver.

https://www.google.com/nikcollection/

Did you have a previous printer, so that you are familiar with printing direct from Lightroom?

PSP has some nice features, but I recommend printing direct from Lightroom and letting LR manage the color.

Download this test image, open it in LR, don't make any adjustments and print it. How does it look?

P.S.  I tried Pattern Print. Took about 45 seconds for processing and printing. I am running LR/CC, W7, 16GB RAM.

[rwslippey]

Hi John,

Thanks again for your replies.

Thanks for the advice on the B&W. I'm going to give that a try here in a bit.

I have a few printers here. I have an MX922 (not exactly a photo printer) and I've used the Canon cp910 (Single 4x7 dye sub printer) as well as another larger dye sub (mitshubishi) but this is my first large inkjet.

I can work pretty well with prints in lightroom. I just printed a color image directly from LR print module and it came out pretty good. To be honest it's not my favorit image but my wife wants to put it on the wall so it's the practice print right now.

It seems a little darker than the screen (yes, calibrated color calibrated monitor). But I guess it's an acceptable result.

I'm not sure but when I loaded the ICC profile in LR their is

Canon Pro-100 <SG> 3 Photo Paper Plus Semi-Gloss

Canon Pro-100 <SG> 1/2 Photo Paper Plus Semi-Gloss

I know I have the semi-gloss as it came with the printer, but what is the 3 and the 1/2?

I saw you said download this test image, but I'm not sure where you were refering to.... I might be missing something...

Thanks again for all your help!

Rob

[jrhoffman75]

Hi Rob. I forgot to paste the link

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

The numbers are print quality. In the driver you can select a quality; generally 1, 2, or 3. 

[rwslippey]

Hi john,

just printed the test print. Here is what my eyes think...

Everything looks OK overall

The rock in the arch makes the red look off, it's actually a little pink?

The strawberries look pink as well. They don't really look red at all.

The B&W image actually looks good so it may have been the file I gave it look a little off.

Other than that thinks look like they should to me. I'm sure someone with more experience could probably offer a better report though.

If I haven't said it enough, thank you again!

Rob

[jrhoffman75 · Accepted solution]

Pink strawberries are problematic. I get an excellent print when I use the test image. On many different papers. 

What at settings are you using to print?  When I print from LR I have LR manage color. 

In in the printer driver I select Color-> Manual-> Matching->None (left side printer selection in LR). 

Select ICC profile (right side selection in LR). 

Google "youtube jtoolman" for some excellent videos on the PRO-100

[rwslippey]

Ok, WOW!

Now I want strawberries!

What a difference one checkbox makes.

That fixed the rock in the arch as well.

Thanks again for all your help.... Wow....

Now I've just got to remember to change all the settings everytime I change paper sizes in LR!  I tried to print an 8.5 X 11 without changing the paper size... didn't go so well.

Rob

[rwslippey]

---

Google "youtube jtoolman" for some excellent videos on the PRO-100

---

I think I've seen a few of his videos a while back. I'll deffiently check him out in detail.

One more quick question, what papers have you had the best luck with for color and/or B&W? So far I've only got Canon papers but I've seen a few others suggest different papers. I know the paper can be part of the artistic process for some.

I checked out your website too, beauiful work by the way.

Thanks again, I was getting brain fried frusturated with playing with this for 2 days.

Rob