Luminous Landscape Forum
Raw & Post Processing, Printing => Printing: Printers, Papers and Inks => Topic started by: bhuddleston on January 26, 2011, 01:05:32 pm
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I am hoping I can get some help with a problem I am having with my Epson 9900. I have had this machine since October of 2009 and I have always used Epson brand ink and paper. In the past I have been able to print beautiful photographs without a single problem. As of this month they have been printing like this...
Original Image
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Blokrz-SDSU/SnsZAWINxmI/AAAAAAAAKxU/qLoTcuNX7ig/s576/DSC_0225.JPG)
Bad Image
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Blokrz-SDSU/TUBgnhBQ4II/AAAAAAAAXWo/khA563rZ9ck/s576/bad%20print.jpg)
I hope you can see the difference between the two. I have seen a similar "look" when an inkjet printed on paper specific for a laser printer, but this machine has never done this before and I have tried everything i can think of, im going nuts!
I can print the same thing on matte paper and it look okay. I have tried several different rolls of photo paper and they all look the same.
I told the print driver that it was matte paper, left the glossy in and switched to matte black and it looked okay. Although you can tell it is matte black on glossy. I have also tried changing to a different profile, still the same output.
I have cleaned and done nozzle checks several times, I cant tell anything is wrong from that, it looks fine.
I hope all of this makes sense to someone. I will take any help/suggestions I can get.
thanks
b
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Just a quick question...are you 100% sure that the paper is loaded correctly with the coated surface being printed on? what paper are you using?
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Yes it is the coated side, because the back side says Epson all over it :) I am using the Epson Premium Photo Glossy 170.
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Similar problem several years ago...caused by a glitch in an update to Photoshop CS 3 that was corrected in a couple of weeks. You are using a newer version of PS?
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I am using CS5 but have been for quite a while so not sure if that would be the problem or not. I also tried printing from powerpoint with the same photos and it did the same thing.
thanks for the responses so far, i just know the answer is out there :)
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Two things:
1. Do a nozzle check. How does it look?
2. Are you sure you have set to PhotoBlack?
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1. yes, done several of those, looks great as far as i can tell, no skips or anything.
2. yes
:(
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When you soft proof in CS5 is the bad print what you see? Try copying the file to a new CS5 file and printing.
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Can you confirm *EVERY* setting and step when printing from CS5, please? Both in CS5 and the driver? Screen shots would be great.
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When you soft proof in CS5 is the bad print what you see? Try copying the file to a new CS5 file and printing.
the bad print above is a scan of what actually printed
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So, it does not look like that when you soft proof in Photoshop? I think I would try another luster or gloss paper, just to make sure it isn't the inkjet coating on the paper. It almost looks like when a print solarizes.
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So, it does not look like that when you soft proof in Photoshop? I think I would try another luster or gloss paper, just to make sure it isn't the inkjet coating on the paper. It almost looks like when a print solarizes.
No it always looks great on like a laser printer and just in photoshop itself. I have tried two other photo papers and get the same thing.
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can you try another computer, looks like a driver issue
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can you try another computer, looks like a driver issue
Did that and didnt make a difference :( still terrible print.
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Really still need to know your complete workflow through PS and the driver in order to see if something is going wrong.
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Have you ran any maintenance tests? it looks like one of the channels is not firing and is lacking a color.
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Okay, here goes, sorry for the big screen shots but i think they are too hard to see if they aren't big :) so I am using PS CS5.
Open my photo, go to print, select my epson 9900, go to settings
Choose Premium Photo Glossy 170 - which is the roll I have installed.
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Blokrz-SDSU/TUMp8lUkfbI/AAAAAAAAXXg/qCY6gnMy0bc/Picture1.png)
I chose the quality, although I have checked them all and knocked it up to a 4 (didnt make a difference)
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Blokrz-SDSU/TUMp8j-K63I/AAAAAAAAXXk/usGpeAZ5pjo/Picture2.png)
I do not change the paper configuration since this is the default for this type of paper, or is suppose to be anyway.
