Kyocera M5526cdw color reproduction issue

[Compvar58]

This is the second machine installed at this location that has experienced this issue with color not being true to what is represented on the screen. changing from KPDL to PCL6 or even to PCL5c had no effect. Changing to less magenta in the print driver custom setup did not seem to get it any closer. an HP M479 printed it with the color the customer was looking for but they chose not to go HP due to toner costs. attached are the images of what is correct with a bright cyan from the HP and the magenta shaded blue is the Kyocera.

[Ropariva]

I have had issues like this with TA-352 etc and was able to obtain alternate colour tables to load to the device. Contact your Kyocera support to see if they are available for this model. When I have an A3 Taskalfa printing blues wrong I usually go with the Konica Minolta or Ricoh colour table.

[kuby]

U485 on some copiers you can adjust the color to look like a different brand machine. But I do not see that on this machine (M5526).

[Ropariva]

U485 on some copiers your can adjust the color to look like a different brand machine. But I do not see that on this machine.

u485 is not available on the low end colours, but they do have a colour table as it’s listed in the service status page , reference 82 and 83.
I’ve obtained a selection of colour tables to suit the Mebius range. It’s possible they may suit this series or Kyocera may have them available specifically for this model.

[darry1322]

I've been able to get closer color matching using the options in the KX driver -> imaging tab -> color reproduction -> printer settings and just trying each original type to see if one is closer to the image on the monitor.

[Lunatech]

How are the colors when copying? Are the colors good for everything but that document?

[NCCopierTech]

IMO M5526 shouldn't be installed in any business environment. Nothing but trouble from my experience. Make sure they are using OEM toner in the machine though. No end of problems if they are using after market stuff.

[Compvar58]

How are the colors when copying? Are the colors good for everything but that document?

These are used only for printing and the out is nothing like what the client is looking for. Many attempts at changing the color in the imaging tab got close but fouled up other colors. I've just run out of patience and options for this client. Time for them to change to a different machine.

[Samanator]

I guess it does no good to point out the difference between color from a computer monitor and reflective color. If you have a picture of a light bulb on a computer monitor and turn off the lights in the room, you can still see the picture on the monitor as the monitor is light emitting. If you do the same with a printed picture of a light bulb, then all you doing is standing in a dark room with a picture of a light bulb in your hand. The printed picture is a reflective medium and needs light from some source. In my view comparing what is on a computer monitor to the printed picture in your hand isn't right as they are two completely different mediums.

The M5526cdw came out in 2016 and I think is disconnected. As far as I can tell this was a bare bones business color machine. I say this about the M5526cdw as it does not have service mode U485. That is a large indication to me that this is just a bare bones business color machine. Although to will produce color prints, it was never designed to do high quality color reproduction.

To get the most out of these type of machines, are you using the latest Kyocera KX print driver? Is the machine up to the latest firmware version? Are you using all Kyocera parts and supplies? If there a yes to all these questions, then about all you can do at this point is call Kyocera support, get a case number, and then request the regional service rep come out and have a look (if you are truly a Kyocera dealer).

Good luck.

[Ropariva]

As I’ve already said, getting the colours right from the engine is all about the colour tables. Below is an example of the different blues obtained from a TA-352ci by importing different colour tables. Note, this model also does not have u485 available, but Kyocera were able to supply the full range of tables to upload. To date, I’ve never failed to find a colour table to suit a clients needs . The caveat here is I’ve never done this with a M5526 . If kyocera support has tables available for this model to upload then you will likely resolve the issue very simply
If not, then you will be looking for a product that is more fit for purpose, remembering this model is entry level business colour and comes with limitations

[Synthohol]

is the file(s) a PDF? have you tried going around the driver and printing from a usb stick?
just to see how the machine processes the file without application or driver "enhancements"

ive also had good results printing pdfs with foxit reader instead of adobe anything.

i dont usually stray from the konica forums but i have kyo certs and worked on them for 19 years.

[Compvar58]

I guess it does no good to point out the difference between color from a computer monitor and reflective color. If you have a picture of a light bulb on a computer monitor and turn off the lights in the room, you can still see the picture on the monitor as the monitor is light emitting. If you do the same with a printed picture of a light bulb, then all you doing is standing in a dark room with a picture of a light bulb in your hand. The printed picture is a reflective medium and needs light from some source. In my view comparing what is on a computer monitor to the printed picture in your hand isn't right as they are two completely different mediums.

The M5526cdw came out in 2016 and I think is disconnected. As far as I can tell this was a bare bones business color machine. I say this about the M5526cdw as it does not have service mode U485. That is a large indication to me that this is just a bare bones business color machine. Although to will produce color prints, it was never designed to do high quality color reproduction.

To get the most out of these type of machines, are you using the latest Kyocera KX print driver? Is the machine up to the latest firmware version? Are you using all Kyocera parts and supplies? If there a yes to all these questions, then about all you can do at this point is call Kyocera support, get a case number, and then request the regional service rep come out and have a look (if you are truly a Kyocera dealer).

Good luck.

You are correct and there are no color tables available for this model. The Rep says it is just a plain jane base color model with a small footprint to be more or less a desktop model to compete in that arena.
However I have not attempted to print outside the driver. I would say for the client to print daily through a flash drive would be terribly inconvenient for multiple pages. As for Kyocera experience I have 43 years of every product released from Mita to Kyocera/Mita to Kyocera. so not a stranger to the product. I thank everyone for your responses but I believe it is time for the customer to upgrade to a piece of equipment that can reproduce at a level that is satisfactory to them.

[Rpizzle]

I would try letting the app manage the color, must be set to high quality for this to work. In my experience this can make big differences. Especially if you are in adobe there are tons of options in pre-press. I see you mentioned KPDL. Did you default this in the pdl?
Others mentioned the color tables; I was unaware this model didn't support it, but it makes sense that it wouldn't. I've had luck with RGB color table then going RGB in adobe application control rip.
Just be glad it's not a more expensive unit. I've never been happy with the color reproduction on Kyocera, don't get me wrong I love Kyocera but please make it easy for users. You can buy and x-rite and go down that road. I'm too cheap to buy one.
Good luck.

[copykat93]

I didn't see in the post anywhere that the original poster made , when asked if the colors are good and close when laying a picture on the glass & making a copy verses a print? If the copy is close to the original laying on the glass, then I believe that trying to adjust color for prints is worthless. IMO, I think it is a driver issue, plain & simple. But until the original poster says if the copy quality is close or not, then everything I said is mute.
Are the copies even close to an original picture laying on the glass?

[Samanator]

Is the document a PDF? If it is, try loading a copy of the PDF on a USB memory stick, then plugging the stick into the machine and print that document from the stick. The output ought to tell you if there is something wrong with the machine or the print driver on the PC.