Photo printing advice? Canon IP4200

[Russell E. Owen]

I have a Canon IP4200 (actually an MP500, but it's the same print
engine; 4 colors for photos (plus 1 pigmented black for non-photos) and
1 pl drops.

I primarily bought it to make copies and B&W prints, and it is working
very well for those jobs.

But I'd also happily print photos with it if the quality were a bit
better, and I'm asking for advice on that.

So far I've tried the papers I had handy, including: Photo Paper Plus,
Konica QP and an Office Depot photo paper. I've printed on these using
two settings:
- Photo Paper Pro at highest quality
- Photo Paper Plus at good quality (the highest setting available for
this paper setting)

In both cases the dots are more visible than I'd like, for example in
faces. But the higher quality setting does seem to help some and it's
awfully close to acceptable to my eyes.

So...is there any way to produce even less visible dots? For example if
I splurged on fancy paper (e.g. Canon Photo Paper Pro or Red River's
offerings)?

-- Russell

 

[Dan G]

I like the Office Depot Professional gloss. I don't pay much attention to
"dots", as most of what I print is fairly low-res anyhow. But I did spend a
load of time and paper on finding the best settings for color, brightness
and contrast. I can assure you that the default setting are nowhere near the
best for ANY paper. Spend some time trying out manual color and intensity
settings, and try the "Vivid Photo" setting on the effects pane. When you
get it the way you want, save it as a profile.

 

[Taliesyn]

I have a Canon IP4200 (actually an MP500, but it's the same print
engine; 4 colors for photos (plus 1 pigmented black for non-photos) and
1 pl drops.

I primarily bought it to make copies and B&W prints, and it is working
very well for those jobs.

But I'd also happily print photos with it if the quality were a bit
better, and I'm asking for advice on that.

So far I've tried the papers I had handy, including: Photo Paper Plus,
Konica QP and an Office Depot photo paper. I've printed on these using
two settings:
- Photo Paper Pro at highest quality
- Photo Paper Plus at good quality (the highest setting available for
this paper setting)

In both cases the dots are more visible than I'd like, for example in
faces. But the higher quality setting does seem to help some and it's
awfully close to acceptable to my eyes.

So...is there any way to produce even less visible dots? For example if
I splurged on fancy paper (e.g. Canon Photo Paper Pro or Red River's
offerings)?

Excellent (virtually dotless) photos can be obtained with the use of
Canon's Photo Paper Pro paper or Costco's Kirkland full page size. I
haven't tried their 4x6 but it appears to be a different paper. For both
of these use the photo paper pro settings and a quality setting
indicated below.

When you go to print, in Print Quality check the "Custom" option and
click the "set" button. Slide the print quality lever to the far right,
or the "1" setting. I believe if you had just selected High Quality,
without going to the custom option, the slide lever would have been at
the "2" position, lesser quality.

For highest quality printouts I always select the quality through the
custom option only and select photo paper pro. These settings will of
course take the longest to print. But they're usually well worth the
wait. I have both a Canon 4000 and an 5000. The 5000 prints in visibly
higher quality (both photos and graphics).

-Taliesyn

 

[Burt]

Excellent (virtually dotless) photos can be obtained with the use of
Canon's Photo Paper Pro paper or Costco's Kirkland full page size. I
haven't tried their 4x6 but it appears to be a different paper. For both
of these use the photo paper pro settings and a quality setting indicated
below.

When you go to print, in Print Quality check the "Custom" option and
click the "set" button. Slide the print quality lever to the far right,
or the "1" setting. I believe if you had just selected High Quality,
without going to the custom option, the slide lever would have been at
the "2" position, lesser quality.

For highest quality printouts I always select the quality through the
custom option only and select photo paper pro. These settings will of
course take the longest to print. But they're usually well worth the wait.
I have both a Canon 4000 and an 5000. The 5000 prints in visibly higher
quality (both photos and graphics).

-Taliesyn

Taliesyn - Follow up on the Costco 4x6 paper - I'm using it almost
exclusively when I do 4x6 prints. It has a slightly different color base
and it does look slightly different when prints are viewed side-by-side.
Looking at the prints alone, the color looks fine. In all other respects
the quality of the prints looks just as good as the Costco 8.5x11 paper (and
Canon photopaper Pro, as far as I'm concerned). Sure beats having to cut
4x6's out of the 8.5x11's. Just open the box and you're good to go.
Surprisingly, the cost is no higher per 4x6 sheet than when you cut the
larger paper. Around five cents US.

