3800+color management question

[knweiss]

I've got an Epson 3800 since last week and so far I am very happy with it. The prints are simply gorgeous.

However, there is a little problem regarding color management I do not understand: When I select "Print with Preview" (PS CS2) and in the dialog "Let Printer Determine Colors" the colors in the print preview shown by the Epson driver and in the final print are fine.

But when I select "Let Photoshop Determine Colors" instead and then disable the color management in the Epson printer driver (by selecting "Off (No color adjustment)" in custom mode) the colors in the Epson driver print preview are off (they are way too bright). Why is that? Shouldn't the resulting print preview be the same? Or is the Epson print preview only meaningful if the Epson driver manages the colors and I have to rely on PS Soft Proofing to see how the print will look like? (The print profile and rendering intent settings were identical in both cases.)

To be honest: I did not try to print the bright print preview yet to test if the colors of the actual print are off, too, because I didn't want to waste paper.

BTW: I'm also asking myself why, when using "Let Printer Determine Colors", I must set the rendering intent both in the PS "Print with Preview" dialog and in the printer driver dialog?

[madmanchan]

Karsten,

You should not use the Epson preview window to judge color. (This is noted in the Epson manual and Epson online help.) It should only be used to judge page layout (i.e., if your image is centered properly on the page, oriented correctly, etc.).  Again, in summary, ignore the colors/tones you see in the Epson preview window, regardless of what your driver settings are.

Second, if you are asking Photoshop to let the Printer Determine Colors, then it doesn't matter what your rendering intent settings are in the Photoshop Print With Preview box. It will be ignored.

[knweiss]

You should not use the Epson preview window to judge color. (This is noted in the Epson manual and Epson online help.) It should only be used to judge page layout

Although I've read the manual I seem to have missed this point. Thanks!

Second, if you are asking Photoshop to let the Printer Determine Colors, then it doesn't matter what your rendering intent settings are in the Photoshop Print With Preview box. It will be ignored.

This was also my expectation. But I am wondering why the rendering intent listbox isn't ghosted then?

[digitaldog]

The little preview window in Print with Preview isn't color managed. In CS3 it is.

Don't use Let Printer Determine Color. Its a big hurt me button. Let Photoshop handle the color management.