Why Canon G3260 and G3270 Printers Print Blue Colors Too Dark When Copying — And How to Fix It

Customer Question:

I’m using BCH Technologies dye-based ink with my Canon G3260 and G3270 MegaTank printers. The ink works great—no clogs at all. However, when I copy documents with solid blue areas (such as large, bold blue text), the output appears much darker—sometimes even grayish—compared to the original. How can I get a lighter, more accurate blue? Should I try using your "light cyan" ink instead of regular cyan, or are there better ways to fix the color issue?

Answer:

Thank you for reaching out to us, and I sincerely apologize for not getting back to you sooner. We completely understand that printer issues are often time-sensitive, and we want to ensure that each one receives the care and attention it deserves.

Here at BCH Technologies (https://bchtechnologies.com), we're grateful for your continued support, especially on our YouTube channel, BCH Technologies on YouTube (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies). Your feedback and questions help us continuously improve and deepen our technical content.

Now, regarding your issue with dark blue copying on Canon G3260 and G3270 models, let’s take a closer look:

Understanding the Issue:

1. Printer Hardware Limitations

The Canon G3260 and G3270 printers are built on a 4-color CMYK system (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black). Unlike higher-end photo printers, these models do not support light cyan or light magenta inks. This means:

• They are not designed to render subtle color gradations, such as soft or pastel blues.

• Swapping regular cyan with light cyan will not help—the printer treats all cyan as the same because it doesn’t have a separate channel to manage light cyan. So it will simply output the same or similar dark tones.

2. Copy Function vs. PC Printing

When you use the copy function on the printer itself, the device scans and reprints the image using default internal profiles. These profiles tend to boost contrast and darken saturated colors, especially blues. That’s why you're seeing bold blue areas appear gray or overly dark when copying directly.

This behavior is especially noticeable when copying items with solid blue fills or large colored fonts. Canon’s scan-and-copy algorithms often struggle to interpret colors accurately.

Best Practices and Workarounds:

Use a Computer Instead of Copying

For the most accurate reproduction:

• Scan the document to your PC instead of copying directly.

• Then, print it using your Canon printer driver, which provides you with much more control.

Adjust Color Settings in the Driver

In your PC’s Canon print driver:

• Go to “Color/Intensity” > Manual > Set

• Then:

  • Lower the cyan saturation

  • Reduce the overall color intensity

• Try printing in Photo mode or selecting a Photo profile—this can soften bold colors and reproduce them more faithfully.

Tweak Copy Mode Settings on the Printer

If you must use the copy function, try these tips:

• Choose “Photo” mode instead of the default “Standard” or “Text/Graphics” mode.

• "Photo" mode generally applies a different color interpretation that may preserve more blue tones and avoid over-darkening.

Final Thoughts:

We appreciate your use of our dye inks and are thrilled to hear that they’re working well for you in terms of reliability and performance. The issue you're seeing isn't due to the ink itself—it's a result of how Canon’s lower-tier printers manage color profiles during the copy process.

Addressing printer issues can be a complicated affair due to the hands-on nature of the problems. Therefore, we're unable to provide remote troubleshooting, suggestions, or support for printer repairs. We offer an in-person evaluation and repair service via our local diagnostic facility (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service). Given the high demand, we operate on a first-come, first-served basis. It may take a few weeks before we can get your printer to drop it off. Our services are structured to repair either the whole printer or specific parts, with clear instructions on how to proceed. However, we acknowledge that our rates aren't the most economical. Thus, we recommend that you resort to self-help via online research. You can start by checking out YouTube or visiting our YouTube channel's homepage (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies). Look for specific videos using the search icon next to "About" on the right-hand side of the menu bar. I receive dozens of queries every day asking about videos for specific topics. Having created videos over the past nine years, it's challenging to remember every single one. Therefore, using YouTube's search function would be the most efficient approach. Additionally, YouTube may suggest relevant videos from other channels that can assist you.

Thanks again for choosing BCH Technologies—we’re here to help, and we genuinely appreciate your support!