printing from mac OS 10.5 on canon ix4000

thought I had tamed printing, from PowerBook/OS10.4.11 to newish Canon iX4000....but exactly same files and near as poss same settings from MacBook pro/10.5.4 produce washed out versions needing approx 20% increase in 'intensity' slider to correct and borderless printing isn't.

Very difficult to work out what comes from OS and what comes from printer driver (4.8.3), but they don't seem to be talking the same language.

Have tried Apple discussions, getting rid of other 5000 other printer drivers and minor tweaks all to no avail. At present sticking an ethernet cable through and printing files on MacBook from PowerBook, but would like the desk space back and preserve PowerBook for when I need Classic.

Anyone have any suggestions?

PS I normally print direct from .nef in Nikon Capture NX2; tried converting to .tif and printing from PSE4 & DPP with marginally worse results.

Sounds like an issue with calibration of the screen and printer?

If you haven't recently calibrated then this is the likely outcome, and would suggest you look at either getting it done or buying your own calibration device.

thank you Shreds

I have gone sideways on this one deciding to move to glossy paper (like everyone else :o)

Bought a pack of A4 HP premium plus from local stationery shop having no time for mail ordering Canon branded and am so impressed I have also ordered some A3. The modern high quality gloss paper has a reflectance from the white background that virtually back-lights the printed ink film as on a good monitor (mac OS has built-in calibration and I do use it).

If anyone else is on a similar tack, the success sequence is (1) use best quality colour profile the camera has, in my case Nikon version of adobe 1998 RGB) (2) set software to send from that to best quality the printer driver has available, in my case Canon SP4 (3) set print dialogue to best settings irrespective of paper descriptions, in my case Canon pro with max definition (4) if a test shows any slight colour bias, correct that as togglable step in the editing software, not printer dialogue as you see effect of small percentage change instead of trial and error.

NB in the end the printed photo is what you want it to be and if you can get that, IMO that is better than moithering about whether the ICC profiles are consistent throughout, which the above are not.