 

[Taliesyn]

Taliesyn - Follow up on the Costco 4x6 paper - I'm using it almost
exclusively when I do 4x6 prints. It has a slightly different color base
and it does look slightly different when prints are viewed side-by-side.
Looking at the prints alone, the color looks fine. In all other respects
the quality of the prints looks just as good as the Costco 8.5x11 paper (and
Canon photopaper Pro, as far as I'm concerned). Sure beats having to cut
4x6's out of the 8.5x11's. Just open the box and you're good to go.
Surprisingly, the cost is no higher per 4x6 sheet than when you cut the
larger paper. Around five cents US.

Thanks, Burt, I'll pick up a box soon for those times I don't feel like
cutting.

-Taliesyn

 

[measekite]

HE CANNOT TELL HOW IT LOOKS CAUSE HE IS NOT USING CANON INK. I THINK HE
USES FURTIE GENERIC LABELED INK

 

[measekite]

Excellent (virtually dotless) photos can be obtained with the use of
Canon's Photo Paper Pro paper or Costco's Kirkland full page size. I
haven't tried their 4x6 but it appears to be a different paper. For both
of these use the photo paper pro settings and a quality setting
indicated below.

HE FORGOT TO TELL YOU TO USE CANON OEM INK FOR BEST RESULTS AND NO CLOGGING.

When you go to print, in Print Quality check the "Custom" option and
click the "set" button. Slide the print quality lever to the far right,
or the "1" setting. I believe if you had just selected High Quality,
without going to the custom option, the slide lever would have been at
the "2" position, lesser quality.

For highest quality printouts I always select the quality through the
custom option only and select photo paper pro. These settings will of
course take the longest to print. But they're usually well worth the
wait. I have both a Canon 4000 and an 5000. The 5000 prints in visibly
higher quality (both photos and graphics).

THE IP5000 IS SOMEWHAT SLOWER THAN THE IP4000 AND NOT QUITE AS GOOD FOTO
QUALITY BUT IS BETTER AT BUSINESS DOCUMENTS.

 

[measekite]

USE CANON OEM INK
COSTCO/KIRKLAND FULL SHEET FOTO GLOSSY PAPER CUT TO SIZE USING THE HIGH
SETTING AND TELL THE PRINTER YOU ARE USING CANON PHOTO PAPER PRO PAPER.

 

[Taliesyn]

HE FORGOT TO TELL YOU...

"...you're a smart man, Taliesyn, for using HobbiColors ink because it
costs one tenth of Canon's ink, gives results you like and no clogging.
You can probably save enough money to buy three printers."

Right on the money! I did just that. Got me three printers, 2 active and
one in storage. Did I mention no clogging. I couldn't afford one if I
had to use OEM inks. Thank God for the aftermarket ink industry. Did I
mention I use aftermarket inks and no clogging? That's right,
aftermarket inks for, coming up to, 13 months on my iP5000 and no
clogging even though it has 1 pl droplet nozzles, the smallest caliber
droplets in the industry.

(sorry for repeating "no clogging", folks, but the poster I replied to
here is partially deaf in both eyes and simply cannot hear what he sees)

-Taliesyn (never refuse an opening act...)

 

[Frank]

(sorry for repeating "no clogging", folks, but the poster I replied to
here is partially deaf in both eyes and simply cannot hear what he sees)

-Taliesyn (never refuse an opening act...)

I too hate clogging! Never use oem ink after the initial carts are empty
cause you don't have to!
I use no clogging hobbicolor in my canon i9900. Never a clog. Not one!
Did I say no clogging?
I forgot, did I mention no clogging?
Frank

 

[Prime]

USE CANON OEM INK
COSTCO/KIRKLAND FULL SHEET FOTO GLOSSY PAPER CUT TO SIZE USING THE HIGH
SETTING AND TELL THE PRINTER YOU ARE USING CANON PHOTO PAPER PRO PAPER.

That's right, use Costco paper. Even thought the manufacturer designed the
printer, paper, ink as a system and Costco doesn't tell you what you are
getting, it is OK.

 

[Frank]

measekite <[email protected]> posted the exciting message [email protected]:




That's right, use Costco paper. Even thought the manufacturer designed the
printer, paper, ink as a system and Costco doesn't tell you what you are
getting, it is OK.

Obviously our resident troll is quite happy to make a ****in fool out of
himself on a daily basis.
He is the complete idiot!
Frank