- inkjet faqs and cis faqs - to be updated

Frequently Asked Questions - Inkjet Page 1 >> Page 2 >> Page 3 Please find below a list of Frequently asked questions. If you have a question please email us at and, if useful to others, we will print it on this page. Questions (click to jump) Fotonic vs PhotoChrome Ink splashes on printout Epson 1290 vs Epson 2100 Toning using Quad-Black Toneable Colour and Black and White Printing Slow printer Small Gamut vs Quad Black Images upside down Toning with Small Gamut inks What is Metamerism? Metric sizes of A4, A3, A3+, A2, A0 & Rolls Canon Printer Cartridge Compatibility Custom Profiles How do i use Lyson Cleaning Cartridges? Printing what you see on the Monitor What is Bronzing / Differential of Sheen? Printer not Recognising new Cartridge Ideal Print Storage and Display Conditions What is Dot Gain?

Q: Which is the best Inkset, Fotonic or Photochrome? (Epson 2100) A: This depends on the type of Photographer you are. (what photography you are into, the media you are use and your colour and longevity expectations. We do not recommend either inkset, we simply tell you the advantages and disadvantages of each: Fotonic Inkset PhotoChrome Inkset Dye based Pigment Based Slightly wider colour range than PhotoChrome Easier to achieve neutral monochrome prints 25 - 30 years certified longevity (depending on media) 60 - 80 years (depending on media) Produces negligible bronzing on Gloss or Satin papers Slight bronzing on Satin and Gloss papers (new Lyson papers improve this considerably) No need to change blacks from Matt to Gloss media No need to change blacks from Matt to Gloss media Compatible with a wide range of media For best results use Fine art or Matt Paper Water resistant when applied to waterproof media (i.e. Lyson 265gsm Pro Gloss and 265gsm Pro Satin) Intrinsically waterproof inkset (water-stable on most media)

Q: Which Printer would you recommend, the Epson 1290 or Epson 2100? A: The most modern printer is the Epson 2100. This is capable of producing a 6 minute A3 print, whereas the Epson 1290 takes 20 minutes to print the same size print. The quality of print is extremely similar although the 1290 does produce slightly better quality - although only apparent when viewing under a magnifying glass. Both printers are compatible with the Lyson Continuous ink system saving you £1.00 on ink costs on every A3 Print. So, the quality is very similar but the speed of the Epson 2100 makes it the most desirable printer.

Q: Can i print colour and Black & White Images on the same printer with one inkset? A: Yes you can, although the recommended set up would be to have one printer dedicated to colour printing (using a colour inkset) and one printer dedicated to monochrome (black & white) printing (using a black & white inkset). However, for many individuals, having two printers is not an option due to lack of space or budget. In this case, the best option is to go for the Epson R2400 or Epson 2100 using PhotoChrome Inks. These produce a excellent colour range and excellent blacks. Please email us at with your full postal address for a free sample.

Q: Which is the better monochrome Inkset, Small Gamut or Quad-Black? A: The vast majority of our black and white customers use the small gamut inkset for their monochrome photography. The reason for this is that the small gamut ink is toneable - you can tone the print warmer or colder and create your own definition of a neutral. The quad-black inkset on the other hand, is a more basic inkset and is fixed tone. This means you are unable to alter the tone as you are with the Small Gamut inkset. The Small Gamut inkset also has the advantage that it is far easier to custom profile. This means you will be able to achieve much smoother tones, smoother graduations, see much more detail in shadow areas and correct any printer biases (e.g. magenta casts) thus improving the quality of your Monochrome Photography.

Frequently Asked Questions - Inkjet Page 1 >> Page 2 >> Page 3 Please find below a list of Frequently asked questions. If you have a question please email us at and, if useful to others, we will print it on this page. Questions (click to jump) Fotonic vs PhotoChrome Ink splashes on printout Epson 1290 vs Epson 2100 Toning using Quad-Black Toneable Colour and Black and White Printing Slow printer Small Gamut vs Quad Black Images upside down Toning with Small Gamut inks What is Metamerism? Metric sizes of A4, A3, A3+, A2, A0 & Rolls Canon Printer Cartridge Compatibility Custom Profiles How do i use Lyson Cleaning Cartridges? Printing what you see on the Monitor What is Bronzing / Differential of Sheen? Printer not Recognising new Cartridge Ideal Print Storage and Display Conditions What is Dot Gain?

