Pro 100 prints too dark

I just got a Pro 100 this week to use when I don't want to unload a roll on my iPF6000 to print smaller single sheets. My pro 100 prints are significantly too dark

I have a NEC PA301WSV (with calibration), and my iPF6300 prints match my NEC screen extremely well. But the Pro 100 prints are way too dark. I'm using the XPS driver with color management turned off and the appropriate paper profiles (just like I do with my iPF6300). I normally print with QImage, but I've tired printing from Photoshop and that doesn't help.

I've tried Canon gloss and Semi gloss, and Red River Gloss and Metallic, with the appropriate paper profiles. Weird thing is that although the prints are too dark overall, some parts are actually too light, as in the crops of the Rolex logo in the attached pic. (Pro 100 on left).

I have an old Canon i9900 and I didn't really have much trouble with dark prints from it.

Anyone have any suggestions or ideas what I'm doing wrong?

I'm confused -- what are we looking at here? What are the bright streaks we see?

tonylong wrote in post #16776185
I'm confused -- what are we looking at here? What are the bright streaks we see?

Thanks for the reply. This is driving me crazy...

Bright streaks are reflection from the light illuminating the prints.

Pro 100 prints on left. iPF6300 prints on the right.

Is the Pro 100 automatically applying some adjustments before printing?

At first glance this looks like a color management issue, they aren't just dark, but very cool/blue. If every other printer is spot on, it may be an actual issue with the printer, something requiring a re-calibration of the hardware/firmware at the factory.

If you cant get the 100 to print like your other printers, is consider contacting canon customer service. Your printers interpretation of profiles may be out of spec.

looks like it put a blue tint on your white balance

NatDeroxL7 wrote in post #16776368
At first glance this looks like a color management issue, they aren't just dark, but very cool/blue. If every other printer is spot on, it may be an actual issue with the printer, something requiring a re-calibration of the hardware/firmware at the factory.

If you cant get the 100 to print like your other printers, is consider contacting canon customer service. Your printers interpretation of profiles may be out of spec.

Thanks for the replies.

I agree. Weird thing is that depending on the content, some prints don't look too bad.

Attached are my print settings;

I'm printing TIFF's. Could that be the problem?

KatManDEW wrote in post #16776455
I'm printing TIFF's. Could that be the problem?

Nope.

Looks like a color management issue to me too (luminescent greens, some prints looking OK). Could be as annoying as the print profiles the paper manufacturer made for that printer are not good - but if it is all Canon you'd expect them to be OK. I can't read the printer profile you are using - is it specific to the paper or a general gloss profile?

Unless it is getting confused between sRGB and aRGB somehow, but that should be handled automatically and the same with both printers.

Or as someone mentioned a problem with the printer. I would try a 3rd party paper with specific profiles for both printers and see if they look the same.

When you calibrated your monitor what's your target luminance? It may be too high.

Bob_A wrote in post #16776568
When you calibrated your monitor what's your target luminance? It may be too high.

140 cd/m2. Matches my iPF 6300 excellent.

Dude I see you are using the windows version on PS, and yes that is a pain, you just have get find the right profile ICC for that printer and paper you are using, but once you get it set up right, it will be fine.

My PRO 100 is spot on with Canon papers and profiles using Lightroom. With Red River papers and profiles in Lightroom's print module, I usually get the best results by using +10 brightness setting in the "print adjustment" window but that is a consistent adjustment.

Having said that, I do not see "too dark" in the samples you posted but I do see a color shift. I think contacting Canon may be a good idea. The PRO100 is a very good printer and should give predictable results.

KatManDEW wrote in post #16776573
140 cd/m2. Matches my iPF 6300 excellent.

Way too bright unless the room you edit in is lit like a sunny day (which certainly can be your preference) You typically would be between 80 to 110 IMO if you follow NEC's recommendation for room brightness in lumens.

As others have mentioned there is a noticeable color shift/saturation and contrast difference between the images you posted which also needs to be sorted since it's probably adding to the high density look of the Pro 100 images. If you have PS set to manage colors it sounds like something may be set wrong in the Canon printer driver (sorry, but the screen prints you gave are illegible on my old iPad).

Do you soft proof to the paper profile you are going to use? You mention that you print TIFFs. What colorspace are you using?

Agree with Bob, but considering the blue shift I'd also investigate the possibility of a clogged yellow nozzle.