Help with R800 reflective qualities on glossy paper

[brewcrew]

I have had an R800 printer for approx 18 months and have been
perfectly happy with it. I bought 10 packs of 50 6" X 4" premium
glossy photo paper and have been gradually printing my way through it
with excellent results.
I printed a couple of photos the other day after a break of maybe 2
months, and found that the black or near black areas of the
photographs printed seem to have a different reflective quality than
the rest of the colours printed, this makes them next to useless as
you cannot actually view the pictures properly without tilting them
this way and that to avoid the reflection.
I have gone back and checked my other photos and I have never had this
happen before. So I did a nozzle check - which was a bit flaky, then a
head clean, then another nozzle check - which was perfect - but still
no improvement on the photos.
Can anyone offer any help with this, or an explanation of what is
going on ?

 

[measekite]

If you are not using all Epson OEM inks then you have the reason. If
you are than check the glossy tank. That is want is supposed to reduce
bronzing when using pigment ink.

 

[Chuck]

Moisture content ( lack of it) can cause printing problems such as you
describe. So can old stock paper that has dried out.
(The ink dries on the top of the paper, instead of having the proper
penetration.)

 

[Arthur Entlich]

This is called bronzing and is a well known phenomenon. However, I
don't know why it would suddenly appear with no change of the materials
and inks you are using.

If you changed either ink or paper that would explain it.

Is it possible you changed the use of the GLOP (Glossy optimizer)
settings, or using a different driver setting for either the paper type
of the ink?

Is it possible the GLOP cartridge is empty or the GLOP head is clogged?
That would not be easy to see.

The main reason for the GLOP is to even out the gloss factor on the
different inks. You may also wish to try removing the black ink
cartridge and shaking it gently, as it may have settled.

Art

 

[Arthur Entlich]

The R800 uses pigment inks which do not fully penetrate the paper
surface. Although our troll is partially correct, there are a number of
Epson ink substitutes which may work as well or better than Epson's own,
so that isn't necessarily the reason, but a clogged GLOP (Glossy
Optimizer) ink head may be responsible (and that could well be with
Epson's own inks, BTW.

Art

 

[brewcrew]

I am using the correct Epson R800 inks and epson premium glossy paper.
When this problem first occurred I suspected the gloss optimiser -
which was approaching empty, so I replaced it - this made no
difference.
The nozzle check prints the gloss optimiser section perfectly. I have
tried printing the same photo with a number of different gloss
settings, i.e. gloss set to auto, set to full, and gloss set off. None
of these settings make any noticeable difference to the printed
photos. Any ideas ?

 

[Ed Ruf (REPLY to E-MAIL IN SIG!)]

I have had an R800 printer for approx 18 months and have been
perfectly happy with it. I bought 10 packs of 50 6" X 4" premium
glossy photo paper and have been gradually printing my way through it
with excellent results.
I printed a couple of photos the other day after a break of maybe 2
months, and found that the black or near black areas of the
photographs printed seem to have a different reflective quality than
the rest of the colours printed, this makes them next to useless as
you cannot actually view the pictures properly without tilting them
this way and that to avoid the reflection.
I have gone back and checked my other photos and I have never had this
happen before. So I did a nozzle check - which was a bit flaky, then a
head clean, then another nozzle check - which was perfect - but still
no improvement on the photos.
Can anyone offer any help with this, or an explanation of what is
going on ?

First go back and reprint one of the photos you are happy with to verify
this is not image dependent and verify every setting in the Epson print
driver is the same. particularly any setting related to color management.

 

[Arthur Entlich]

Nope, you have me. I don't understand what might have changed that
would cause this change. Like I stated, you might want to try to shake
the black cartridge to mix the ink.

I can't recall, does the R800 have one or two or three black cartridges
(one being gray)... is there a matte black and a glossy or photo black?

Art

 

[measekite]

This sounds like a problem for Epson Tech Support.

 

[brewcrew]

Nope, you have me. I don't understand what might have changed that
would cause this change. Like I stated, you might want to try to shake
the black cartridge to mix the ink.

I can't recall, does the R800 have one or two or three black cartridges
(one being gray)... is there a matte black and a glossy or photo black?

Art

There are two black cartridges - one matt and one photo. I removed
both of them today and gave them a shake. Still no difference.
Also, I reset the drivers to all default settings - still no luck

 

[Arthur Entlich]

At this point, if you are using OEM ink, I strongly recommend you bring
this up to Epson, as it sounds like their is a problem that isn't "user"
related. I'd be very interested in their reply.

Art

 

[measekite]

Either the firmware in the printer or the nozzles for the gloss may be clogged and in that event you need to call Epson.  However try this first.