Q: How do I tone my print using small gamut inks? A: Using Photoshop (a full version or Photoshop Elements 2), go to Image > Adjustments then Desaturate. The image then turns black and white. To get a good neutral: Click: Image > Adjustments > Hue Saturation Click "Colorize". Then dial in: • 210 Hue • 3 to 5 Saturation (try 3, 4 and 5) • 0 Lightness To tone your print warmer dial in a low hue e.g. 25 then increase the saturation (starting from zero). To tone your print colder dial in a high hue e.g. 210 then increase the saturation (starting from zero). To view more details on Lyson Small Gamut inks as well as a toning illustration please click here If you are still experiencing difficulties you may need a custom profile. The recommended custom profiler for monochrome is Udo Machiels, based in Sussex. Custom profiles are made over the Internet and post. The charge is £65 - £95. These will ensure ultimate accuracy, smooth tones and allow you to produce a neutral print. Please see this link for Udo's website (second link down)

Q: Why might I need a custom profile? A: Many Lyson users happily print using the standard free downloadable ICC printer profiles available by emailing us with your printer model, Inkset and operating system - but remember, consumer quality desktop inkjet printers are manufactured to a certain production tolerance - no two printers will be identical, and tend to vary one to another to a greater or lesser degree. The answer to this for those photographers who have high printing standards is to decide which is their favourite paper, then get a custom profile written for the printer/paper combination. The pay-off is that you will be creating superb accurate colour prints with beautifully smooth colour tone graduations, showing excellent shadow detail, also retaining highlight detail also (provided your original image file is also of excellent quality! - You will spend a lot less time in Adobe Photoshop, adjusting out printer distortions, colour bias errors etc. See here to view our recommended custom profilers.

Q: Why can't I print what I see on my monitor? A: What makes you think that your monitor is accurate? - If you have an accurately profiled printer, then the print that you produce will agree to the digital values contained within your image file. As a completely separate issue, if you have a good quality monitor which has not deteriorated too much with age, you should be able to adjust your monitor through Adobe Gamma to give reasonably accurate colour rendering, or use a monitor "spider" to do the job automatically. Theoretically, if your monitor is adjusted for accurate colour, and your printer is profiled accurately, these two colour devices should in reasonable agreement. Beware of the common problem where you are using an inferior quality colour monitor, or your monitor has deteriorated with age (each CRT colour gun may have reduced in output to a different degree, giving you an inaccurate colour display). - Never assume that your monitor is accurate just because images 'look good' on screen!

Q: Why won't my printer recognise my new cartridge? A: Although a rare problem, this scenario is down to the cartridge chip (the green board with electronic markings situated on the back of a cartridge). Sometimes this chip may have dust or dirt on the surface which will cause the printer problems in recognising the cartridge. - Take the offending cartridge out - Clean the chip using a cotton bud. - It is also necessary to ensure the metal contacts/prongs where the chip rests are in place and uniform. If this is not the case there is a printer fault. - Place the cartridge back inside the printer head. Once the cartridge is placed back inside the print head, turn both the printer and your computer off for a few minutes to reset the printer driver. When you turn the printer and computer back on the printer should recognise the cartridge.

Q: What is Dot Gain? This is the spread of ink on the paper that occurs during inkjet printing. The ink droplets spread and change shape when making contact with the paper. Page 1 >> Page 2 >> Page 3

Frequently Asked Questions - Inkjet Page 1 >> Page 2 >> Page 3 Please find below a list of Frequently asked questions. If you have a question please email us at and, if useful to others, we will print it on this page. Questions (click to jump) Fotonic vs PhotoChrome Ink splashes on printout Epson 1290 vs Epson 2100 Toning using Quad-Black Toneable Colour and Black and White Printing Slow printer Small Gamut vs Quad Black Images upside down Toning with Small Gamut inks What is Metamerism? Metric sizes of A4, A3, A3+, A2, A0 & Rolls Canon Printer Cartridge Compatibility Custom Profiles How do i use Lyson Cleaning Cartridges? Printing what you see on the Monitor What is Bronzing / Differential of Sheen? Printer not Recognising new Cartridge Ideal Print Storage and Display Conditions What is Dot Gain?

Q: Why is my printer printing ink splashes? A: Although a rare problem in inkjet printing, this is caused by one of a few possible reasons: • If your printer is attached to a continuous ink system the bottles may be too full. In this case either syphon out 1 - 2 centimetres of ink from the full bottle(s). The bottles may be too high in relation to the base of the printer. In this case make sure the bottles are at the same level as the base of the printer. • There is a large build up of ink on the printers parking pad. This can get caught as the printer changes direction. For information on cleaning the parking pad please call us on 01825 764 057 You may also need to clean the print head too. • The cartridges may not seated in the print head correctly. In this case push them down so they are properly seated. • If using a Continuous Ink System, check that the reservoir filling caps are in the open position (arrows pointing towards arrows on containers). Also ensure that your bottles/containers are not filled up too much. If so you can use a CIS syringe to draw some ink out. • There could be an object blocking one or more of the print head nozzles. This causes the ink to become trapped underneath the print head, which builds up causing matter to be thrown off the print head. To clean the underside of the print head please refer to the technique using isopropanol spray by clicking here. It is also advisable to check the inside of your printer for any stray objects such as hairs, fibres or small strands of paper.

