Printing using Epson Surecolor P800 & Hahnemühle papers

[PeterSchlicht]

Printring gurus,
 
I just received my new Epson SC-P800 17" printer. Both hardware installation and installing the drivers on macbook went super smooth. Jobs are transferred from macbook to printer via wifi. All very easy. My macbook is old but the screen is calibrated with an i1Display.
I believe I got the hang on b&w printing so far, the results on different matte and glossy papers are stunning in terms of resolution, detail and tones. Color prints are challenging for me though. Particularly the red tones and thus the skin tones are just not right yet. I am using a Leica M9 with Summilux 50 Asph and Elmarit 28 Asph.
I have three sets of different A4 Hahnemühle papers, glossy fine art, matte fine art textured and matte fine art smooth. Hahnemühle sends the equivalent paper type settings for the SC-P800 with its icc profiles. I downloaded all the necessary profiles for the different papers. So, here is what I do:
1. Process the image in LR5
2. Enable soft proofing and choose the paper profile for the paper I intend to use, e.g. HFA_EpsSC-P800_PK_FABaryta.icc
3. Click "simulate paper and ink"
4. Using the compare functionality "Y" I adjust the soft proof copy so that it looks close to the initial processed image (unbelievable how much contrast and pop is lost when looking at the soft proof...)
5. Once the soft proof copy looks OK, I move to the Print module in LR5 setting the following:
   a) position the image on the paper size
   b) print resolution = unchecked
   c) print sharpening = standard
   d) media type = glossy
   e) profile =  e.g. HFA_EpsSC-P800_PK_FABaryta.icc
   f) intend = perceptual
   g) print adjustment = unchecked
6. On the printer I insert the paper and set the paper type = Epson Premium Luster, which is recommended by Hahnemühle for PK type papers.
7. In LR5 print module I click "Printer" and set "Paper type" = Photo Glossy Paper and "Quality" = Best
8. Hitting "Print" actions the printer

So, what's the problem? On the printed paper skin tones are far too red and/or magenta, reds in general are very difficult to handle. I adjusted the red saturations down on the soft proof but that resulted only in kind of different hues, etc... Otherwise the prints are tack sharp, resolutions are perfect, contrast is good, etc. Skins, especially people's faces, though turn the print to trash.

I suspect the colour managements of LR and the printer are fighting against each other and I guess the printer is winning. The problem might be that my driver is not properly installed. I tried to install it various times. I can see the printer under system preferences (fig 1) and also can send jobs via my wifi network. However, I cannot see the advanced setting in the print menu (fig 2). I also don't see the Epson Printer Utility (fig 3).
Is there any way other than the online wizard installer for the Epson?
 
Btw, I watched all your videos from luminous-landscape, "From Camera to Print and Screen" and the previous ones.
 
What do I do wrong? Any ideas?
 
Thanks a lot in advance,
Peter

[Mark D Segal]

I had to give my test unit back to Epson so I don't have a P800 in front of me to check certain things. All you are doing sounds as if things should be OK. But have you verified at the bottom right of the Print Module (Color Management) in LR whether you have the correct profile selected, or does it say Managed by Printer? Make sure you have the correct profile selected there. Also in the Epson driver make sure in Printer>Printer Settings for Color Mode it says OFF (No Color Management), meaning the printer is not managing colour.

[PeterSchlicht]

I had to give my test unit back to Epson so I don't have a P800 in front of me to check certain things. All you are doing sounds as if things should be OK. But have you verified at the bottom right of the Print Module (Color Management) in LR whether you have the correct profile selected, or does it say Managed by Printer? Make sure you have the correct profile selected there. Also in the Epson driver make sure in Printer>Printer Settings for Color Mode it says OFF (No Color Management), meaning the printer is not managing colour.

Mark, I chose the right paper profiles, both under soft proofing and in the print module. I do not get the option in there printer settings to choose the color mode. For printer settings I only see what's shown in the above snapshot. Something must be wrong with the installation, although the driver installer went through without problems.
 

[howardm]

Peter,

The problem is that you selected (or the installer did it for you ) 'Airprint' driver which is a braindead simplified driver.

Remove the printer from SysPrefs and re-do it but there will be a Driver pulldown and select CUPS or Epson or whatever they call it but DO NOT select/leave Airprint.

[Mark D Segal]

Sorry I may have confused things a bit - in the driver for the P800, the place where printer colour control gets turned off is in the Color Matching Menu. Check the manual for details. You want to make sure it is on "Colorsync" if you are using a Mac; for Windows, the Main tab (in the driver) has a Mode drop-down where you can select as appropriate (make sure it is OFF).

And yes - Howard is right - Airprint is the wrong version of the driver. You need the other one to get all the controls.

[PeterSchlicht]

Sorry I may have confused things a bit - in the driver for the P800, the place where printer colour control gets turned off is in the Color Matching Menu. Check the manual for details. You want to make sure it is on "Colorsync" if you are using a Mac; for Windows, the Main tab (in the driver) has a Mode drop-down where you can select as appropriate (make sure it is OFF).

And yes - Howard is right - Airprint is the wrong version of the driver. You need the other one to get all the controls.

Howard, Mark!

We are winning! Your advice was completely right! Now I see all the options and am able to choose my Hahnemühle paper profile under:
Print > Color Matching > Color Sync > HFA_EpsSC-P800_PK_FABaryta.icc

Thank you very much guys! Now, let me print and check if it makes the difference. I'll let you know shortly.

Cheers,
Peter

[howardm]

Your advice was completely right

Ha!  It *does* happen sometimes.  tell that to my wife! 

[Mark D Segal]

+1  :-)

[Mark D Segal]

But before we get too self-congratulatory, let's hear about the results........

[PeterSchlicht]

Howard, Mark,

We are in business! I printed a color photo on Hahnemühle Museum Etching, matte and it looks exactly as in soft proofing!
Wow love it!

Thanks again. You can tap on your shoulders 

Cheers,
Peter

[Mark D Segal]

OK Peter - good to know and glad you are in business. Case closed.

[jamescollins1022]

Howard, Mark,

We are in business! I printed a color photo on Hahnemühle Museum Etching, matte and it looks exactly as in soft proofing!
Wow love it!

Thanks again. You can tap on your shoulders 

Cheers,
Peter

Hi, thanks for the above, I had similar issues but when I tried installing the non airprint driver, I can't see a place to select the different driver. I'm using a mac with el capitain. How do I install the non-airprint driver?

Sent from my D5833 using Tapatalk

[howardm]

when you Add the printer, there should be a popup where shows existing printers and the new one.  Below that should be (I think, I haven't done it in a long time), 2 text windows (for printer name and location) and a pulldown for the driver.  When you use that pulldown, you should see something like 'Epson S3880' or the like