Color cast problem w/ S9000

[stuartf287]

I recently bought an EOS 10D and have run into a problem printing my photos using a Canon S9000 BJ printer. After viewing and editing the RAW files and saving as .tif, I have tried to print using the highest quality available on the printer. All of my prints come out with a strong magenta cast, even though they look fine on the screen. I have not calibrated my monitor or printer, but I don't think the problem is due to calibration errors. When I print the same shots on plain paper, standard or draft quality, the colors come out fine. The magenta cast shows up only at high quality, using Canon Pro Photo paper or glossy photo paper. I even went online and downloaded new printer drivers from the Canon website, and re-installed the printer for Windows XP, and the prints still come out magenta. I have been running through magenta ink cartridges like crazy. Does anyone have any ideas that might help?

[Longwatcher]

Only because nobody else has responded...

I suspect it is a color calibration problem. This is primarily because you state that you are running through Magenta cartridges like crazy, but only in certain print modes.

If you are running out of photo magenta versus regular magenta, then this is highly likely as you are not likely to use much photo magenta in regular paper prints. You may need to have a different calibration for photo prints then plain paper prints.

If you were getting Cyan cast on the prints and not running through Magenta, then I would probably blame the paper.

See
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=7345
for some discussion on results of different paper with Canon OEM INK.

One last note: I was using up more Magenta then any other color when I first got my printer, but then it slowed down (relative to other colors); no idea why, but also may have something to do with it. However, I did not have noticeable magenta cast in my prints, only cyan or green.

In hopes it helps a bit.

[stuartf287]

Thanks much. I was wondering whether anyone would take on this issue. I may have discovered the problem, but unfortunately without resolving it as yet. I ran the S9000's maintenance routines and found that it was simply not printing anything in cyan (photo cyan is ok, but not the regular cyan). Apparently this is why my prints looked magenta -- the cyan layer just wasn't there. Even though I have run the cleaning and deep-cleaning printer routines several times I still can't get the regular cyan nozzle to print consistently. It comes out spotty, and some of the photos I have tried to print look good in the first 1/5 to 1/3 of the print, and then the cyan goes out and the magenta cast returns. Then I successfully printed several shots using the "regular paper" setting but actually printing on glossy photo paper. I don't have any idea why this works, unless maybe this setting uses a different source for the cyan layer (photo cyan?). The printer may be due for a visit to the repair shop if I can find a good one.

[boyhowdy]

If you've owned your S9000 for less than a year, call Canon. I had a problem with mine not printing all the patterns in the test mode and finally called Canon. They ended up sending me out a new print head since the printer was not a year old yet. I have noticed that my Canon 10D pictures are washed out, yet my Minolta Dimage7hi pictures were beautiful. I am not sure if it is the print head again. I have purchased new cartridges, ran through many in fact doing the cleaning cycles, and reinstalled the most current drivers and still I get the same washed out colors!

If it is less than a year...call Canon!!!

Patrick

[Frances Day]

Did you get any further with this problem? I'm having exactly the same problem immediately after replacing a Photo Magenta cartridge. Before that everything was OK, but now even my greyscale images have a faint magenta cast. I am following up your tip about maybe not printing cyan, but I really need some more info on this one.

[ChrisSearle]

And I'm having EXACTLY the same problem and cannot resolve it.... Anybody got any more ideas?

[marc985]

Having the SAME exact problem with a Canon Pixma IP6000d....prints magenta from my desktop with glossy paper selected and or high quality print...

Prints fine from the laptop though....weiiiird...I spent a lot of time on the phone with canon customer support...they're pretty clueless...finding excuses to blame other issues...sounds like some kind of software issue to me...of course they're clueless about that stuff...I say this because my nozzle check prints fine...so canon says theres nothing wrong with the printer....well there obviously something wrong with the photo paper and high quality print options....

[PhotosGuy]

You might try these test files at the bottom of:
http://www.gballard.net/psd/srgbforwww.html