Q: Do I need a profile when using Quad Black Toneable inks on the Epson 2100? Also, how do i tone the print using this inkset? A: You do not need a profile for this inkset. All you do is adjust the density of the image by using levels or curves in Photoshop. The majority of our Quad black toneable customers tone their print using the colour controls in the Epson printer driver itself. This is achieved using the magenta slider to progressively increase the warm tone or progressively increasingly the cyan slider to adjust the cool tone. The Settings we recommend for Lyson media are: Resolution: 1440 DPI High Speed: on Media Setting: Water Colour Radient White / Premium semi gloss photo Paper Colour Controls: on (Mode: Photo realistic, Gamma: 2.2 (colour sliders all 0 except magenta and cyan which can be adjusted)

Q: My printer is not working as fast as it has been. What could be wrong? A: This will usually be down to a faulty cable between your computer and printer. The first thing to try is to replace this cable. Other causes may include too high print resolution or incorrect media type.

Q: My image is always printing upside down. What could be wrong? A: If you are using the paper setting "Inkjet back light film" this will happen. Simply rotate you print 180 degrees. To do this, in Photoshop, simply select: Image > Rotate Canvas.

Q: What is Metamerism? A: Metamerism is such a very wide and complex topic so we will only explain this in very simple terms: This is an effect where a certain colour looks different under different light sources - so 2 colour swatches can look exactly the same under one light source, but completely different under another. So basically, metamerism is the appearance of a print under one light source compared to another. This is all down to the spectrum of light (like a rainbow), where some light sources may give a nice continuous range of spectra but give their light in very limited range of frequencies and vice versa and in differing capacities. This will affect the appearance of the print and is, unfortunately, yet another variable for your "digital darkroom". In our experience, dye based inks are less effected than Pigment based inks.

Q: I have this Canon Printer, will the Lyson cartridges work? A: All 6 and 4 channel Canon printers are simple, if they are BCI3 or BCI6 cartridges the Lyson cartridges will fit and you will be able to use these cartridges: http://www.marrutt.com/6000.php. If your Canon Printer has a large black, please contact us to place your order. However, if we do not have Generic ICC profiles for your printer (see here), we recommend you contact Tony Riley from Image Tune who provides sensibly priced custom profiles: http://www.imagetune.co.uk

Q: How do I use the Lyson Cleaning Cartridges? A: The main point here is to try to get as much cleaning fluid through your printer as possible. Here's how to do it: • Take out your existing cartridges and insert the cleaning cartridges as you would a normal cartridge. • Perform 3 head cleans and nozzle checks. You will start to see faint ink marks, which indicates the cleaning cartridges are working. • Print out a purge file 6 times 1440 DPI on A3 size paper (if you have an A4 printer print it A4 size). You can download a purge file by right clicking here, selecting "save target as" and save it in any folder or on your desktop - you can then open this up in Photoshop for printing. • Leave your cleaning cartridges in overnight. • In the morning, carry out a further 3 head cleans and nozzle checks. • Insert normal printer cartridges. • Perform a nozzle check - If the printer produces a poor nozzle check, please contact us.

Q: What is Bronzing / Differential of Sheen? A: "Bronzing" or "Differential of Sheen" is the visual appearance on a glossy, semi gloss or lustre/satin print where certain areas of the print (usually the darker parts of the image) appear to be less reflective than the remainder. Early pigment inks were particularly prone to this effect, which can be seen when you view your print at an angle. Modern pigment inksets, such as the Lyson PhotoChrome R24 Series inkset for example, are much less prone to this effect.

