MAC SEQUOIA AND PRINTS...

[Jojo_jojauz]

it's unbelievable... every time there is even a small system update on the mac, my printer (canon pro 300) prints out washed out reds. it's baffling!

mac studio, photoshop, canon pro 300 (all very up to date!).

[MarkDS]

No, it's not unbelievable. Happens to me all the time, so I stopped upgrading MacOS at Ventura on my laptop and Monterey on my desktop, both M1 chips, and I'm not missing anything I need. Just get off their senseless treadmill. I've come to the conclusion that Apple has no interest in maintaining backward compatibility of colour management and the print pipeline, so best is to bypass it using alternative software for printing. In the Epson world  Epson Print Layout (EPL) works well. Canon has a similar application I reviewed a long while ago - forget the name - you can find it and test whether it protects the integrity of your colours. The day all that fails, my Plan B will be to buy a cheap Windows computer just for managing printing. From all I've been reading, it seems Microsoft has been better at sustaining colour-managed workflows for printing and from what I've observed, the printer driver layout is more user-friendly than what the printer manufacturters are required to design for complying with MacOS.

[Jojo_jojauz · Accepted solution]

many thanks mark! now with professional print and layout everything works!!!!

[MarkDS]

Super - glad you got that sorted and you're up and running.

[Jojo_jojauz]

mmh... thanks. the canon software is 'professional print and layout'

[NB, colourmanagement · Accepted solution]

@Jojo_jojauz Are you sure you are using the actual printer driver SW not the MacOS default?

Noite: As far as I know -  the same issue applies to Canon printer software - the "apple" print driver will miss necessary features - so if it's a canon please see this as an example of how to proceed. Rather than an actual step by step. 

Epson / Mac: Add printer, AirPrint issue, here are some notes about Apple’s built in (default) Gimp Print / Gutenprint based printer drivers.

Best avoided.  It can print quite differently from the manufacturer's own driver software. 

Does the print driver look different? some options have changed?

Are media names the same as previous drivers you've used, e.g.. is 'Premium Luster Photo Paper' mentioned or are the media types just simplified names like matte or gloss? 

You'll be aware, I'm sure, that the selected media name in the driver must match the selection made when printing ICC profiling patches, (so the ICC profile and media type selection are linked) . BUT is the media name selected previously actually there in the list?

IF the media names listed differ (and have been simplified) then you are perhaps inadvertently using Apple’s default Gimp/ Gutenprint driver rather than Epson’s own. It's not just a matter of installing Epson driver software, you have to select it too. I do know it's very important to use Epson's own driver software. I tripped over this myself on a client site, the driver looked different and I put it down to an OSX update imposed style - took a while to work that one out.

Here's an example of what I'd expect to see in an Epson driver for media name options:

Can you access print settings in an application other than Photoshop, try Preview?

If not, a thorough purge may be in order, perhaps install drivers (downloaded from Epson) again: 

1. Delete all instances of Epson printers from 

System Settings (or System Preferences depending on Mac OS version) / Printers & Scanners -or- System Preferences>Print & Fax, whichever you have.

2. Then go to /Library/Printers and trash the whole Epson folder.

3. Delete the Epson LFP Remote Panel (IF you are using that utility).

4. Then go to Epson online and download the printer drivers yourself

Do not let the Mac install the printer driver for you.

There’s one more tripwire - in System Settings (or System Preferences depending on Mac OS version) / Printers  - - - , when adding the connected printer

[i.e. click the padlock, enter your password and click the “+” button]

- watch out for the “Use" selection - I recommend you do not select "Airprint" there under "use", but, rather, manually set "use” to the printer name, which will then call on the manufacturer’s own software rather than the default Apple driver (that’s based on Gimp Print / Gutenprint, which misses out some printing options such as specific manufacturers media names). 

I hope this helps

neil barstow, colourmanagement net  - adobe forum volunteer - co-author: 'getting colour right'

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[MarkDS]

Hi Neil - maybe you missed it, but the OP is on Canon, not Epson.

