Canon ip4000 black ink smearing with highlighter.

[David D.]

I often print out lists or instructions, and then highlight areas of text
with a yellow highlighter pen.

With my Canon ip4000, the highlighter causes the black text to smear. I
can successfully highlight gray text, or any other color, but not black.

I do not know whether it is the BCI-6BK or the BCI-3eBK. I suspect the
latter, because none of the other BCI-6 colors smear.

When is the BCI-6BK vs. the BCI-3eBK used? Is there a way to tell the
driver properties that you want only a specific black cartridge to be used?

- David

 

[SleeperMan]

I often print out lists or instructions, and then highlight areas of
text with a yellow highlighter pen.

With my Canon ip4000, the highlighter causes the black text to smear.
I can successfully highlight gray text, or any other color, but not
black.

I do not know whether it is the BCI-6BK or the BCI-3eBK. I suspect
the latter, because none of the other BCI-6 colors smear.

When is the BCI-6BK vs. the BCI-3eBK used? Is there a way to tell
the driver properties that you want only a specific black cartridge
to be used?

- David

From my knowledge, 6bk is only used with photoprinting, while for other
purposes 3ebk is used. This is the whole point and difference between 3000
and 4000 - at 4000 when photo printing, all colors + black are dye type,
while at 3000 black is pigment while colors are dye. This results in less
quality color mixing and at 4000 better photos as a result of better
mixing - since dye and pigmented colors do not mix well.

 

[David D.]

From my knowledge, 6bk is only used with photoprinting, while for other
purposes 3ebk is used. This is the whole point and difference between 3000
and 4000 - at 4000 when photo printing, all colors + black are dye type,
while at 3000 black is pigment while colors are dye. This results in less
quality color mixing and at 4000 better photos as a result of better
mixing - since dye and pigmented colors do not mix well.

I am not sure what constitutes "photo printing". I have tries printing a
MS Word document at photo quality, and I still get smearable black text. I
have screen-captured a gif of a portion of that document in the Word editor,
and printed the gif image from I.E., and I still get smearable black text.

I obviously have not tried all combinations, but, so far, I have not been
able to get non-smearable black text. Gray, and colored text, of course,
can be highlighted without smearing.

- David

 

[SleeperMan]

I am not sure what constitutes "photo printing". I have tries
printing a MS Word document at photo quality, and I still get
smearable black text. I have screen-captured a gif of a portion of
that document in the Word editor, and printed the gif image from
I.E., and I still get smearable black text.

I obviously have not tried all combinations, but, so far, I have not
been able to get non-smearable black text. Gray, and colored text,
of course, can be highlighted without smearing.

- David

Did you try to state your paper as "photo" or "glossy"? From my knowledge,
highest resolution and photo printinr is turned on only if correct paper is
defined in settings. You can't print at 4800 dpi on normal paper, even at
hightest quality.
So, try photo or glossy on normal paper and see.

 

[David D.]

Did you try to state your paper as "photo" or "glossy"? From my knowledge,
highest resolution and photo printinr is turned on only if correct paper is
defined in settings. You can't print at 4800 dpi on normal paper, even at
hightest quality.
So, try photo or glossy on normal paper and see.

Thanks, SleeperMan.

I selected Photo quality and Matte paper and it worked. I printed
non-smearing text on plain paper with that setting.

This is a useful technique for my needs, albeit more expensive than using
the BCI-3eBK. I wish that Canon would revise the 3eBK ink so that it would
not smear so easily. My old Epson 750 never had that problem with its
black ink. Of course it never had the great photo quality that I now get
from my Canon ip4000, either.

- David

 

[SleeperMan]

Thanks, SleeperMan.

I selected Photo quality and Matte paper and it worked. I printed
non-smearing text on plain paper with that setting.

This is a useful technique for my needs, albeit more expensive than
using the BCI-3eBK. I wish that Canon would revise the 3eBK ink so
that it would not smear so easily. My old Epson 750 never had that
problem with its black ink. Of course it never had the great photo
quality that I now get from my Canon ip4000, either.

- David

Yep...just try to print with somewhat lower quality, since when you select
photo, printer prints with higher quality at same (standard or high) setting
as plain, So, try low quality and see the results.

 

[Jeff H]

I obviously have not tried all combinations, but, so far, I have not been
able to get non-smearable black text. Gray, and colored text, of course,
can be highlighted without smearing.

- David

Perhaps try changing the hiliter instead of the printing process....Avery
has a 'smearsafe' hiliter (item# 7170978875) that may help. Sanford also
has a dry hiliter (#7164126009).

Cheers,

Jeff H

 

[David D.]

Yep...just try to print with somewhat lower quality, since when you select
photo, printer prints with higher quality at same (standard or high) setting
as plain, So, try low quality and see the results.

One thing that is truly amazing about the ip4000 is that, unlike my old
Epson, the Canon does not seem to be very sensitive to paper & settings
differences. I seem to get good color tone, values, brightness and
contrast, regardless of whether or not the paper matches the setting, and
whether or not it is a Cannon paper.

- David

 

[David D.]

Thanks, Jeff.

I check into those highlighters.

- David

 

[SleeperMan]

One thing that is truly amazing about the ip4000 is that, unlike my
old Epson, the Canon does not seem to be very sensitive to paper &
settings differences. I seem to get good color tone, values,
brightness and contrast, regardless of whether or not the paper
matches the setting, and whether or not it is a Cannon paper.

- David

That's true. But, you can get a paper, which is not suitable for it - like
HP everyday photo semi glossy paper...it just doesn't absorb ink, so it's
useless. But otherwise i tried many different one with my i550 and like you
said, they were all just fine.