B&W prints coming out purple

**Another dyemention** · 12-03-2014, 08:32 PM

So I tried printing out this picture and it has a purple tint to it. Its the first time I've tried printing a photo so honestly I have no idea what I'm doing. Not sure if I need to change some settings or what. The printer is a canon ip2702 and I'm using Kodak glossy photo paper. I didn't change any setting before I printed it, just clicked "print" from LR5. anyone else have this trouble or know where I can even start to fix it?
thanks

Last edited by Another dyemention; 12-03-2014 at 08:39 PM.

**Another dyemention** · 12-03-2014, 08:41 PM

I read that I can use a dedicated printer with ink specifically for B&W but most of my photos are slightly split toned like this one. So that's not an option

**jatrax** · 12-03-2014, 08:43 PM

Printing, at least to get things right, is FAR more complex than most people think. While quite often clicking print produces acceptable results there are a lot of things going on that have to be correct for that to happen.

I'm not sure you are going to get the help you need with a simple forum post unfortunately. I recently added a new printer (Canon Pixma Pro 1) and spent most of a weekend testing and tuning until I got results I liked.

Some things to check though:

What does the image look like in LR? Is your monitor calibrated?
Have you used the soft proofing function in LR?
How did you make the B&W? de-saturate? B&W filter?
What printer driver are you using? Is it the correct one?
Does your printer have a B&W setting or is it just using the color inks to simulate B&W?
Check the printer manual to see what settings it recommends for B&W?
Are you using the correct printer profiles for the paper you are using? Kodak website should have the profiles for various printers.

Any or several of those things could be the problem. I wish there was an easy "do this" answer but printing correctly is complex and requires all parts of the chain to be correct.

**Another dyemention** · 12-03-2014, 09:13 PM

Thank you for such a comprehensive reply. I figured it would be pretty involved. I guess I'll start researching all this info see what I can come up with. Thanks again.

MadMathMind · 12-03-2014, 09:21 PM

Originally posted by jatrax

Does your printer have a B&W setting or is it just using the color inks to simulate B&W?

This was my first thought. The software used to print is also a possible issue as well. (I don't know what Lightroom does with this.) For instance, B&W JPEG images are actually color; the Cr and Cb channels are just zero (and therefore easily compressible for huge savings). But the software and printer may not realize this and try to synthesize color to approximate the luma (Y) channel. This is one of the purposes of CYMK in printing: the blacks are guaranteed to be black, not approximations from the color cartridges.

**Miguel** · 12-03-2014, 09:33 PM

Your consumer-type printer does not have a dedicated grey ink cart. That makes it difficult to obtain proper tones--you are always going to have some slight-to-annoying color casting. Even split toned images need grey ink in the mix. If you aim to print out more B&W-like images and care about accuracy then you'll have to up your class of printer. More and more consumer-grade dye printers have a grey cart, so there is hope. If you mostly do color, I would think this printer does a decent job for home use. I like newer Canon dye-based printers

M

**Another dyemention** · 12-04-2014, 05:16 AM

I actually didn't even convert it to JPEG first. Is that something I should do? I've read a few places that kodak paper with a canon printer can yield the same results. But I'll doing what you all suggested first before messing around with other variables.

stevebrot · 12-04-2014, 09:47 AM

One thing you might want to consider is dye metamerism where the print looks different in under different lighting. I wasted a ton of time and photo paper one night trying to troubleshoot weird color from my Canon iP 4820 only to find out the next day that the prints looked fine...under daylight. Tungsten was another matter.

Steve

NicoleC · 12-04-2014, 12:13 PM

If you have Photoshop, open the file and select View -> Proof Setup. Select your printer driver and then play with the rendering intent options to see if you can get better output that way.

**jatrax** · 12-04-2014, 03:27 PM

Originally posted by Another dyemention

I actually didn't even convert it to JPEG first. Is that something I should do?

Not needed in LR, which treats a jpeg and a print as essentially the same thing, a final output from the RAW file and develop process. There is no benefit to exporting a jpeg first, and I would think it could potentially reduce the quality since the compression will throw away data that it does not need.

Different paper reacts quite differently which is why the printer profiles are so important. You might try a different brand. But as noted above without a gray cart your printer is using color ink to simulate the B&W.

Also, do you have LR set to manage color or the printer set to manage color? Or both? If both, that is another potential issue. Color should be managed by one or the other, not both.

And it is sometimes very hard to find the setting in the printer driver to turn that off.

