Question Printer Colors Are Totally Incorrect
Question Printer Colors Are Totally Incorrect
I was composing a response while USAFRet's message appeared. He has a point. I’ll add some extra points.
Colours rarely appear as pure as they seem in reality. Black, red, any hue—none are truly pure. A blue sky never looks exactly blue. Green leaves aren’t always green. There’s always a faint tint from another colour mixed in with the main one. When the printer fails to use the exact right CMYK amounts, the output turns into an unusual tone.
That said, the digital image’s black background is actually a deep gray, with Red, Green, Blue values at 178 each in a 24-bit system; CMYK values are 0, 0, 0, 30. In theory, without that black ink, the print should be empty.
But I’m guessing the printer’s software might add extra shades to make a deep black look richer.
Certainly if you choose black and white printing (selecting that option in the printer settings), it means only black ink will be used.
I confirm that Pimpom's initial message is accurate. The absence of Black and Cyan inks points to complete blockages, which is rare but possible. It’s likely that the fine tube connecting the ink tank to the print head is obstructed. The solutions vary depending on the issue, but generally there are five potential fixes you can follow one by one. Your primary reference should be the user guide and the maintenance manual available here:
https://www.canon.com.au/printers/pixma-...nk/support
On that page, navigate to the middle and click the small red arrow next to "Product Manual View On-line" to access:
https://ij.manual.canon/ij/webmanual/Manual/All/G3030 series/EN/CNT/Top.html
Scroll down slightly and select "Maintenance".
From the Printer menu, choose "Performing Maintenance Functions".
Before starting, here are a few notes for context. The cleaning process pushes ink through the print head to clear any blockages. Each step consumes more ink, so after each stage you should run a Nozzle Check and print the corresponding page. If the outcome is satisfactory, stop; if not, repeat the cleaning steps. The printer includes a Maintenance Cartridge that collects flushed ink. This cartridge fills up and triggers an alert if it needs replacement. Ensure all ink tanks are filled before beginning.
Proceed to the next section by selecting "Maintenance Procedure" from the final menu. You may bypass Steps 1 and 2 since you already suspect a problem. Step 3 involves the first cleaning level, followed by a Nozzle Check. Step 4 is a deep clean if needed, then another Nozzle Check. You might need to repeat these after a day. If the issue persists, continue with the remaining steps: inspect and clean the print head, perform a head clean and Nozzle Check. If that fails, replace the print head. It seems this printer has two heads—one for black and another for the three colors. You’d likely only need to replace the faulty one, though that’s not guaranteed.