Here is what to do.

1.  Delete/Remove the Epson driver from your operating system

2. Reboot (Cold Start Power Off) the Computer

3.  Reinstall the driver using the original Epson disk

4.  Reboot (Cold) the computer

5.  Do a head clean

6.  Test using a photo you produced before with good results.




brewcrew wrote:

On Jun 12, 1:07 pm, Arthur Entlich <[email protected]> wrote:



Nope, you have me. I don't understand what might have changed that would cause this change. Like I stated, you might want to try to shake the black cartridge to mix the ink. I can't recall, does the R800 have one or two or three black cartridges (one being gray)... is there a matte black and a glossy or photo black? Art



There are two black cartridges - one matt and one photo. I removed both of them today and gave them a shake. Still no difference. Also, I reset the drivers to all default settings - still no luck

 

[Tony]

There are two black cartridges - one matt and one photo. I removed
both of them today and gave them a shake. Still no difference.
Also, I reset the drivers to all default settings - still no luck

I agree with Arthur and would be very interested in what Epson have to say.
The other responder to this specific post has given you incompetent advice.
Firstly you should almost never delete or remove a printer from your OS, you
should always use the printer manufacturers uninstall utility, failing that use
Add or Remove Programs, only as a last resort should you delete it. Many
printer drivers are not completely removed when deleting and the stuff left
behind can prevent a correct reinstallation. The one exception to this rule is
when your printer is installed using the Windows embedded drivers, these
usually do not provide the facility to uninstall but that is not an issue since
they tend to be bare bones drivers.
Secondly you should generally download the latest drivers (if available from
the manufacturers website) when reinstalling; not the ones that came with your
printer. Printer manufacturers do not provide updated drivers just to keep
their people busy, they provide them to overcome issues or on rare occasions to
add functionality.
Good luck and I look forward to reading what transpires.
Tony
MS MVP Printing/Imaging

 

[Ed Ruf]

Secondly you should generally download the latest drivers (if available from
the manufacturers website) when reinstalling; not the ones that came with your
printer. Printer manufacturers do not provide updated drivers just to keep
their people busy, they provide them to overcome issues or on rare occasions to
add functionality.

There was specific color management issues with many Epson drivers and
SP2 for XP. Epson released newer drivers to solve the issue. The R800
was one of the effected drivers.

 

[Arthur Entlich]

You are correct regarding there having been a conflict with SP2 for XP
and some Epson drivers. SP2 caused some settings to change in the
driver which would normally be set manually.

In general, these setting changes caused considerably darker prints,
overall, rather than bronzing of just the black and near black areas,
which is why I didn't mention this driver issues.


Going back to the original poster: he did mention the purchase of:

10 packs of 50 6" X 4" premium glossy photo paper and have been
gradually printing my way through it with excellent results.

It doesn't mention is these are Epson papers or some other brand, and if
it is possible the problem occurred at a change in the package of paper
as well. Not only has Epson been known to change formulation of paper
mid-steam with no public awareness, but 3rd party companies have been
known to do so

Art.

 

[measekite]

Tony wrote:

brewcrew <[email protected]> wrote:



On Jun 12, 1:07 pm, Arthur Entlich <[email protected]> wrote:



Nope, you have me. I don't understand what might have changed that would cause this change. Like I stated, you might want to try to shake the black cartridge to mix the ink. I can't recall, does the R800 have one or two or three black cartridges (one being gray)... is there a matte black and a glossy or photo black? Art



There are two black cartridges - one matt and one photo. I removed both of them today and gave them a shake. Still no difference. Also, I reset the drivers to all default settings - still no luck



I agree with Arthur and would be very interested in what Epson have to say. The other responder to this specific post has given you incompetent advice. Firstly you should almost never delete or remove a printer from your OS, you should always use the printer manufacturers uninstall utility, failing that use Add or Remove Programs, only as a last resort should you delete it.


Delete is a generic word.  You do not know what you are talking about.  Stick to relabeling ink.


Many printer drivers are not completely removed when deleting and the stuff left behind can prevent a correct reinstallation. The one exception to this rule is when your printer is installed using the Windows embedded drivers, these usually do not provide the facility to uninstall but that is not an issue since they tend to be bare bones drivers.





Secondly you should generally download the latest drivers (if available from the manufacturers website) when reinstalling;


Not necessarily true.  I have upgrading drivers and certain things do not work well so I had to go back to the factory CD drivers.  A real know it all that doesn't.


not the ones that came with your printer. Printer manufacturers do not provide updated drivers just to keep their people busy, they provide them to overcome issues or on rare occasions to add functionality. Good luck and I look forward to reading what transpires. Tony MS MVP Printing/Imaging