Color Quality Guide

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Color Quality Guide

Use the settings in the Quality menu to adjust the quality of the printed output.

Quality menu
Use To
Print Mode Specify whether to print images in color.
Black and White Note: Color is the factory default setting.
Color
Print Resolution Specify the output resolution in dots per inch (dpi) or color quality (CQ).
4800 CQ Note: 4800 CQ is the factory default setting.
1200 dpi
Toner Darkness Determine the darkness of the printed output.
1 to 5 Note: 4 is the factory default setting.
Halftone Enable higher frequency halftone screens.
Normal Note: Normal is the factory default setting.
Detail
Color Saver Reduce the amount of toner used for graphics and images, but not for text.
Off Note: Off is the factory default setting.
On
RGB Brightness Adjust the RGB brightness of the output.
‑6 to 6 Notes:
• 0 is the factory default setting.
• This setting does not affect CMYK colors.
RGB Contrast Adjust the RGB contrast of the output.
0 to 5 Notes:
• 0 is the factory default setting.
• This setting does not affect CMYK colors.
RGB Saturation Adjust the RGB saturation in color output.
0 to 5 Notes:
• 0 is the factory default setting.
• This setting does not affect CMYK colors.
*Setting is only available in the Embedded Web Server.
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Use To
Advanced Imaging Customize the color of images or text in the printed output.
Color Balance • Color Balance—Adjusts color by increasing or decreasing the amount of toner used
Color Correction for each color.
Color Adjust • Color Correction—Adjusts color by modifying the color table selections. These color
Color Samples* tables can be selected manually or as a group.
Spot Color Replacement* • Color Adjust—Initiates a color calibration and allows the printer to adjust for color
RGB Replacement* variations in output.
• Color Samples—Provides default or detailed sample pages for each of the RGB and
CMYK color conversion tables used in the printer.
• Spot Color Replacement—Provides the capability to assign specific CMYK values to
twenty named spot colors.
• RGB Replacement—Provides the capability to modify up to twenty RGB color values.
This feature requires the selection of the Display‑True‑Black color table.
*Setting is only available in the Embedded Web Server.

FAQ about color printing

What is RGB color?
RGB color is a method of describing colors by indicating the amount of red, green, or blue used to produce a certain
color. Red, green, and blue light can be added in various amounts to produce a large range of colors observed in
nature. Computer screens, scanners, and digital cameras use this method to display colors.
What is CMYK color?
CMYK color is a method of describing colors by indicating the amount of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black used to
reproduce a particular color. Cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks or toners can be printed in various amounts to
produce a large range of colors observed in nature. Printing presses, inkjet printers, and color laser printers create
colors in this manner.
How is color specified in a document to be printed?
Software programs are used to specify and modify the document color using RGB or CMYK color combinations. For
more information, see the software program Help topics.
How does the printer know what color to print?
When printing a document, information describing the type and color of each object is sent to the printer and is passed
through color conversion tables. Color is translated into the appropriate amounts of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black
toner used to produce the color you want. The object information determines the application of color conversion
tables. For example, it is possible to apply one type of color conversion table to text while applying a different color
conversion table to photographic images.
What is manual color correction?
When manual color correction is enabled, the printer employs user‑selected color conversion tables to process
objects. Manual color correction settings are specific to the type of object being printed (text, graphics, or images). It
is also specific to how the color of the object is specified in the software program (RGB or CMYK combinations). To
apply a different color conversion table manually, see “Modifying the colors in printed output” on page 3.
If the software program does not specify colors with RGB or CMYK combinations, then manual color correction is not
useful. It is also not effective if the software program or the computer operating system controls the adjustment of
colors. In most situations, setting the Color Correction to Auto generates preferred colors for the documents.
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How can I match a particular color (such as a corporate logo)?

From the printer Quality menu, nine types of Color Samples sets are available. These sets are also available from the
Color Samples page of the Embedded Web Server. Selecting any sample set generates multiple‑page prints consisting
of hundreds of colored boxes. Each box contains a CMYK or RGB combination, depending on the table selected. The
observed color of each box is obtained by passing the CMYK or RGB combination labeled on the box through the
selected color conversion table.
By examining Color Samples sets, you can identify the box with color closest to the color being matched. The color
combination labeled on the box can then be used for modifying the color of the object in a software program. For
more information, see the software program Help topics. Manual color correction may be necessary to use the selected
color conversion table for the particular object.
Selecting which Color Samples set to use for a particular color‑matching problem depends on:
• The Color Correction setting being used (Auto, Off, or Manual)
• The type of object being printed (text, graphics, or images)
• How the color of the object is specified in the software program (RGB or CMYK combinations)
If the software program does not specify colors with RGB or CMYK combinations, then the Color Samples pages are
not useful. Additionally, some software programs adjust the RGB or CMYK combinations specified in the program
through color management. In these situations, the printed color may not be an exact match of the Color Samples
pages.

Modifying the colors in printed output

1 From the home screen, touch Settings > Print > Quality > Advanced Imaging > Color Correction > Manual.
2 From the Advanced Imaging menu, select Color Correction Content.
3 Choose the appropriate color conversion setting.
Object type Color conversion tables
RGB Image • Vivid—Produces brighter, more saturated colors and may be applied to
RGB Text all incoming color formats.
RGB Graphics • sRGB Display—Produces an output that approximates the colors
displayed on a computer monitor. Black toner usage is optimized for
printing photographs.
• Display‑True Black—Produces an output that approximates the colors
displayed on a computer monitor. This setting uses only black toner to
create all levels of neutral gray.
• sRGB Vivid—Provides an increased color saturation for the sRGB
Display color correction. Black toner usage is optimized for printing
business graphics.
• Off
CMYK Image • US CMYK—Applies color correction to approximate the Specifications
CMYK Text for Web Offset Publishing (SWOP) color output.
CMYK Graphics • Euro CMYK—Applies color correction to approximate Euroscale color
output.
• Vivid CMYK—Increases the color saturation of the US CMYK color
correction setting.
• Off