Learned a Lesson re: Pixma Pro-9000 Mk.II

[rpcrowe]

It started as a very simple project. I needed to print an 8x10 inch image and about a dozen 4x6 images for a photo display of our rescue dogs for a rescue event. Simple right! NOT REALLY...

Of course, I had so many Honey-Do projects during the day that I didn't get started printing until after 9 PM with a deadline for early the following morning. The 8x10 print came out just fine but, I had all kinds of trouble with the 4x6 inch prints.

The trouble was mainly that I had clouds of blue in areas of the print. So I desaturated those areas and used NIK Vivesa to reduce the blue. Still no decent prints with all of them resulting in random blue splotches. I was sure that the printer was malfunctioning until I tied one more solution.

I have a pile of glossy 4x6 inch Hewlett Packard paper in my paper drawer. When I printed with an HP printer, I would get 50 or a hundred sheets free. I was using that paper for the small prints...

HOWEVER - I learned that the HP paper was not compatible with my Pixma Pro-9000 Mk.II. It wasn't that the color was off, the Canon ink just did not work with the paper. There were nasty blue splotches all over the HP prints. I tried some Canon 4x6 inch paper and VIOLA! decent prints. I then tried some generic paper from Staples (an office supply store) which I had gotten free when I purchased a memory card. That paper also worked fine in my printer...

So much for a lesson... I usually try to test something before I have to do any important work. Whenever I don't, Murphy's Law comes up and bites me. You know where.

[DanK]

Richard,

If you are interested in variety, I have the same printer, and I have had good luck with a wide variety of Moab and Red River papers. My standards are now Moab exhibition luster, Red River Polar Matte (for cards), and Red River Satin. However, I just received 100 sheets of 13 x 19 Canon luster and semi-gloss papers as part of package deals. That's about $100 of paper, so I guess I will try them too.

Dan

[Shadowman]

Richard,

Thanks for the information. You often hear recommendations from users that any paper works in any printer. I do experiment with off brands but usually just 4" x 6'' prints. I would really like a super glossy paper for my ancient hp 7660.

[rpcrowe]

Richard,

If you are interested in variety, I have the same printer, and I have had good luck with a wide variety of Moab and Red River papers. My standards are now Moab exhibition luster, Red River Polar Matte (for cards), and Red River Satin. However, I just received 100 sheets of 13 x 19 Canon luster and semi-gloss papers as part of package deals. That's about $100 of paper, so I guess I will try them too.

Dan

I have the Photographer's Choice Sampler from Red River Paper but, have not tried this paper yet. I have some Canon Luster Paper that does a good, but not outstanding, job. The Canon Photo Paper Plus II Glossy does a very acceptable job if you like glossy prints, which I don't...

Funny thing about photo paper. When I was printing with my HP Photosmart printer there was a no-name paper that Fry's Electronics used to sell as a loss-leader for one dollar for 25 sheets of 8.5" x 11" paper. It did a wonderful job in my HP printer. You could only buy one pack of paper per visit but, since Fry's is close to my house, I would stop in several times a week on my way home and stock up on that paper. It actually did a far better job than the HP Brand paper

[Shadowman]

I have the Photographer's Choice Sampler from Red River Paper but, have not tried this paper yet. I have some Canon Luster Paper that does a good, but not outstanding, job. The Canon Photo Paper Plus II Glossy does a very acceptable job if you like glossy prints, which I don't...

Funny thing about photo paper. When I was printing with my HP Photosmart printer there was a no-name paper that Fry's Electronics used to sell as a loss-leader for one dollar for 25 sheets of 8.5" x 11" paper. It did a wonderful job in my HP printer. You could only buy one pack of paper per visit but, since Fry's is close to my house, I would stop in several times a week on my way home and stock up on that paper. It actually did a far better job than the HP Brand paper

Thick or thin paper? Which one works best to prevent bleed through, maintain rich color. Is there a trade off on the cosmetics based on paper thickness?

[DanK]

Thick or thin paper? Which one works best to prevent bleed through, maintain rich color. Is there a trade off on the cosmetics based on paper thickness?

I have never had ink bleed through any paper, thick or thin. A thicker paper has the advantage that it stays flatter and is less likely to get a wavy appearance. Glossy, luster, and satin papers are coated, so the ink does not sink in. Matte and fine art papers aren't, and inks will spread on them, particularly dye based inks. However, I routinely use Red River Polar Matte with my pixma pro 9000II, which uses dye-based inks, to print cards, and the results are usually very good. The advantage of the sampler packs is that at very little cost, you get to try a wide variety of surfaces and see which you like the best.

[RustBeltRaw]

I use a Canon Pixma Pro 9500 mkII, and I've found that the printer's paper setting can sometimes apply more ink than the paper can absorb. Granted, this is from a period where I was deliberately messing with calibrations to see if I could discover interesting effects, but sometimes the printer applied way more ink than could even dry on the paper. Mostly from the darker tanks, for some reason. I'm sticking to Canon papers now, but still dialing in my settings. I've had good luck with HP papers (glossy 13x19in and 8.5x11in) in the past, even when using a generic "glossy" printer calibration.

I also had a batch of worthless off-brand ink for the printer that was truly terrible. I sent those back to the manufacturer with a couple borked test prints and a nastygram in the box. Didn't want or care about a refund, I just wanted that crud out of my life.

[DanK]

I use a Canon Pixma Pro 9500 mkII, and I've found that the printer's paper setting can sometimes apply more ink than the paper can absorb. Granted, this is from a period where I was deliberately messing with calibrations to see if I could discover interesting effects, but sometimes the printer applied way more ink than could even dry on the paper. Mostly from the darker tanks, for some reason. I'm sticking to Canon papers now, but still dialing in my settings. I've had good luck with HP papers (glossy 13x19in and 8.5x11in) in the past, even when using a generic "glossy" printer calibration.

I also had a batch of worthless off-brand ink for the printer that was truly terrible. I sent those back to the manufacturer with a couple borked test prints and a nastygram in the box. Didn't want or care about a refund, I just wanted that crud out of my life.

That's interesting. I have never had this problem with any of the papers I have used with my Pixma Pro 9000II. I've used most of the papers in the Red River and Moab samplers, and I routinely use their matte, satin, and luster papers. I use them with the manufacturer's ICCs and their recommendations for media settings in the printer software. I have the software (I print from Lightroom) manage color. I never use anything but Canon ink. I have never done anything else to change how the printer lays down the ink.

I haven't used Canon papers yet but will try some soon because I have 100 sheets of 13 x 19 that came with other stuff I just bought.