Image looks good on the monitor, but poor when printed

There are several possible causes for this.

First, the resolution may be too low. Make sure the resolution is appropriate in both the image data itself, and in the printer settings.

Then clean the print head, as a dirty nozzle can cause poor printout quality.

The paper settings for the printer are also important. Make sure that the paper type setting in the printer driver matches the type of paper actually loaded in your printer.

To raise printout quality, you can increase the detail of a photograph or other image with tonal gradation by changing the halftone setting to high-quality error diffusion. Here is how to make this setting for the EPSON Stylus Pro 5000 in Windows.

Choose Settings from the Start menu and click Printer. Right click the EPSON Stylus Pro 5000 icon and select Properties. In the Main menu, click the More Settings button. Then select Error Diffusion in the Halftoning box.

Click "More Settings"

Choose "Error Diffusion"

First, the resolution may be too low. Make sure the resolution is appropriate in both the image data itself, and in the printer settings.

For a laser printer driver, the screen line number can be set either for gradation priority or resolution priority.

If resolution is given priority, thin lines and finely detailed patterns may be accurately reproduced. On the other hand, if gradation is given priority, then thin and finely detailed lines may occasionally be inaccurately reproduced, but the change of color tones will be smoothly expressed. Make your settings according to the type of image being printed.

Here is how to make settings for the EPSON ColorPage EPL-C8000 in Windows.

Choose Settings from the Start menu and click Printer. Right click the EPSON EPL-C8000 icon and select Properties. In the Main menu, click the More Settings button to open the Advanced Settings dialog box. Then select Increase Definition or Increase Gradation in the Screen Line Number box. If Select Definition is selected, resolution will be given priority, and if you select Increase Gradation, then gradation will be given priority.

Click "More Settings"

Choose "Increase Definition" or "Increase Gradation"

Compare:Understanding Printers/Enlarged printouts look coarse

Compare:Understanding Printers/Image looks good when printed, but poor on the monitor

Compare:Understanding Printers/Colors on the printout do not match the colors on the monitor

Compare:Glossary/Error diffusion

Compare:Glossary/Gradation

Compare:Glossary/Halftoning

Compare:Glossary/Head cleaning

Compare:Glossary/Screen line number