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Blokrz-SDSU/TUMp87PGRFI/AAAAAAAAXXo/hFb5vE-K1Is/s576/Picture3.png)
Of course i tell it what size roll and what size document (didn't think pictures were needed for this)
then this is back to my print box in photoshop
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Blokrz-SDSU/TUMp9ErO9hI/AAAAAAAAXXw/iYE-ZcfVgq8/s912/Picture5.png)
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Kevin that is exactly what I am thinking. I have done several nozzle checks, regular cleanings, a power cleaning. Now if there is some secret maintenance thing I am all ears lol.
thanks
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Hello,
In the Epson driver you choose Premium Photo Glossy 170 but then in the Photoshop dialog you have selected "Epson Stylus Pro Archivalmatte paper" in the printer profile. This does not look right
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yea sorry that was just in this screen shot, I have had it set on the photo 170 and have also tried several others with no luck.
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Have you tried printing with black point compensation on?
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No I have not, but before this problem started I never had to turn it on for the prints to be correct.
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At this point it may not hurt to try. I print with it on and so do most of my clients.
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yea I will give it a try, thanks :)
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Basically, always leave BPC on.
What are the colour settings you're using in the driver? You want them off, otherwise it will double profile.
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I have tried with it off and set to the other options and it doesnt help :(
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I have also tried telling photoshop to let the printer manage colors and go that way but no difference
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When you print a nozzle test pattern, are all 10 inks printing? Maybe the far left or far right is not printing altogether and the 9 others are just fine, giving the illusion that all is good...
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When you print a nozzle test pattern, are all 10 inks printing? Maybe the far left or far right is not printing altogether and the 9 others are just fine, giving the illusion that all is good...
WOW okay I just figured out the problem after this response. I went back and checked the most recent nozzle test (and actually counted) I noticed that two of them looked very similar in color. I opened my door to find that I have not a light black and light light black but both are light light black. I absolutely cannot believe I have done this and not noticed it. Story of my life lol.
Thanks you so much for all the responses and advice. I really really appreciate it all. I will also keep in mind to keep my BPC on too :)
thanks again
bobbie
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Glad you found the answer, but I'm surprised the printer didn't refuse to recognize the incorrect cart.
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It shouldn't be possible - the cartridges are keyed differently, quite apart from the electronic recognition via the chips. If you're using genuine Epson cartridges, I'd be calling them.
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WOW okay I just figured out the problem after this response. I went back and checked the most recent nozzle test (and actually counted) I noticed that two of them looked very similar in color. I opened my door to find that I have not a light black and light light black but both are light light black. I absolutely cannot believe I have done this and not noticed it. Story of my life lol.
Thanks you so much for all the responses and advice. I really really appreciate it all. I will also keep in mind to keep my BPC on too :)
thanks again
bobbie
Gee that's a bit weird because you said that everything was perfect when you printed on matte paper. Does that mean that the light black does not have such an influence on the colour in a matte print as it does in a photo black print?
Julie
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Not saying you cannot force them in the wrong slot but highly unlikely. I tried putting the wrong cart in the wrong slot with my 7900 and 9900 and both will not take the improper cart.
Did you possibly find something else? Maybe added a Color Efex Pro filter by mistake? :'(
In all seriousness ,very strange.
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Fast way to figure this out is to pull the two carts and look at the keying at the bottom of the cart and see if the tab is the same or has busted off the cart. If you have the old cart, compare the one in the wrong slot with the one that is working.
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Well I thought the same thing, that it would have refused it, I am running some prints today to see if anything changes with a new cartridge in the slot. The only thing I use is Epson ink, no other.
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actually julie this go around I printed some stuff on matte that ended up not doing right. I think that whatever I had printed when it did this before was different or something, I honestly don't know anymore lol.
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well apparently the cleaning staff has tossed my cartridge :( so I cannot compared it with another.
Another thing I wonder is how long will it take for the "old" ink to get used up, the tubes are fairly long and I am not sure how much is actually stored in the tube itself. Any Ideas?
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Not saying you cannot force them in the wrong slot but highly unlikely. I tried putting the wrong cart in the wrong slot with my 7900 and 9900 and both will not take the improper cart.
Did you possibly find something else? Maybe added a Color Efex Pro filter by mistake? :'(
In all seriousness ,very strange.
