Always this messy?

[PalaDolphin]

Two questions:
1. Did I overfill my cartridges?
2. What is the best way to adjust for Precision Colors' ink being a bit darker?

I just ran out of the original Canon ink from my new Pro-100 and went to swap out all the carts with the ones I refilled with PC ink. I really didn't think I would need gloves.

When I tried to remove the clip from the first one, magenta, I definitely squeezed the sides too much and ink came out of the venting hole. But, even when I was more careful, ink still came out the bottom. Luckily, it wasn't too uncontrollable. I was more worried about the printer having a problem. After I installed all eight carts the printer reported full ink and it printed without an issue. Is this because I overfilled the carts?
Second, the PC ink seems to print a little darker. I printed this Bald Eagle, title: Unanticipated Launch.

I've been using Lr to print. I am using the PC ICM D50 file for this paper, Canon Luster. And I used the same everything from the last print that caused the ink out except, of course, the PC ICM. So, I could use Lr's Brightness control; I don't know how much I should add. It goes from -100 to +100, but how does that translate to stops? And it doesn't have a preview; that is, when you adjust Brightness, it doesn't reflect on the display.
I would much prefer to have a better solution, like adjusting the ICM file. But, I don't know how to do that.

 

[Roy Sletcher]

My two cents based on several years refilling my Pro 100. Feel free to ignore, quibble, or reject to your hearts content

1. Did I overfill my cartridges?

Probably. The Canon OEM cartridge has a lot of subtle engineering and design features that are not obvious. Particularly in the method of equalizing air pressure and controlling ink flow. Others here can explain this better than I. My opinion, based on my own experience, is that under filling causes less problems than overfilling. There is also a small learning curve and first few refills tend to be somewhat clumsy for most newcomers. Technique improves with practice.



2. What is the best way to adjust for Precision Colors' ink being a bit darker?

Be careful. If these are your first prints immediately after your FIRST PC refill you more than likely still have a fair amount of OEM ink in the sponges. Especially if you refilled at the first caution (The yellow ! symbol). It may be necessary for several prints before you can be sure you are seeing the pure PC ink-set.

Second point. Adjusting colour balance settings using a print with a restricted and essentially unknown palette can lead to more problems than it solves. Ideally this is the point that you now reprint your standardised control print under exactly the same conditions as the reference image you first made and compare. You did make one didn't you?

If your don't have one now is a good time to do it, and make controlled adjustments over the full palette with controlled and measured adjustments.

Adjusting the picture you posted could conceivable improve it, but possible at the expense of colour and tones not present in that image.

No doubt other's will add to these points.

rs

 

[kdsdata]

@PalaDolphin, I hate to ask, but you didn't forget to plug the hole. Sorry to ask such a basic question, but when you have such a consistent mess, with "so much" ink leaking out, it's at least a good point to make. In any case, I know what you mean, as my sub-line says, "Getting Fingers Dirty".

I suggest removing the clip at the sink while the water is running. I hold the cart, even if it first drips on it's own, with fingers on the flat sides, so that I can force a drip down the drain. Then when I release the pressure I know that I can dry the cart with a napkin, and make it (likely) to the printer without \dripping all over.

Still haven't managed the hand movements to keep fingers clean, unless wearing a glove

 

[apetitphoto]

The Lightroom print darkness control goes from -100 to +100. As far as I've been able to find out that is exactly what it does. Nowhere have I been able to link it with a "precise"effect. This is a "buy before you try" deal and you need to remember the level of flavor you added.

 

[PalaDolphin]

@PalaDolphin, I hate to ask, but you didn't forget to plug the hole. Sorry to ask such a basic question, but when you have such a consistent mess, with "so much" ink leaking out, it's at least a good point to make. In any case, I know what you mean, as my sub-line says, "Getting Fingers Dirty".

Yes, I plugged the hole.

 

[PalaDolphin]

Second point. Adjusting colour balance settings using a print with a restricted and essentially unknown palette can lead to more problems than it solves. Ideally this is the point that you now reprint your standardised control print under exactly the same conditions as the reference image you first made and compare. You did make one didn't you?

Yes, I did a control print. Now, where did I put that? LOL!

 

[PalaDolphin]

I discovered that I can make a virtual copy in Soft Proofing for that specific color profile, the PC42G_CanonPhotoPaperProLuster_PPPL_D50 that I downloaded from Precision Colors. From there I can make adjustments to match what I was getting from Canon ink and keep it saved as a virtual copy. And when I turn on Soft Proofing, it does get a bit darker, but not as dark as the print. And I'd have to do this every time I want to print now that I'm using PC ink; that's inconvenient.
I wish I knew what was making the print darker: the PC42G profile or the PC ink itself? One way to test this is to print using the Canon ink profile.
I just don't want to go down the road where I'm wasting a lot of paper to find out what I could if I could examine the ICM profiles, compare them.

 

[Roy Sletcher]

I discovered that I can make a virtual copy in Soft Proofing for that specific color profile, the PC42G_CanonPhotoPaperProLuster_PPPL_D50 that I downloaded from Precision Colors. From there I can make adjustments to match what I was getting from Canon ink and keep it saved as a virtual copy. And when I turn on Soft Proofing, it does get a bit darker, but not as dark as the print. And I'd have to do this every time I want to print now that I'm using PC ink; that's inconvenient.
I wish I knew what was making the print darker: the PC42G profile or the PC ink itself? One way to test this is to print using the Canon ink profile.
I just don't want to go down the road where I'm wasting a lot of paper to find out what I could if I could examine the ICM profiles, compare them.

This is a tough one to comment on because without knowing exactly what you are seeing, any outside comments could be more of a hindrance than a help, and send you off on a tangent not related to your problem.

Suffice to say the ICC colour management system DOES work as described FOR THE MOST PART. The big BUT (There is always a but) is that there are a lot of variables that have to be controlled.

Is your monitor accurately profiled, and is the colour and intensity of the light source you are using to view the prints controlled? I mention this because the trite answer for dark prints is that your monitor is too bright. Traditionally users tend to set their monitors too bright and too blue. Especially if their viewing surrounds have bright lighting or if their primary viewing is movies or video games.

Probably the first sane step for the insane world of colour management is to accurately profile the monitor. Even more important than the ICC printer profile or print driver settings.

Without a monitor profile every image is "mystery meat" and you can't possible have any control over the what you are seeing, or the results of any colour adjustments.

Please tell us you have a recently calibrated monitor.

rs

 

[PalaDolphin]

Is your monitor accurately profiled, and is the colour and intensity of the light source you are using to view the prints controlled?

Yes, I use ColorMunki to calibrate my monitor.
Yes, I use a light box with 5000K LED lights to view both the prints. Both prints were printed from the same photo within an hour of one another using Luster paper. The only two differences were that I changed the ink cartridges from OEM Canon to Precision Colors and I'm using the ICM files that match their respective ink.

 

[apetitphoto]

The first, at least, print you get when switching inks is going to be off. You're dealing with a combination of inks and who knows what that's going to produce.

An hour is most likely not enough drying time for the true colors to appear. Give the ink time to fully dry.