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.
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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