Q: What are the Ideal Print Storage and Display Conditions? A: For a full explanation, please see the Lyson "How to Store your Inkjet Prints" Article, which also contains some information on print display conditions. Page 1 >> Page 2 >> Page 3

CIS FAQs 1

Frequently Asked Questions - Lyson Continuous Ink Systems Page 1 >> Page 2 Please find below a list of Frequently asked questions. If you have a question please email us at and, if useful to others, we will print it on this page. Questions (click to jump) Which Printers are Supported? Can I Change the Ink Type Using the Same CIS System? What's the Mechanics of the System? Should I Flush the Printer Prior to Installation? What's the CIS Installation Procedure in Simple Terms? How do I Replace a CIS Cartridge? What Height Should the Ink Reservoirs Be? I Have Air in my Lines - What Sould I do? When Should I Refill the Reservoir Bottles? I Have Lost My CIS Installation Instructions - Can I have another set? An Ink Reservoir has Run Dry - What Sould I do? Why is my Printer not Recognising a CIS Cartridge What's the Refilling Procedure?

Q: What Printers are supported by this System? A: For all the Epson and Canon printers that are supported please our continuous ink system page. Any news of printers that we will support in the future can be found by clicking here

Q: How does it work? A: In very simple terms, robust ribbon tubing is fixed to the cartridges and travels back and forth in line with the print head. Continuous ink is drawn out of the cartridges via the 125ml bottles or containers which sit outside the pinter. The system does not touch the inside of the printer and does not affect the usual printer operation in any way.

Q: Lyson CIS Installation - simple terms A: All of our systems come with full, illustrated, step by step instructions. Here is a very basic breakdown of the installation process: • Outside of the printer, using the funnels supplied, fill each container with the correct ink- (5 minutes approx) • Take each cartridge and using the syringe and pull the ink through for each channel (3 minutes approx) • Remove the Cartridge Cover (3 minutes approx) • Place cartridges into the print head - These are held in by friction pad(s) (2 minutes approx) • Attach the CIS arm support (2 minutes approx) • Now enjoy printing at a fraction of the cost! ( Please read the [provided instructions carefully and take your time! Any queries please do not hesitate to contact us)

Q:Does it matter at what height the ink bottles/containers are? A: Yes, you must always keep the ink bottles at the same height as the printer! If your bottles/containers are at a higher level than the printer, you may experience ink pooling on the paper. If your ink bottles/containers are below the height of the printer, the ink may be pulled out of the nozzles due to a lack of pressure, which, may affect your printers' nozzle check. So, once again, You must always keep the ink bottles/containers at the same height as the printer!

Q: When should I refill the reservoir bottles/containers? A: Never let your bottles/containers run out! Always make sure your bottles/containers are at least a third full and we always recommend you keep a spare set of bottles. This is one of the main reasons why photographers experience poor output. So refill your bottles when they are no less than a third full.

Q: An Ink Reservoir has Run Dry A: If one of your bottles/containers is empty, you will first need to fill your container with the correct ink and then reprime your cartridge. For a step by step guide for how to re-prime your cartridge, see here. Page 1 >> Page 2

CIS FAQs 2

Frequently Asked Questions - Lyson Continuous Ink Systems Page 1 >> Page 2 Please find below a list of Frequently asked questions. If you have a question please email us at and, if useful to others, we will print it on this page. Questions (click to jump) Which Printers are Supported? Can I Change the Ink Type Using the Same CIS System? What's the Mechanics of the System? Should I Flush the Printer Prior to Installation? What's the CIS Installation Procedure in Simple Terms? How do I Replace a CIS Cartridge? What Height Should the Ink Reservoirs Be? I Have Air in my Lines - What Sould I do? When Should I Refill the Reservoir Bottles? I Have Lost My CIS Installation Instructions - Can I have another set? An Ink Reservoir has Run Dry - What Sould I do? Why is my Printer not Recognising a CIS Cartridge What's the Refilling Procedure?

Q: How do I refill my bottles? A: Please ensure you do this when the bottles are no less than one-third full. To refill your bottles, simply: For Version 1 Lyson Continuous Ink Systems (with bottles on the right hand side of your printer) • clamp off the tubes • unscrew the container (ensuring the tubes are not twisted) • top up the ink using the correct colour and funnel • screw the top back on • unclamp the tubes and start printing! For Version 2 Lyson Continuous Ink Systems (with containers on the right hand side of your printer) • simply top up the container using the funnel supplied with correct ink colour.

Q: Can I change the ink type and still use my existing CIS system? A: We do not recommend this, as it is extremely difficult to get rid of the remainder of the previous ink. In this instance we recommend you purchase a conversion kit from us (a cheaper price than the original starter system). This includes new empty cartridges and tubes. Please contact us for further details.

