Printing problem

I'm trying to print the following image on a PIXMA 9500 II. I don't have a calibrated monitor, so I don't expect the colors to match exactly, but usually with a bit of tweaking I can get something close.

In this case though, the printer doesn't seem to be able to handle the subtle tonal changes at all and not only does the color seem off, but it's just 'bad'.

I've tried a number of things, including 2 different papers, various profiles including the proper and improper profiles, sRGB, aRGB, but they all have some problem.

Is this just some hue (edit - I meant hue, not tone) range that I'm going to have problems printing with this (or any) printer, or is my color profiling just off?

So here is what I'm trying to print:

new printer?

This is a photo of a small print (hence you can see the paper texture) using Moab Satine. You can see that there is little tonal variation in the flower and no discrimination of the bottom of the flower.

This could look OK in a larger print, but it is not going to have anything like the impact of the original.

This is my attempt printing on Cannon Matte paper. Here I have much more hue contrast, but what's up with the sudden color change?

twoshadows wrote in post #15166180
new printer?

That was quick, I was just adding the prints.

No, not new. I've made a lot of prints I'm very happy with. I've occasionally had to tweak the blue or green saturation, but not much more. I have had shot that just didn't print well and others that look much better in print than on a monitor, but I think that's just normal - different media always look a bit different.

However, I have noticed monitors having problems with colors around this hue - e.g. it can look very different on different monitors (the color of the 'dory' fish in Nemo springs to mind).

I was hoping that since this image looked OK on various monitors the printer would deal with it OK.

did you try soft proofing? something is way off...

twoshadows wrote in post #15166219
did you try soft proofing? something is way off...

Yes, as well as actually saving the file as sRGB, aRGB and trying the different methods of dealing with out of gamut colors (Perceptual vs. whatever..).

The color changes a little depending on the working space and output space, but nothing like the changes I see in print.

The other thing I just noticed is that the result is much more dependent on the print profile than the paper. In other words if I use the matte profile for the Moab paper, it looks like the matte profile on the matte paper.

Freaking color profiles!

OK, I've been messing with this and got something better - enough so that I think the printer can print this if I sort out the color profile/media type combination.

One question, when I print from DPP it asks for a 'Media type' as well as the printer profile. Why does it need this? Surely that is really part of the print profile?

Normally Ive just selected semi-gloss for the Moab paper and it's been fine. With this image though, if I select 'Fine art premium matte' it comes out much, much better. At least something I can work with adjusting colors and contrast in PP.

Yeah, media type is essential. It tells the printer things like paper thickness, porosity, etc. I believe that if you go to Moab's site you'll find the proper media settings for your paper/printer combos.

Assuming ink & nozzles are okay: Screenshot of the PS print dialog that produced the above print please?

twoshadows wrote in post #15166449
Yeah, media type is essential. It tells the printer things like paper thickness, porosity, etc. I believe that if you go to Moab's site you'll find the proper media settings for your paper/printer combos.

I didn't realize it, but it does say "Media Type: Premium Photo Paper Semi Gloss", which is what I have been using and what I initially used for this print attempt.

René Damkot wrote in post #15166821
Assuming ink & nozzles are okay: Screenshot of the PS print dialog that produced the above print please?

I was using DPP since I don't have PS. I also tried Elements8, it gave exactly the same results. I can certainly post a screenshot of those though, along with the other settings when I get back to my PC at home.

OK, screen shot of the DPP final print job, and a photo of the final print I was able to achieve. Quite different from the original - maybe better in the end, I kind of like it although the photo of the print doesn't do it justice. Note there is a bit of reflection for those looking too closely.

The above 'bad' prints were made with the same settings except using a different paper size and the "Media Type: Premium Photo Paper Semi Gloss" as Moab recommends for this profile and what I normally use.

On a side note, what I really like is the fact that I used ISO3200 to get a fast enough shutter speed because of the slight movement and with some selective NR, it looks darn decent at 12x16 (from 18in or greater) . And I couldn't really ETTR too much for fear of blowing the highlights.

Very odd that you were seeing that sort of colour shift.

The only time I have seen it is when I used some HP paper in a printer that I was unfamiliar with and put the paper into the cassette the wrong way around and ended up printed on the reverse side!!

The printer/paper combination certainly misses out a bit in the darker blues/violets.

This is the plot comparing it to sRGB (sRBG being shown in colour, the Satine profile in the grey shaded area)

I'd say a cartridge isn't printing or misplaced.
Just switching "paper type" should not make such a difference as seen in this print vs the previous ones.

Not quite the same problem I've been having with my Epso R2880, but not too far off either.

My solution, dint of a lot of trying different things but without any hope of success came from using "Same as Source" in the profile drop down as shown.