Anyhow, for those installing Epson printers this is necessary advice.

[NB, colourmanagement]

@MarkDS Thanks, I think the same applies to Canon - the "apple" print driver will miss necessary features. I should have made that clear - will edit my earlier post

I hope this helps

neil barstow - adobe forum volunteer,

colourmanagement consultant & co-author of 'getting colour right'

See my free articles on colour management online

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[MarkDS]

Hi Neil, ya it does help and I appreciate your contributions to clarity on colour manegement issues related to printing. A minor editorial point - the "apple" driver you refer to, for sake of absolute clarity, I'm assuning you mean the Epson driver for Mac. This isn't only semantics, it's a real issue, because as I'm sure you and others know, Epson is required to design certain aspects of these drivers differently for MacOS than for Windows. On the Mac side we seem to be seeing issues arise that one reads much less of for Windows.

That in turn raises another matter which I believe, from a couple of decades of experience, is more substantively important: the somewhat haphazard "knock-on effects", if I can call them that, arising from the implementation of application updates between Apple, Adobe and Epson/Canon. That's a long-winded way of suggesting that this industry doesn't have its act together, and that is scaring newcomers (those who read blogs before buying)  away from printing as well as frustrating experienced practitioners.

There is a way around all this of course, and it's called "ImagePrint Black", but that, good as it is, comes at quite a cost (it has other qualities too). And added to the frustration is that all the important stuff happens under the hood so that normal users who aren't trained in printing technology (most of us) wouldn't know where in the print pipeline the issues are arising from. There is a whole string of transformations happening from the initial editing application, through the operating system to the printer driver and what happens where is extraordinarily difficult to ascertain, even after intensive Internet searches. These companies are well-shielded from user-understading of where the "screw-ups" may be originating from, which is unfortunate because in some cases more public knowledge may allow users to solve problems in a less hit and miss manner that we are confined to under present conditions. I've been harping on this theme for years to no avail, but really, it's about time........

[NB, colourmanagement]

@MarkDS "A minor editorial point - the "apple" driver you refer to, for sake of absolute clarity, I'm assuning you mean the Epson driver for Mac. This isn't only semantics, it's a real issue, because as I'm sure you and others know, Epson is required to design certain aspects of these drivers differently for MacOS than for Windows. On the Mac side we seem to be seeing issues arise that one reads much less of for Windows."

No Mark

When I mentioned the "Apple driver" I meant this - the default Apple driver (that’s based on Gimp Print / Gutenprint, which misses out some printing options such as specific manufacturers media names)

I hope that I habitually call the actual "Epson driver" or "Canon driver" just that, but we all make mistakes. 

ImagePrint had, in the past, (according to expert colleagues, I never bought it) "secret sauce (linearisations I suspect)" inside their own ICC profiles, a feature that "normal" profiling software could not reproduce, leaving users forced to employ ImagePrint to make profiles for them or suffer reduced quality. I'd be very happy if that policy’s ended and they're using standard ICC profiles. bno anyone with the right software can profile Imageprint. .

have a good week
neil barstow colourmanagement - adobe forum volunteer,
colourmanagement consultant & co-author of 'getting colour right'
See my free articles on colourmanagement online
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[MarkDS]

Ah - OK Niel, thanks for clarifying. As I never paid attention to any Apple drivers for Epson or Canon professional printers the existence of the one you are talking about evaded me. 🙂

[jasone59342877]

I have several clients for whom this happens after a macOS security update. I have to delete the printer from "System Preferences" and download a new, current version of the Canon printer driver, even if it's the same version that was previously installed. Then, install the newly downloaded driver and add the printer again. Make sure that 'Kind' is the Canon printer driver, not AirPrint! And never "Upgrade to AirPrint" when the macOS pop-up prompts the driver modification.

