Help with Canon color output

[dvdit]

I use IS refill ink instead of Canon OEM ink, but I cannot tell the difference. I use Sihl glossy photo paper and choose Photo Paper Pro setting for photos. The results with the Sihl paper are also good.

Can those IS refill ink can be found in the US. Any other recommended ink for US consumers ? I will be going G&G ink since Canon OEM are very expensive but I don't know about the ink longevity. My other consideration was Precision ink.

 

[dvdit]

Here is a thread is about a problem similar to yours: http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=7471&p=1 . The solution in that case was to uninstall and reinstall the printer driver and software, see post # 12. So I think the most relevant test now is to install the printer on one of the other computers.

Thanks, I will try that now.

 

[dvdit]

Uninstalling and reinstalling the driver did not make any difference. Tried it on another computer, same thing. Don't know where to go from here.

 

[msmart]

...Can those IS refill ink can be found in the US. Any other recommended ink for US consumers ?...

I'm getting ready to re-order ink from here: http://stores.ebay.com/PrecisionColors

I can't speak to the G&G ink but Image Specialists ink from Precision Colors is highly recommended here. Be sure to buy the correct type for each printer as they vary slightly.

 

[lin]

dvdit, you most likely to have an electrical problem for your printhead which causes the color variance.

At post #1, you mentioned that you have even tried using "OEM Canon ink" and "OEM Canon glossy photo paper" which still give you the color off problem. You also mentioned that you soaked your printhead with windex solution. You might have caused the electric failure for your printhead when you are not careful during the cleaning process.

At post #3, you mentioned that "All nozzel check perfectly clean. No missing band.". Just because you see nozzles printing out color doesn't mean it's all clear/perfect printhead. You have to look at the color tone of the nozzle check printhead as well.

Now look at this example of nozzle check (not your printer model but just as a reference). If you notice the 3rd row cyan and 5th row magenta, the color of these nozzles are far more lighter than it should be. While the generally 3rd and 5th row usually produce the lighter cyan & magenta color for the nozzles check print, but it should not be so light in color. This is a typical electrical failure for printhead which most users are unable to recognize. Basically the printhead is not sending signal for those certain group of nozzles to dispense ink. As such, it always good for user to keep a copy of their nozzle check print after they had bought a new printer to compare the result when they had problem with their printhead.

 

[lin]

At post #23, you have mentioned that uninstalling & reinstalling doesn't help to overcome your color variance.

Electrical failure for printhead is causing the color variance for your case.
Referring to your #12, you mentioned that the color variance showed up during photo printing and color looks more or less alright on plain paper setting. The reason is because canon print mode for plain paper doesn't uses the group of nozzles that is printing the lighter part of cyan and magenta unlike when selecting photo paper media. Note I am not referring to LC or LM photo cartridges. But rather the group of cyan & magenta nozzles that dispense ink lighter to produce the lighter cyan & magena tone.

Though this print mode from service manual is not for your printer model, but generally they are quite the similar. During photo paper mode it uses C/M/Y/c/m/k, while during plain paper mode, it uses PigBk/C/M/Y.

Click to enlarge

 

[dvdit]

dvdit, you most likely to have an electrical problem for your printhead which causes the color variance.

At post #1, you mentioned that you have even tried using "OEM Canon ink" and "OEM Canon glossy photo paper" which still give you the color off problem. You also mentioned that you soaked your printhead with windex solution. You might have caused the electric failure for your printhead when you are not careful during the cleaning process.

At post #3, you mentioned that "All nozzel check perfectly clean. No missing band.". Just because you see nozzles printing out color doesn't mean it's all clear/perfect printhead. You have to look at the color tone of the nozzle check printhead as well.

Now look at this example of nozzle check (not your printer model but just as a reference). If you notice the 3rd row cyan and 5th row magenta, the color of these nozzles are far more lighter than it should be. While the generally 3rd and 5th row usually produce the lighter cyan & magenta color for the nozzles check print, but it should not be so light in color. This is a typical electrical failure for printhead which most users are unable to recognize. Basically the printhead is not sending signal for those certain group of nozzles to dispense ink. As such, it always good for user to keep a copy of their nozzle check print after they had bought a new printer to compare the result when they had problem with their printhead.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7204/6950753637_8a9d724c75_z.jpg

Yes, I had a clogging issue with ip5200 which I was able to resolve completely. Besides I am having issues not only with ip5200 but with my second printer ip4700. The nozzel check issue are perfect with a perfectly smooth surface on the ip4700 with correct color tones and and almost as smooth on the ip5200 as well as far as I can tell.

Now the latest development: at the suggestion of PeterBJ, uninstalling and reinstalling using Canon own uninstaller didn't work so I gave Revo uninstaller a go. I deleted all Canon ip5200 registry entry and installed the driver again. I then printed the test image from PrinterEvaluationImage using the default Canon setting and choosing only the paper type, all the red cast are now gone and the picture look beautiful. The only remaining issue now is the color introduction on greyscale patter test print. I stlll get that brownish tint when I print the test page. I will print a few more over the next few days and if I can't see any color abnormality on the printout, I am not going to fuss over the greyscale pattern any longer. I wonder if the greyscale color issue is caused by the G&G ink. Since I am now all out of Canon OEM ink, I will never know. Now last but not least, can I use the same type of IS ink from Precision on both ip5200 & ip4700 ? Still reading up on preferred filling method with the least amount of leak and mess.

I must say, I am a member at many forums but this forum has the most supportive members. You guys rock!! Thank you so much!!!

 

[dvdit]

At post #23, you have mentioned that uninstalling & reinstalling doesn't help to overcome your color variance.

Electrical failure for printhead is causing the color variance for your case.
Referring to your #12, you mentioned that the color variance showed up during photo printing and color looks more or less alright on plain paper setting. The reason is because canon print mode for plain paper doesn't uses the group of nozzles that is printing the lighter part of cyan and magenta unlike when selecting photo paper media. Note I am not referring to LC or LM photo cartridges. But rather the group of cyan & magenta nozzles that dispense ink lighter to produce the lighter cyan & magena tone.

Though this print mode from service manual is not for your printer model, but generally they are quite the similar. During photo paper mode it uses C/M/Y/c/m/k, while during plain paper mode, it uses PigBk/C/M/Y.

Click to enlarge
[url]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7057/6950821659_7a61cf45a6_z.jpg[/url]

I learn something new everyday. I will keep this as a reference for the future . Thank you.

 

[Grandad35]

Since the printers have turned out to be OK, you may be able to find a magic set of color adjustments in the driver that modifies the ink laydown to improve the grayscale printing. This is much more difficult than it sounds and most people who want accurate color end up using custom printer profiles:
http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=625#p625

 

[dvdit]

Since the printers have turned out to be OK, you may be able to find a magic set of color adjustments in the driver that modifies the ink laydown to improve the grayscale printing. This is much more difficult than it sounds and most people who want accurate color end up using custom printer profiles:
http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=625#p625

I saw that post earlier and I did try many of the profiles I downloaded form the net and none of them worked. I haven't tried any since the issue was corrected so I will try some of them later. Since a clean install did seem to resolve the issue I am thinking maybe I inadvertently did change something somewhere. I am still going to try as many profile as I can. If all fails at least I now know how to get back to square one.