A few questions regarding .icc files
1. How difficult is creating a custom icc profile?
2. What software is needed and is it very $$$?
3. How different would a custom profile be from the manufacturer's default profile or from one I would purchase? It seems that creation of a profile is very methodical and exact so wondering why lots of people create their own. Doesn't the manufacturer follow a similar process to what one does when they create a custom profile?
I don't print on too many different papers (so if software is several hundred dollars I would just buy a few profiles) but I am interested in learning about the process and getting the best results I can.
All I have currently for color management is x-rite passport and photoshop/Lightroom