Complicated issues at hand.
We need to reduce the elements to one stream here.
So the problem is on matte media.
I can't see any problems on glossy or satin on any stock I have ever run through the printer.
Now , the ink set > it is and always has been a CMYK OGV printer for me. I was a bit confused when they labeled it RGB added primaries but on a print out like a calibration chart it's quick to see it's OGV. It's a very good choice too.
The Canon red ink tank colour is a fair bit better at producing saturated mid tone or even high L reds on all photo papers. These reds should be higher in C than the Epson K3 inks too. The HP still out does K3 on reds with photo media in the same or similar regions as the Canon.
So why didn't the reviewers or beta testers ( I am) see this?
Well some did.
Why wasn't it written up on the billboards?
Good question.
Reviewers who had the early models had varying amounts of knowledge on how to make the best of what they had in way of media, firmware and software. A fact: each early unit had different firmware and media set ups. As they came online, firmware and software changes AND media were seeded during the tester's access to the printers.
Similar things were going on for beta sites.
Early on the reds were actually fairly rich, but the transitions were harsh. Lacking in detail, the separations were changed more than once.
Then question of software. The software didn't always correspond to the latest updates in media set ups, nor separations.
Tracking these changes was a long and painful experience that most of the reviewers didn't have to go through.
Those who did reported ( some did anyway) and changes were quickly made. Each time changes were made the series of changes do not necessarily get out to users/reviewers.
Each time a change was made it affected not only the area trying to be fixed but also took away from other areas. It was a push pull thing that is still moving around.
What I see is great advances in photo media but alas flat matte media printing.
How does software play into this?
Well the built in profiler for some strange reason builds the best matte media profiles. Better than the APS, better than Profile Maker. On top of that printing in relative is better for reds than perceptual. Yet this has to be done with a media set up that I'm not sure is even in your printers yet.
APS works very well for all photo media but is just not as good at matte, yet I do not have the latest build of APS.
Another point> the soft proofing on matte is not very good. There are some serious problems there , hopefully they have been fixed. The best soft proofing will still be the built in profiles vs external.
I looked long and hard at soft proofing on Hahnemuhle FA media on K3, UC, and Claria ? Canon inks.
Strange that I also see Canon having problems in saturation in shadows on matte media.
Could it be pigment loads for thermal heads are not as well suited to matte media?
Then it brings me back to the problem and where it may have been overlooked.
I recently printed a series of artworks for a photorealistic painter. Rich reds, he was having his concerns with from his shop printer (Epson 7800 I think).
His proofs were on glossy and his prints were on Hahnemuhle. Even though the Epson is excellent at reds, it's not realistic to try to proof on glossy then try to repro on matte.
So I printed on Satin and matte on the Z. I have the proofs and prints from the Epson. The glossy are unrealistic and not near as accurate as Canon or HP will do on glossy. But , who cares the client is king. Now the matte media. The Z is flat, lackluster. The Epson is looking good compared to the soft proof of the H 308 on an iP5000, and the fresh Z print with the latest of everything.
I send the prints to the artist. He then says well after all this time wanting to print matte ( he was told that galleries prefer matte !!! ) he is thrilled with the satin repro .
So even though I had printed many rolls of matte, I hardly did much colour printing. B&W with printer management on the Z and matte is absolutely beautiful, I don't think I looked at colour enough, or that is until this artist asked me to try to help.
What can be done for matte clr repro?
New separations will help. Specific modifications to the APS, and Easy profilers.
For now that's is the quickest and most accessible fix.
Things like a different red are a possibility but when , where , how , is beyond the scope of any reviewer or beta tester.
So I hope this helps at least a little.