Mike Chaney's Tech Corner

I have a Canon Pro 9000 MKII and a Pro 100 I just picked up. When conducting printing tests in Qimage I am getting different results from the two printers. The 9000 prints a little cool but colors are more correct. The 100 is printing quite warm. I am using the same photo paper, a cheap HP glossy 4x6 for testing. I have both printers set up as per the videos, color matching/correction set to none. I am printing the same raw file with the same settings, just changing printer between prints. Both printers drivers are set up the same. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
James

Hi James,

I have a Pro9000 (Mk1) and a Pro-100S.  Many years ago I wasted heaps of paper and ink  trying to get colours correct, using other printers.

The solutions was to use colour management.  I am not sure what videos you are referring too, but if you check out Jose Rodriguez Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz9YXaSulpM90vC24lmAeZA
I believe he has a video on using Qimage to set up the printer using colour management.  However, my first thoughts are:

- Have you adjusted your monitor?
- Did you create your own paper profile for the HP paper or did you download a profile?
It's unlikely HP offer a profile for a Canon printer, so if you downloaded one, where did you get it (them, one for each printer)?

Bruce

Just to be clear, re; "adjusted the monitor".  I mean have you profiled the monitor, using a device which reads the colours and light intensity of the monitor output?
This procedure adjusts the monitor output by creating a file which tells the Windows or MAC drivers how to use the monitor for your environment.  It's a procedure that typically needs to be repeated every month or so, because the monitor output changes slightly over time.  It's usually a good idea to have the lighting around the monitor well managed as well.  You don't want have bright sunlight one time and dull incandescent light another.

The monitor should be your starting point, but I suspect you have both monitor and paper profile issues.

Bruce

I have calibrated my monitor and I will go watch the video. I stopped with the HP paper and tested with Canon Photo Paper Plus Glossy ll. The Pro-100 is still printing very warm and bright photos, skin tones are off. The 9000 has great skin tones and very true colors as I took the photo in my living room of my daughter on the couch. I can compare the photos to what I am looking at right now and the 100 is just way off. Let me check out the video and see what I can do.

I think the problem is that you are not using ICC printer profiles. These are different for every printer and paper type combination, and sit between the computer and the printer and adjust the colours to give the same result.
Most paper manufacturers supply profiles for their papers, or you can produce your own using something like an X-Rite Colormunki or Mike's Profile Prism software.
The Canon profiles are available from https://www.canon.co.uk/printers/inkjet/pixma/professional_photo_printers/icc_profiles/#href-Support (https://www.canon.co.uk/printers/inkjet/pixma/professional_photo_printers/icc_profiles/#href-Support), as Bruce says it's unlikley that HP will supply a profile for Canon paper, but most third-party paper providers will.
Set Color Matching to 'None' and add the correct profile in the 'Printers and settings' in QImage. Once you have set it up, save the setting as a printer setup file.

HTH

Brian

Yes sir! That is where I was making my mistake. I finally realized it on my last print before I went to bed. I was letting the printer driver manage instead of using the profiles. I'm sorry to bother you, it was late and I was being dense.