I’ve recently started shooting digital and printing my first Raw files at home. Since my Canon Pixma printer prints in CMYK I converted my shots to this mode. However, the colours were somewhat off. They looked a great deal better in RGB, though a bit flat. I’m printing onto Harman matte paper. The Harman web site doesn’t have a driver for this model of printer.
Should I just stick to RGB? Should I try other papers as well?
The short answer is do NOT convert your RGB files to CYMK for printing
I am not familiar with the Canon Pixma printer but as far as I know almost all the desktop, consumer/ enthusiast grade photo printers are designed to operate using RGB files. Some or many of the professional press printers operate using CYMK.
Just because your printer has ink cartridges in Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black does not make it a RGB printer [Later Edit I should have said …. does not make it a CMYK printer]
RGB printers are printers designed to accept RGB files for printing. The inkjet cartridges can be Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black
It is confusing!!
That is why your prints look a lot better if printed from RGB files and don’t look so good if you printed them from CYMK files
Yes, you only convert to CMYK if you’re sending your files off to get printed by a traditional (non photographic) printer. For desktop printing, or even professional photo printing you work in RGB.