color very dim on my Canon MP240

[ghwellsjr]

You're right, it does appear that something in the settings has changed.

What happens if you print without the hookup to your Mac? For example, if you copy a photo? Or if you connect a camera directly to the printer?

If it's only when connected to the Mac, then I don't know if the Mac version of drivers is significantly different than the Windows version that might account for the problem but I would suggest that you find a friend with a PC, maybe a laptop, that will let you install the drivers on it to see if that makes a difference. Or you could just uninstall the drivers on your Mac and reinstall them. I'm assuming that the uninstall/install works on a Mac like it does on a PC.

 

[jaybee3x3]

After more experimenting (and using about a third of my new ink cartridge) here is what I have found: If I print on plain paper, 8.5 x 11, with plain-paper settings, I get correct color. If I print on either photo or regular paper, 4 x 6, I get the weak, pastel color. The same is true, whether the picture is printed from within iPhoto or not. (I even tried downloading a photo directly from the camera, not using iPhoto in any way and got the pale color when I printed the 4 x 6 size.)

The problem seems to be connected to the 4 x 6 size; iPhoto is not the problem. In every case I am using the regular "photo" preset in the print dialog box. I am at a complete loss to understand this???

 

[ghwellsjr]

When you say "regular" paper, do you mean "plain" paper?

Are you saying that whenever you print to 4 x 6 you get the pastel color but any other size, no matter what the paper is OK?

What happens if you print to 6 x 4?

What happens if you copy a 4 x 6 image to 4 x 6?

Your photo preset is not set to fast or draft quality, is it? On the Windows dialog box there is a Default button on the Main tab, have you tried hitting that button?

 

[jaybee3x3]

Yes, when I say "regular" paper, I mean "plain" paper.

Yes, when I print 4 x 6 I get dim colors. Other sizes are ok.

I don't have a preset for 6 x 4, but when I asked for that size (custom) I got dim color and it was printed in the same orientation as normal 4 x 6.

I saved a copy of a photo as 4 x 6, then pasted it into a word processor and printed it. I got good color, but there was no option in the word processor print dialog for 4 x 6, so although the image was 4 x 6, the printer just considered it a portion of a letter size page.

I am on a Mac. The only default button I know about is in my "System Preferences" where I can set which of my two printers is the default printer. (My B & W printer is set as the default, so each time i print color, I have to select the Canon on the drop-down tab.

 

[ghwellsjr]

When you go to Properties or Preferences or something like that after you tell you application you want to print but before it starts printing, don't you see a dialog box with half a dozen or more tabs in it? And isn't one of them labeled Main?

 

[The Hat]

jaybee3x3

I answered the question on how to select print preferences on the Mac for mobrenjam on another thread earlier..
http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=6099

 

[jaybee3x3]

Okay, apparently I have solved at least a part of my problem. I have been printing borderless 4 x 6's and getting the dim color. After reading some of The Hat's explanations in his link, I tried printing with borders. Voila! Bright color! Just to be sure I went back to the borderless setting and got the old dim color. So apparently the borderless setting is the problem.

What I don't understand is, why, before replacing the cartridge, I got good bright color using the borderless setting. The only possibility I can see is that the old cartridge was C211 and the new is C211xl. I thought the xl just meant larger capacity, but maybe I was wrong. Although at one point I re-installed the old cartridge and still got the dim colors. ???

Anyway, I guess I'm okay for now. Many thanks for your help. I guess if I want borderless prints, I'll have to get out my old paper cutter.

 

[officeinks]

My printer was printing photos beautifully, then suddenly I got wide streaks. I replaced the cartridge (CL211xl) and when I printed everything came out a pale pastel. Thinking the cartridge might be defective, I got another cartridge. Same result. I even reinstalled the old cartridge. Same result. The nozzle check shows no clogged nozzles. I assume something has happened in the settings, but I have have no clue. The online manual recommends setting it to "vivid color." I did that; no change.

Any suggestions? (I'm on a Mac, if that matters.)

Once you should buy Compatible Cartridge from genuine shop. Before purchasing of cartridge you need to check series of your printer and the cartridge you supposed to purchase.