Q: Do I need to flush the printer before installing the CIS? A: In most cases, no. As long as your printer is healthy (has a complete/perfect nozzle check) you can install it straight away. However, we do recommend that if your printer is over 2 years old you should consider using the cleaning cartridges. This flushing sequence is metaphoric to having your car serviced which should prolong the life of your printer. We do, however, recommend you use the cleaning cartridges when you are using the CIS in conjunction with Lyson PhotoChrome inks (these are pigment-based). These have a different pH from other inks so its important you flush your printer both before you change, and if you decide to revert back to normal inks. As there is very little ink retained in consumer printers, usually a couple of head cleans and nozzle check will be enough to pull the old ink from the nozzles. However, if you want to make completely sure the previous ink is gone, run a 1 or 2 pages of colour bars (black, magenta, cyan, and yellow). Once you've installed your CIS, you need to leave it overnight in order to for the ink to settle. You should then obtain a complete nozzle check the following day.

Q: I have just received a replacement CIS cartridge - how do i install this? A: The main point here is to ensure you change over the chip! ........Here is how to replace a cartridge: First of all, clamp all tubes. • First, take out the cartridge that is causing problems (to do this you will need to move the carriage to the cartridge change position, if you do not know how to do this, the procedure is explained in your original CIS instructions manual) and remove the tubing from the cartridge. • Take off the chip from the old cartridge. • Discard the old cartridge. • Place the chip onto the new cartridge. • Squeeze the tube onto the top nozzle of the new cartridge. • Release the clamp on the tubes. • Take a CIS syringe. (If you have not got a syringe, you can purchase this here) • Insert the CIS syringe into the nozzle of the cartridge that is causing problems. • Pull out the syringe until approximately 5ml of ink is present inside the syringe (not just foam or air). • Take the syringe out of the nozzle • Clamp all tubes. • Clean any ink around the nozzle using tissue paper then place cartridge back in the printer. • Release all clamps. • You can then syringe the ink back into the correct ink container. • Perform a nozzle check. • Please note: You may need to leave the printer for 1 - 2 hours to allow the ink to settle before you obtain a perfect nozzle check. • If the nozzle check is not complete after no more than 2 head cleans please contact us.

Q: I have air in my Lines. What should i do? A: If you have a perfect/complete nozzle check just keep printing. The air will then disappear as it enters the cartridge. However, if you have not got a complete nozzle check, carry out up to 3 nozzle checks and head cleans. If your nozzle check is still not perfect, leave the printer for 2 hours for the ink to settle. If your nozzle check is still not perfect after 2 hours, you will need to reprime your cartridge (the cartridge with the air in the line). For a step by step guide of how to do this, see here. If you are still experiencing problems after this please contact us.

Q: I Have Lost My CIS Installation Instructions - Can I have another set? A: Yes you can. Simply click on your printer to view in Adobe Acrobat (please allow a few seconds to load): Epson R2880 - 8 Channel CIS Epson R2880 - 9 Channel CIS Epson R2400 (If you purchased during or after December 2007, CLICK HERE) CLICK HERE for R2400 CIS operating instructions. See this document for instructions on how to refill the reservoir, tips for day to day use, Photo / Matte black changeovers and general troubleshooting. Epson R1900 Epson R1800 (If you purchased during or after December 2007, CLICK HERE) If you require changeover instructions for the version 2 Lyson Photo Black for the Epson R1800/R800 please click here. Please contact us if you have problems opening this document. Epson R800 (If you purchased during or after December 2007, CLICK HERE) Epson 1160 Epson 1400 Epson 2100 (If you purchased during or after December 2007, CLICK HERE) For the first style systems with the 125ml bottles on the right hand side, CLICK HERE Epson 1270/1290/S (If you purchased during or after December 2007, CLICK HERE) For the first style systems with the 125ml bottles on the right hand side, CLICK HERE Epson 7800/9800 Initial Fill instructions for the Epson 4800 For the Refillable instructions for the Epson 4000/7600/9600 please click here Epson 3800 Epson 4880, 7880 & 9880 If you have another printers' CIS please contact us and we will email it to you.

Q: Why won't my printer recognise my CIS cartridge? A: Although a rare problem, this scenario is down to the cartridge chip (the green board with electronic markings situated on the back of a cartridge). Sometimes this chip may have dust or dirt on the surface which will cause the printer problems in recognising the cartridge. - Take the offending cartridge out - Clean the chip using a cotton bud. - It is also necessary to ensure the metal contacts/prongs where the chip rests are in place and uniform. If this is not the case there is a printer fault. - Place the cartridge back inside the printer head. Once the cartridge is placed back inside the print head, turn both the printer and your computer off for 10 minutes to reset the printer driver. It is also a good idea to take out the power lead. When you turn the printer and computer back on the printer should recongnise the cartridge. Page 1 >> Page 2