Printer does not produce correct color...

F

fmonte

Member
Trying to make an invitation for daughter's wedding. Scanned a picture of a flower but when I print it onto the invite the color does not match. It is kind of washed out and the greens are way off.

Picture scanned by Panasonic all in one scanner (KX-MB271) at 600 dpi (that is as high as it goes)

Scan printed by Lexmark 810 color printer at the photo quality setting with brand new ink cartridges.

I am trying to figure out if it a scanner or a printer problem or if this is just normal and there is no fix.

If there is no fix I can copy the flower at Kinko's (it matches exactly that way) and then paste it on the invite but I really wanted to do it directly. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Sincerely, Frank

View attachment 4595
scanned original

View attachment 4596
scanned flower printed
 
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Lexmark are not the greatest printers in the world Frank in my opinion.

How old is it and how much did you pay for it?
 
You are definitely not going to get razor sharp print off's on a printer that old and budget also.

Time for a new printer in my opinion Frank.
 
Thanks Wolf, I did not know, I thought since the printers all use the same color cartridges they would be the same. Well, like everything else with this wedding I am going to have to spend more money than anticipated. Could you please recommend the most reasonably priced printer that will get the job done? Thanks again. Frank
 
I don't use a color printer much so I guess I would like to spend as little as possible to complete this job? Also, I have another Lexmark (X2690 ) printer about 2 years old but it is out of ink. It wasn't very expensive either (approximately $79). Do you think that would be worth a try or would it be more ink down the drain? The ink cost about $50. Thank you. Frank
 
Lexmark printers are fairly cheap but lexmark ink is seriously expensive compared to other printers carts as you have observed.

On the X2690 which is 2 years old it may have dried out and need maintenance which is again expensive.

If you don't do a lot of printing then go for a bog standard ink jet from either Canon or HP at what you can afford Frank.
 
I have an HP thats prints well but not worth for pictures. Like said it get expensive to print at home. Many stores will print them on photo paper and any size. A fraction of the price. You can email the pictures like Walgreen, Kmart, Walmart etc. Or just put it on a cd or dvd and take it there. They should do it right now for ya maybe or pick up the next day. I will say i have upload a hundred pictures and pay about 9 Cents each.
Ink is expensive.
 
I really don't agree about the price of lexmark ink and quality of printers. I bought 2 HP printers years ago and both broke within 6 months. I've bought lexmark since and have had no issues. I am now using the pinnacle pro 901 which can be used wirelessly, usb, and networked. It is also one of the cheapest ink printers out. It has separate tanks for each color so 4 cartridges all together and you only replace the color that is out. Basically $10 usd for each color and usually I can get 2 black cartrdges for $10. One of my clients also has an HP printer and its not that old and its not working right either. I think HP has really gotten worse in quality control in the last few years.
 
Thanks everyone, I guess I am going to have to bite the bullet and buy a new one but I am going to stop at Walgreens first, that was a good idea for what I am trying to do. Personally I thought the printed flower was good enough but needless to say my wife and daughter out voted me.
 
You can put it on a micro drive also and take it there.
Also a 100 pictures for $10.00, at least i have. Ya have to visit the stores on line
and compare prices or deals.
 
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Thought about something else about the printer and a maybe.
You should have or could try calibrating your printer. There should be software
that come from the monitor. That might be the problem also if ya insist on printing
yourself.
Just a thought and a idea if you were editing pictures or printing screen.
 
A few things:

1. The scanner you are using is not designed to be of a photo quality at all. It's primarily for scanning documents, and can do color when needed, but is really not a good idea for what looks like a wedding invitation (don't remember if you said exactly what type of invite it is?)

2. Lexmark printers have come a LONG way in the last two years or so. The printer you are currently using isn't bad for printing photos, but it is far from ideal as well. Not to bust you up John or Wolfey, but that printer you are using is VERY different from the one that he is using. Yours uses the series 100 (and 100XL, 105XL on the black) printer inks, with individual cartridges for each color and is super cheap on the price of the ink while being a pretty decent photo printer (and no print heads in the cartridges like his either...). His uses the 32/33 or 34/35 high yield cartridges (potentially the 31 if he wanted better photos...) and the chemical formula of the ink is nowhere near the same.

3. If it is true that the color has been sitting for a while (a month or more) then it is probably hardening up and isn't coming out as much as it should which would also account for the lighter image.

So, I would say to take that to a printing place like Kinko's, OfficeMax or Office Depot where they can match the coloring properly with a much better scanner and printer. Or, a lot of the printers out now are much better with photos than the one you are using. However, be careful as you can still get a sub-par printer for that if you don't spend the money. To get a decent printer for photos, look for a printer that is at least $150 regular price. If you can get it for cheaper on sale, that's great, but I wouldn't go less than that if you want to replace your current printer. If you have any further questions let me know...
 
I totally agree with what you said DCIS but I was admitting that you can't say all lexmark printer ink is expensive. Lexmark and Kodak are the only printer companies I know that boast the lower cost printer ink in their newer lines of printers. Lexmark is using vizix ink, but not sure what Kodak uses. I also have the x4550 which uses cartridges 23 and 24 for black and color which usually you can get the black for under $20 and the color for around $23. Also have the X3350 which don't use anymore cause its not wireless but used black #32 and color #33 at $27 and $29 respectively.

In agreement with the price of a good photo printer, you should be spending like said roughly $125 - $150. And don't be fooled when it says photo quality. You want something that is designed specifically for photo's.
 
Oh yeah. I didn't mean that they didn't make good printers now, in fact their printers now are pretty good. Go back 3 years or so, and I have to say I wasn't so impressed. The 32 and 33 cartridges for the amount of ink that you got were not a very good value compared to Epson and HP printers of the same price. However, like I said earlier, their new printers are much better, I wish they would come out with a few more photo specific printers now, though. Epson and HP still own them in that department in my opinion...
 
One other thought. Lexmark printers. Yes they are cheap and never had one but they make it up on the cartridge. Then again i just buy high capacity cartridge. I would guess that most from them has very low level. And i basically only print doc or some stupid print with the HP. My wife is using a HP 722 from years ago and works fine. I have a Hp
DS5160 and a HP DesignerJet 110 Plus. All have always worked fine.

I think Walgreen and many other stores will refill your cartridges also.
Never did though. Use to do my self but quit. Told a friend how because he asked.
Explained it many times but do not overfill. He blew it. The printer went right into the trash.
Life is good.....for me.
 
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