HELP! I wonder where the yellow went!

[David Eckels]

Completely stymied. Printing a D800 file from 2016. Profiled monitor and printer. ProPhoto color space in both LR and PS. Yellow* is completely washed out (#1). Saving or printing JPEG, TIF, ProPhoto, Adobe, sRGB, perceptual, or relative, all make no difference. No Print Adjustments in LR. If I print the same image to a jpeg file from LR, perfect. If I print a different test image, yellow is present. Original (#2) was processed in Calibration Version 3, but Version 5 is current. Any ideas appreciated!

*moved HSL yellow saturation slider to -100 and yellow luminance to +100 to "fake" what the prints look like

[digitaldog]

You should first test output using good color reference images designed for that task. The color reference images RGB values are such they are set for output and are editing and display agnostic. Test the output this way and examine for the same color issues so we know it's not your image specific issues causing the problems:

http://www.digitaldog.net/files/2014PrinterTestFileFlat.tif.zip

[David Eckels]

Thanks, Andrew. Thought of that after I posted. Both of your test images printed accurately.
I suppose I could go back and re-profile the printer, easy enough to do and it's not like I don't need the practice!

[Simon J.A. Simpson]

If the test images print accurately this might suggest that the issue is to do with your monitor and its profiling.

[mcbroomf]

Maybe I'm missing something here but if the test files that Andrew provided print as the should then doesn't this mean that your printer and paper/profiles are good David?

If that is the case then it would seem to be the file (perhaps due to V3 vs V5).

What RGB values do you get on the light cloud for the V3 file and then the same spot on the V5 file?

Mike

[David Eckels]

Simon, Andrew's test files also look correct on the monitor. The image (and others) look exactly like it always does on the monitor.

Mike, RGB and L*ab values are the same in v3 and v5.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[rasworth]

If the printer and monitor both correctly render a reference image, about all that's left is the "yellow" you're trying to print is out of the printer gamut.  What results do you obtain from Proof Setup in PS?  It should give you a reasonable check on out of gamut colors.

Richard Southworth

[David Eckels]

I am on the hunt!

Richard, thanks for that suggestion, but it turns out that it may be something stupid and relatively simple. The printer is a Canon ipf8400 set for default head cleanings. I ran a nozzle check and therein seems to be the problem, including a near complete dropout of the yellow. Two head cleanings later (Type A) and the nozzle check results seem to be fine. I was confused because the problem seemed to arise literally almost over night.

The proof will be that my image prints properly of course. This thread probably needs to be moved to the printer section.

[David Eckels]

So, attempted a Type B print head clean and maxed out my Maintenance tank. New one arrives tomorrow. So I am still not good to go.

[deanwork]

That was the first thing I thought of.

Yea, with these Canons we rarely ever do nozzle checks because they are always clean!

If a nozzle is clogged or halfway clogged we are shocked. When they do go missing it’s almost alway head replacement time.

So, attempted a Type B print head clean and maxed out my Maintenance tank. New one arrives tomorrow. So I am still not good to go.

[David Eckels]

Bingo, Dean! After about $600 in paper, ink, and a new (L) print head and also about an hour and a half with terrific Canon support, I was getting nowhere and as a hail Mary I replaced the left (yellow) print head. So far so good, but out of black ink now 
No error on the print head but noticed when I looked at the data, I noticed I had about 3.5 years on the left head. Hmmmm. Also, when I printed a solid yellow rectangle, I could see uneven ink distribution and thin voids in the deposition of the ink. Surprised me, but with the new head, Bob's your uncle!
Thanks for the discussion and sympathy!

[Garnick]

Hello David,

I sincerely hope that your issue is solved very soon.  I really believe that the most obvious issue here is the fact that you're working with a Canon printer.  Now, before the army Canon users get their undies in a knot, please read on.  As you might have guessed, I'm an Epson guy, have been for the past 16 years.  Therefore, I believe my opinion referring to this issue has been well tested and does hold some degree of validity, although the reader shall be the judge of that as always.  You see David, if you had some degree of experience with Epson Wide Format Printers, the simple procedure of running a nozzle check before starting a print run would have been burned in your brain many years ago, unfortunately.  The fact that printing a nozzle check was the LAST thing you thought of, certainly adds to the long list of positive reasons for using a Canon Printer. 

Perhaps a short stint with an Epson would be a valuable learning experience, but not necessarily one I would advise.  I do have a particular reason for staying with Epson, but I'll not bore you with that.  As a matter of fact, when I moved my business to my home location three years ago and needed a smaller (24") printer, I had some serious thoughts about the Canon versions, but it really became an issue of staying with what I knew.  I haven't been doing as much business recently (not due to COVID-19), but if at some point I do need another new printer, the Canons would be high on the list of possibilities.  But of course my burned brain would remind me to print a nozzle check each and every day, whether necessary or not. 

I do realize that this reply has little to do with your particular issue David, but I thought I'd try to insert a bit of "tongue in check" and perhaps a chuckle for Canon users.  Hopefully I have succeeded.

        

[David Eckels]

Thanks for the levity, Gary. I do print a "nozzle clearing" small image every four days using Qimage, which is the only reason I bought it. Had I been smarter (or more experienced) I might have replaced the print head first and saved myself a lot of grief and money, but then we all wouldn't have had such a great time!