I agree it is very strange and I am still not so sure it was the problem. I put in a brand new light black cart and have run several color and b/w prints and they still aren't looking right. Going back to my statement above though, I am not sure about the ink process, how long or if the ink has to run through the tube before it is pulling from the new cartridge. (wow did that make sense)
No filters are used just the original shot, straight off the camera. I have not even doctored the one posted above.
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okay so this is a bit of interesting info. I have been speaking with Epson person and the hardware tech that she spoke with said this...
since i had the light light black in the light black spot the printer now thinks that it should be printing light light black. So that is good to know, now the epson lady that i am speaking to and myself (along with several of you) thought that it should tell me that the wrong cart was in that place. According to the epson hardware tech that is not so... just wanted to let you all know what is being said.
I will keep updating :)
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Going back to my statement above though, I am not sure about the ink process, how long or if the ink has to run through the tube before it is pulling from the new cartridge. (wow did that make sense)
Initial line charging on a new printer requires between 30-40% of the 110ML cart. So, while I can't tell you how much ink is in the line currently, it'll be a lot to get through in order to get back to normal.
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The tech you spoke to is wrong. At best it hasn't recognised and doesn't care because it's relying on the keying to prevent wrong cartridges - it most certainly has not reconfigured to use LLK from the LK channel.
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The tech you spoke to is wrong. At best it hasn't recognised and doesn't care because it's relying on the keying to prevent wrong cartridges - it most certainly has not reconfigured to use LLK from the LK channel.
I agree with you, I wish I knew how to fix this thing without having to pay for them to come fix it, ugh.
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Have you tried letting printer manage color instead of letting photoshop handle the colors?
select PPGP170 and use color options on the printer, set to sRGB and gamma 1.8.
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Have you tried letting printer manage color instead of letting photoshop handle the colors?
select PPGP170 and use color options on the printer, set to sRGB and gamma 1.8.
Yes I have tried that a couple times actually. We are pretty sure now that the light light black is just still running in the light black tube.
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sheesh. this has to be quite the screwup on epson's part.
if it's not an ink batch problem, you might want to get the whole thing replaced.
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It sounds like the wrong ink was forced into the wrong slot and will now need to wait until that ink has been replaced in the lines/damper with the new ink before the problem is solved.
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It sounds like the wrong ink was forced into the wrong slot and will now need to wait until that ink has been replaced in the lines/damper with the new ink before the problem is solved.
I agree with exception of the forced part, all I did was put the cartridge in and it worked. Never gave me an error or anything like that, just an honest mistake. Someone from Epson called me today and said that the whole line will have to be cleaned and a new print head put in, etc....
I really think that once this wrong ink is run though and the correct comes in it will be okay, but that is my opinion, i would think that it would be giving me nozzle errors or something if it was really messed up. Of course I am not an Epson tech either but I also know that they want to make money off people that have no warranty too :)
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This does not appear to be Epson's fault - other than clueless Tech Support staff - it is operator error. I believe when the wrong ink has been pushed out, things will be back to normal. If it was a strong color like Magenta or Cyan, you could have a more serious problem.
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This does not appear to be Epson's fault - other than clueless Tech Support staff - it is operator error. I believe when the wrong ink has been pushed out, things will be back to normal. If it was a strong color like Magenta or Cyan, you could have a more serious problem.
Thank you, yes it was totally my fault. I still think that the machine should tell you that you have the wrong cart and not accept it or something, isnt that what those chips on the carts are for?
Anyway I am going to run some more items with lots of "gray" tons and see if i can get it used up before I worry about paying an epson tech to come work on it :)
thanks
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I agree with Randy. There shouldn't be a need for the lines to be cleaned or the head replaced.
I've seen a Pro 7800 that had one bank of ink lines reversed by a non-Epson technician doing maintenance. Caused some very strange prints :-) Once it was fixed and a couple of heavy cleans run it corrected and that had more variation than LK to LLK.
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it's really strange that the machine accepted a wrong cart.
my 11880 is so picky about the carts that it even spat out a half-used yellow cart once, halfway thru printing. had to get epson to come to my place and replace the ink cart and everything resumed working again.
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Anyone know what hex is closest to the light black?
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Well it seems like it is getting back to working order now. I have printed several runs of "gray" and this last set of photos look pretty good.
I cant tell you how much i appreciate everyone's thoughts and suggestions. This is a great forum.
Thanks again
Bobbie