12-03-2014, 08:32 PM	#1
Another dyemention Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 432	B&W prints coming out purple So I tried printing out this picture and it has a purple tint to it. Its the first time I've tried printing a photo so honestly I have no idea what I'm doing. Not sure if I need to change some settings or what. The printer is a canon ip2702 and I'm using Kodak glossy photo paper. I didn't change any setting before I printed it, just clicked "print" from LR5. anyone else have this trouble or know where I can even start to fix it? thanks Last edited by Another dyemention; 12-03-2014 at 08:39 PM.

12-03-2014, 08:41 PM	#2
Another dyemention Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 432 Original Poster	heres the pic I read that I can use a dedicated printer with ink specifically for B&W but most of my photos are slightly split toned like this one. So that's not an option Last edited by Another dyemention; 08-05-2017 at 12:47 PM.

12-03-2014, 08:43 PM	#3
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,991	Printing, at least to get things right, is FAR more complex than most people think. While quite often clicking print produces acceptable results there are a lot of things going on that have to be correct for that to happen. I'm not sure you are going to get the help you need with a simple forum post unfortunately. I recently added a new printer (Canon Pixma Pro 1) and spent most of a weekend testing and tuning until I got results I liked. Some things to check though: What does the image look like in LR? Is your monitor calibrated? Have you used the soft proofing function in LR? How did you make the B&W? de-saturate? B&W filter? What printer driver are you using? Is it the correct one? Does your printer have a B&W setting or is it just using the color inks to simulate B&W? Check the printer manual to see what settings it recommends for B&W? Are you using the correct printer profiles for the paper you are using? Kodak website should have the profiles for various printers. Any or several of those things could be the problem. I wish there was an easy "do this" answer but printing correctly is complex and requires all parts of the chain to be correct.

12-03-2014, 09:21 PM	#5
MadMathMind Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Houston, TX Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,717	Originally posted by jatrax Does your printer have a B&W setting or is it just using the color inks to simulate B&W? This was my first thought. The software used to print is also a possible issue as well. (I don't know what Lightroom does with this.) For instance, B&W JPEG images are actually color; the Cr and Cb channels are just zero (and therefore easily compressible for huge savings). But the software and printer may not realize this and try to synthesize color to approximate the luma (Y) channel. This is one of the purposes of CYMK in printing: the blacks are guaranteed to be black, not approximations from the color cartridges.

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12-03-2014, 09:13 PM	#4
Another dyemention Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 432 Original Poster	Thank you for such a comprehensive reply. I figured it would be pretty involved. I guess I'll start researching all this info see what I can come up with. Thanks again.

12-03-2014, 09:33 PM	#6
Miguel Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Near Seattle Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,743	Your consumer-type printer does not have a dedicated grey ink cart. That makes it difficult to obtain proper tones--you are always going to have some slight-to-annoying color casting. Even split toned images need grey ink in the mix. If you aim to print out more B&W-like images and care about accuracy then you'll have to up your class of printer. More and more consumer-grade dye printers have a grey cart, so there is hope. If you mostly do color, I would think this printer does a decent job for home use. I like newer Canon dye-based printers M

12-04-2014, 05:16 AM	#7
Another dyemention Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 432 Original Poster	I actually didn't even convert it to JPEG first. Is that something I should do? I've read a few places that kodak paper with a canon printer can yield the same results. But I'll doing what you all suggested first before messing around with other variables.

12-04-2014, 09:47 AM	#8
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	One thing you might want to consider is dye metamerism where the print looks different in under different lighting. I wasted a ton of time and photo paper one night trying to troubleshoot weird color from my Canon iP 4820 only to find out the next day that the prints looked fine...under daylight. Tungsten was another matter. Steve

12-04-2014, 12:13 PM	#9
NicoleC Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Madison, AL Posts: 448	If you have Photoshop, open the file and select View -> Proof Setup. Select your printer driver and then play with the rendering intent options to see if you can get better output that way.

12-04-2014, 03:27 PM	#10
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,991	Originally posted by Another dyemention I actually didn't even convert it to JPEG first. Is that something I should do? Not needed in LR, which treats a jpeg and a print as essentially the same thing, a final output from the RAW file and develop process. There is no benefit to exporting a jpeg first, and I would think it could potentially reduce the quality since the compression will throw away data that it does not need. Different paper reacts quite differently which is why the printer profiles are so important. You might try a different brand. But as noted above without a gray cart your printer is using color ink to simulate the B&W. Also, do you have LR set to manage color or the printer set to manage color? Or both? If both, that is another potential issue. Color should be managed by one or the other, not both. And it is sometimes very hard to find the setting in the printer driver to turn that off.