Quality print issues possibly ahead for Canon Refillers

mikling

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I have been investigating something very strange that I just noticed.
The output quality of the newer small desktop Canon printers like the ones that use the PG250 and CLI-251 cartridges have a weird behavior.

When using the OEM ICC profiles, the output quality is better than when using a third party ICC profile. We are not talking color here. I am seeing grain issues as if the resolution has been cut back when no color adjustment is used or a non Canon ICC is used from within the driver. You can see the grain without using magnification. In comparison to output from an MG8120. There is far far less grain on the previous generation of printers like the MG8120.

If this is the case, then possibly the OEM driver is able to recognise a non Canon ICC and then lower the output resolution from within the driver. Or is it a "bug" within the drivers of two different printers. On Epson, you get the warning that non OEM carts will produce lower quality and Canon forces the issue?

When an OEM ICC is used by the driver, the grain is much less on both the MG5420 and MG6320. As soon as you profile the mentioned printers and use a third party profile, the grain shoots up as it it belonged to printers dating back 15 years. So in as much as you can get correct color, the Image Quality is far worse grain wise.

The profiles are created by Argyll. I cannot see the cause as the profile itself as the same system will create grain free images on other printers. So either the current small desktop printers have gone way BACK in Image Quality or it is doing something strange by design. On paper, these new printers appear well spec'd.

Maybe Canon discovered that the desktop printers were poaching too much on the larger photo printers and they wanted to force a visual quality difference. I am 100% sure that the 225/226 printers have higher output quality. No 100% conclusion yet as to the exact cause.....whether it is third party ICC thing or whether it is simply a lower performing printer.

Let's really remember this. In the past, the smaller desktops like the MG6120 and 8120 could easily take on the larger Pro9000 in IQ and come out standing. Remember that when the MP980 ( predecessors to the 8120 etc) was first introduced, its gamut was actually higher than the more expensive Pro9000. So back then you had smaller desktops potentially keeping up with printers costing much more. It appears not so anymore. If you want serious high quality grain free images, you must acquire a dedicated photo printer like the larger Pro-100 etc.. Admittedly the cost of the newer small desktops have actually come down in real costs relative to printers like the MP990 dating back 4-5 years.
 
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Smile

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The whole MG series compared to MP series is cheap built and therefore your findings only show that this is true. New printer doesn't mean better. This has been true like forever, or should I be more specific well since Pixma 6700D 1pl 6ink DYE printer.

Since then CANON only makes worse and worse printers for A4. Sure you can get Pro series but only if you need the added expense of additional colors or you need bigger gamut.
 

mikling

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It turns out that there is a error in the print driver on BOTH printers across geenrations of drivers!. Std settings produces higher quality resolutions than High settings. 251stdcomp.jpg

Or is it a "bug" within the drivers of two different printers. On Epson, you get the warning that non OEM carts will produce lower quality and Canon forces the issue?
 

Ink stained Fingers

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There is only one way to use a third party icm-profile, you activate that profile in that application software you are using to print to that Canon printer, in the Canon driver settings the ICM option is disabled.

There a two ways to use the Canon genuine icm-profiles - you activate the ICM -option in the driver, and the driver picks the appropriate icm-profile (Canon) depending on your paper selection

or you go with the first option, keep ICM deaktivated in the driver, and use the Canon icm-profile in the color mgmt settings of your software you are printing with

I'm not addressing the 3rd option to aktivate an ICM Color profile in the Color Mgmt Windows printer option settings, that's too inflexible in case you change papers and driver settings frequently.

Does it make a difference with the print quality whether the Canon ICM profile is aktivated via the driver or in the print software ?
 

mikling

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Both ways have the bug or error. In fact three ways with the MG6320. It is likely a software module that Canon has used in developing all drivers for this model has been used and carries the same issue. Choose High and you get Standard and vice versa it might involve only when certain paper settings are used (PPPGII) as I did not notice this when plain paper is used. What exactly the details are, the driver do does odd things with chosen resolutions!
 

The Hat

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Why not use plain paper settings on high quality with the relevant ICC glossy profile.

That should fool the buggers..
 

CakeHole

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An interesting find there @mikling i wonder if there are any other Canon ranges that have similar potential issues.
 

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I wonder what has happened to Canon software quality control, it's not a small company and they did not even test this thing ???

I remember when it all started back in, well I don't remember. But the fist company I know that releases next year software this year is Autodesk. Yes that crazy uber expensive software company. Since then everyone is crazy on having latest software only to see that software version is the same as the current year number.
 

CakeHole

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I wonder what has happened to Canon software quality control, it's not a small company and they did not even test this thing ???

I remember when it all started back in, well I don't remember. But the fist company I know that releases next year software this year is Autodesk. Yes that crazy uber expensive software company. Since then everyone is crazy on having latest software only to see that software version is the same as the current year number.

Drivers from all the manufacturers are poor IMO on anything but a windows system, even IOS and Android apps from some are better than their MAC and Linux software/drivers so this issue does not shock me at all.
 

Roy Sletcher

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Drivers from all the manufacturers are poor IMO on anything but a windows system, even IOS and Android apps from some are better than their MAC and Linux software/drivers so this issue does not shock me at all.

I am already out of my depth in this discussion, but surely the problems we are discussing is why at the pro and commercial user level, print-makers are willing to spend the big bucks for the power and control afforded by RIP's.

With all that of course is an additional level of complexity way beyond what most of us are doing with our Micky Mouse Canon or Epson print drivers.


RS
By the way there is nothing Micky Mouse about Micky Mouse - look what Disney did with the concept!
 
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