Matte Black on glossy paper

[David Eckels]

A stupid question perhaps: I have been printing on Canon Premium RC Photo Luster and just for an experiment, I changed the Media Type print dialog in LR to "Matte" just to see what would happen. I can see no difference between prints at that setting and those printed with "Glossy" and am wondering if that makes any sense. Since I have only printed on a luster type paper or canvas, I am wondering whether the Matte Black ink (3 yrs old) is 1) still good (seems to be), and 2) does it really make a difference?

PS I can see no difference in reflectivity or shadow density (ie, shadow details look equivalent).

PPS Canon ipf8400

[I.T. Supplies]

In technicality terms, the matte black on a glossy paper may smear or not stick properly as the chemical in the matte black is "thicker" like a gel in which it would be more compatible with matte media (no sheen).  This is what the photo black was made for towards papers with a sheen (luster, semi-gloss or gloss).  Not saying that it will NEVER work using the other black on opposite media, but this is what most have seen after printing.  Photo Black on matte paper may look off in the color (shadow details or what not).

If it works for you, great!  From many test prints, matte black ink on matte media and photo black ink on papers with a sheen for best results; but not the ONLY way.

[langier]

At times I print MK on the PK papers on my Epson. Gloss differential is what you get, almost like a spot matt varnish for your deepest blacks. I haven't tried to overcoat these occasional prints so I'm not certain if you can balance out the gloss or not. I've not had any problems with smearing or rubbing off any of the prints I've created...except if I've put the paper in the printer, back-side-up and then what a mess!

[Wayne Fox]

A stupid question perhaps: I have been printing on Canon Premium RC Photo Luster and just for an experiment, I changed the Media Type print dialog in LR to "Matte" just to see what would happen. I can see no difference between prints at that setting and those printed with "Glossy" and am wondering if that makes any sense. Since I have only printed on a luster type paper or canvas, I am wondering whether the Matte Black ink (3 yrs old) is 1) still good (seems to be), and 2) does it really make a difference?

PS I can see no difference in reflectivity or shadow density (ie, shadow details look equivalent).

PPS Canon ipf8400

If you see no difference, maybe the printer is over riding your settings.  The difference should be pretty obvious. 

Since the Canon can print either PK or MK without switching it's possible the printer uses Glossy ink because that's the media type loaded?  I know when you load an Epson printer you enter the media type in the printer.  The driver overrides it, but perhaps this is a case where the driver isn't overriding the Canon printer.

[NAwlins_Contrarian]

I changed the Media Type print dialog in LR to "Matte" just to see what would happen. I can see no difference ....

Are you on a Mac or a Windows machine? Because with Windows machines at least, telling Lightroom the print is on matte does not tell the printer to set a matte media type. I use the older LR 6, but there's the "Page Setup..." button at lower left, which gets you to the printer's own media settings; and then there's the "Media Type:" setting at (bottom, scroll down) right, which lets you select Matte or Glossy, which does not change the printer's media type.

[Doug Gray]

I once printed matte by accident on glossy with the canon 9500II. While other colors had gloss, the blacks had no gloss at all unlike when printing photo black. The pigments for glossy are encapsulated with a resin that provides a gloss (specular reflection) and that is missing in the matte black. Appears to be just carbon.

[David Eckels]

Thanks fellas! I guess it has to be a settings "confusion" along the lines mentioned. I obviously assumed LR was in full control of the printer on my Windows machine. The print using the matte setting does not smear after degassing overnight.

[PeterAit]

A stupid question perhaps: I have been printing on Canon Premium RC Photo Luster and just for an experiment, I changed the Media Type print dialog in LR to "Matte" just to see what would happen. I can see no difference between prints at that setting and those printed with "Glossy" and am wondering if that makes any sense. Since I have only printed on a luster type paper or canvas, I am wondering whether the Matte Black ink (3 yrs old) is 1) still good (seems to be), and 2) does it really make a difference?

PS I can see no difference in reflectivity or shadow density (ie, shadow details look equivalent).

PPS Canon ipf8400

If my Epson printer is any guide, changing dialog box settings does not change the type of ink the printer uses. That has to be done at the printer. As I understand it, the same nozzles are used for both photo and matte black and the change involves flushing out the lines and printhead and replacing the old ink with the new. Maybe the Canon is different?

[Mark D Segal]

If my Epson printer is any guide, changing dialog box settings does not change the type of ink the printer uses. That has to be done at the printer. As I understand it, the same nozzles are used for both photo and matte black and the change involves flushing out the lines and printhead and replacing the old ink with the new. Maybe the Canon is different?

The Canon is different. No ink switching.

With the Epson ink changing system, the lines are not flushed out. There are separate lines from all the cartridges to the damper assembly. The switching cleans out the PK or Mk from the damper to the print head, hence only a little.