Pro 100 prints dark and unsaturated

[Burgmark]

My sister asked me to print a family photo that was taken at her grandson's wedding by their wedding photographer, who supplied them with a jpg file of the photo.

I use a Dell XPS 15 (latest model) and have a profile created with Spyder to calibrate the screen and I have specified that profile in Photoshop and specified that Photoshop control the printer.  Then in the main tab I chose the manual control and the none option.

The photo looks great on my screen, bright, well exposed and saturated.  But the print is dull, dark and unsaturated.  I even tried to fool the printer by overexposing and oversaturating the photo in Photoshop, but the darker areas still come out dark and unsaturated and the whites are blown.

I may give up and go back to my i9900.

[Patrick]

Hi Burgmark,

What is the type of paper that you are using and who is the manufacturer?

Please note, Canon's Forum is not intended for immediate help, but a place to allow for the Community to give you assistance and feedback. For a quicker response, please use the link below to reach our friendly Technical Support Team:

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[Burgmark]

I'm using Canon Photo Paper Plus Glossy II.  I also only use Canon ink.  

Thanks,

Mark

[jrhoffman75]

Are you possibly selecting the monitor profile in the print module?

You need to select the paper profile. 

[Burgmark]

I think I am selecting the monitor profile, I thought that was the way to tell the printer to print what was on the screen.  How else does one have a color managed workflow?  I use a Spyder to calibrate my screen, how else do I tell Photoshop to use that profile when printing?

I will try to change it to the paper and see if that works, as soon as Amazon delivers my ink.

Thanks,

Mark

[jrhoffman75]

The monitor profile ensures that the image you see on the screen correctly reflects the data in the image file. 

The paper profile ensures that the image you see on the paper correctly reflects the data in the image file. 

A color managed workflow is when you have both profiles in play; then the image on the paper will reflect what you see on the monitor. Never exactly, but close. 

The printer doesn’t need to know your monitor profile. 

Here's a good resource:

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

Download the test image, open it in Photoshop, don't make any adjustments to the iamge, regardless of how it looks on screen. You should get a perfect print if the printer is functioning properly.

[Burgmark]

I did everything you suggested and there is no change to the photo, it still comes out dark and unsaturated.  I had to get these couple of photos done and so I manipulated the image to produce the print I desired.  I'll need to work with the printer more to see if I'm missing something or if there is another issue.  I tried printing in both Lightroom and Photoshop and get the same result, and the result I get is not that much different whether I attempt to have Photoshop control the printer or let the printer control.  It sure was not this difficult when I was using my i9900, which I may go back to. 

[jrhoffman75]

If the Outback test image is coming out dark and unsaturated with no intervention on your part you should call Canon support at 1-800-OK-CANON.

[Burgmark]

Thanks, I'll try that but I've just been too busy lately to spend any time with it.  Frankly, it should not take hours to get a printer to match my screen.

[jrhoffman75]

I agree. But if the Outbackphoto image isn’t looking good I suspect a printer problem; that’s the whole purpose of the test image. It’s a known good property. 

I forgot to ask earlier- Mac or PC?

If Mac, are you using the IJSeries driver (not the AirPrint driver)?