Strange Marks on Print

[William Walker]

These marks appeared on a print and at first glance look like sensor stains, but, they are certainly not visible in Lightroom…(see image 1)

I made a second print and the same kind of marks appeared again - but not in the same places!

The paper is Canson Baryta Photographique and it must be at least six or seven years old - could it be something to do with the paper’s age?

[Simon J.A. Simpson]

Could it be a coating issue ?

[Kyle Jackson]

What printer?

Does it happen on all prints?

Could it be dust or debris on the paper before / during printing? (For example HP Z series drop debris flakes when the belts are wearing out).

[mcbroomf]

Black ink popping off the surface?  Get a high power loupe and flashlight and inspect the marks very closely.

[William Walker]

Black ink popping off the surface?  Get a high power loupe and flashlight and inspect the marks very closely.

This is on a Canon Pro-4100.

Thank you Simon, Kyle and Mike…I opened a new box of the same paper and reprinted this morning - perfect!

Something must have happened to the opened box. I am pretty sure I got both boxes at the same time, so maybe it has something to do with being unsealed.

Perhaps it is the coating Simon…?

[Kyle Jackson]

You're thinking it's damage to the surface coating of the paper before it was printed? Might see them on other sheets then before printing. Maybe only top sheet in the stack was affected. Some silverfish had the munchies or something... 

Really difficult to tell from the photos tho.

[William Walker]

Right!

This is the most embarrassing thing I have to admit to...

I printed on the wrong side!!!

Sorry for the trouble and thanks for all the suggestions!

[kers]

Great to admit your mistake!

it can happen! to me too... especially with some matte papers with sides almost alike...

[Simon J.A. Simpson]

Right!

This is the most embarrassing thing I have to admit to...

I printed on the wrong side!!!

Sorry for the trouble and thanks for all the suggestions!

So it was the coating then :-))
Done this too. May be we should start a support group !

[William Walker]

So it was the coating then :-))
Done this too. May be we should start a support group !

The funny thing is that there were obviously a few other indicators - the sharpness and detail - but I was so distracted by the marks that it never dawned on me!

I am getting old!

[Frans Waterlander]

I am getting old!

Which is much better than the alternative!

[Kyle Jackson]

Haha I've done this too! For replacing belts on Z3100/Z3200, a "kit" sold by LPS includes a sheet of "film" to do a paper advance calibration. It's such an odd media I swear I printed on the backside once!   

(Incidentally I've also since learned the film in that LPS kit is a waste of money/time as it doesn't do what LPS seems to suggest it does, because the paper advance calibration is unique for each media type in the Z-series.)

[William Walker]

As a continuation of the original problem…is it normal for there to be so much ink - on the left and right sides of the paper - in the "Borderless Printing Ink Grooves”? Even after a small print?

The photos show the “Grooves” and the amount of ink from dabbing some tissue paper over it.

This is on a Canon Pro-4100.

Thanks!