[NB, colourmanagement]

@jasone59342877 I'm going to post comments on this in a new thread because with Sequioa and Photshop 25 Printing is really messed up 

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-bugs/macos-sequioa-photoshop-25-and-messed-up-pri...

neil barstow colourmanagement - adobe forum volunteer,

colourmanagement consultant & co-author of 'getting colour right'

See my free articles on colourmanagement online

[NB, colourmanagement]

@jasone59342877 "Make sure that 'Kind' is the Canon printer driver, not AirPrint! And never "Upgrade to AirPrint" when the macOS pop-up prompts the driver modification."

yep, that is SUPER important. Use: "Airprint" references an entirely different (& rather basic) printer driver software that’s installed with MacOS. 

I hope this helps
neil barstow colourmanagement - adobe forum volunteer,
colourmanagement consultant & co-author of 'getting colour right'
See my free articles on colourmanagement online
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[keith_7272]

I feel your pain. I had a related problem on my Epson (in this case, excessive magenta). I don't know whether this solution will work for you, but after hours of uninstalling and reinstalling and internet searching, this is the simple step that worked for me:

Go System settings>Privacy and Security, Local Network. Make sure all relevant applications are toggled on. In my case two Epson ones -- including  'rastertoescpII' -- were toggled off. As soon as I turned them on, Photoshop could once again interface seamlessly with my printer, and the prints came out perfectly.

[MarkDS]

Is this for Windows or MacOS?

[NB, colourmanagement]

@MarkDS Yes @keith_7272 confirmed that using macOS Sequioa

neil B

[MarkDS]

Thanks.

[Park Street Printers]

The Mac user at my day job will only print his large format inkjet files from a Windows machine, specifically because of these problems. We have a Canon Pro 4000 and an HP Pagewide 4000. No one here has ever had any luck printing from one of our Macs, regardless of system version or hardware. For some reason, it seems that manufacturers deliberately make terrible drivers for these printers on Apple machines. We've spent hours jumping through hoops, only to have our changes reset or corrupted.

[NB, colourmanagement]

@keith_7272 Thanks for the tips, I thought I'd check and on MacOS Ventura I am not seeing Local Network under settings>Privacy and Security - maybe that’s on Sequioa only, can I please ask you to confirm that you're using macOS Sequioa with this fix? 

were you seeing the print issues I described here:

 https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-bugs/macos-sequioa-photoshop-25-and-messed-up-pri...

thanks

neil barstow colourmanagement - adobe forum volunteer,

colourmanagement consultant & co-author of 'getting colour right'

See my free articles on colourmanagement online

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[pmac-tucson]

Also using Sequoia - I can now save presets (Epson 2200) and generate a neutral B&W print! I went to System settings>Privacy and Security, Local Network and turned on 5 items, possibly overkill, including 3 Epson items (Printer, Printer Setup Utility and Connect Printer Setup) as well as Lightroom and Lightroom Classic. Previously I could not save presets in Lightroom Classic, and B&W prints had inconsistent color issues (green, cyan or magenta cast). 

[NB, colourmanagement]

@pmac-tucson thanks for the feedback, it's great to know you found a macOS Sequoia fix for the printer settings issue 

neil barstow colourmanagement - adobe forum volunteer,

colourmanagement consultant & co-author of 'getting colour right'

See my free articles on colourmanagement online

Help others by clicking "Correct Answer" if the question is answered.

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[pmac-tucson]

Well that was short lived. Made one perfect print on roll paper - a beautiful 12 x 36 panorama. Went back to sheets and presets revert to defaults again. Going to try winders. Dang this is frustrating - and I am just a hobbyist.

[NB, colourmanagement]

@pmac-tucson Did I mention this previously: https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-bugs/macos-sequioa-photoshop-25-and-messed-up-pri...

I hope this helps

neil barstow colourmanagement - adobe forum volunteer,

colourmanagement consultant & co-author of 'getting colour right'

See my free articles on colourmanagement online

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