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Author Topic: Printer Profile Recommendations  (Read 4266 times)

Booswalia

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Printer Profile Recommendations
« on: February 15, 2008, 09:06:46 pm »

Hi,

I'm using an Epson 3800 printer and the prints are nothing like my monitor which has been calibrated with a Spyer3 Elite.  They seem dark/dull and the colours are not the same.  I've checked every setting in PS and Qimage and they seem right but I'm still getting dull prints. My last resort now is to use professional printer profiles.

Is there anyone you recommend to have this done?  Thanks.
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dmward

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« Reply #1 on: February 15, 2008, 09:29:35 pm »

Calibrating the monitor is only one step in the process.

I suggest that you get the camera to print video tutorial Michael offers on this site.

It explains, in great detail, the process and the importance of printer profiling. I use the Spyder3Print software and spectrometer along with my Spyder for monitor calibration.

It is also essential to use a soft proofing workflow, explained in the video tutorial. Jeff, provides some insights into how to match the softproof image to the screen image since the print will be limited by the printer's color space.

Getting dark muddy prints relative to the screen image sounds about right for an uncalibrated setup.

David

Quote
Hi,

I'm using an Epson 3800 printer and the prints are nothing like my monitor which has been calibrated with a Spyer3 Elite.  They seem dark/dull and the colours are not the same.  I've checked every setting in PS and Qimage and they seem right but I'm still getting dull prints. My last resort now is to use professional printer profiles.

Is there anyone you recommend to have this done?  Thanks.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=175162\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
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marcmccalmont

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« Reply #2 on: February 15, 2008, 09:33:26 pm »

Quote
Hi,

I'm using an Epson 3800 printer and the prints are nothing like my monitor which has been calibrated with a Spyer3 Elite.  They seem dark/dull and the colours are not the same.  I've checked every setting in PS and Qimage and they seem right but I'm still getting dull prints. My last resort now is to use professional printer profiles.

Is there anyone you recommend to have this done?  Thanks.
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I have had very good results from Cathy's Profiles
[a href=\"http://www.cathysprofiles.com/]http://www.cathysprofiles.com/[/url]
Marc
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Marc McCalmont

rdonson

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« Reply #3 on: February 16, 2008, 10:23:39 am »

Quote
Hi,

I'm using an Epson 3800 printer and the prints are nothing like my monitor which has been calibrated with a Spyer3 Elite.  They seem dark/dull and the colours are not the same.  I've checked every setting in PS and Qimage and they seem right but I'm still getting dull prints. My last resort now is to use professional printer profiles.

Is there anyone you recommend to have this done?  Thanks.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=175162\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

What paper are you printing on?  What does it look like in softproof?
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Regards,
Ron

digitaldog

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« Reply #4 on: February 16, 2008, 10:47:16 am »

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My last resort now is to use professional printer profiles.

NOT if the issue is your display calibration (with a Spyder, possible) or how you've set up the soft proofing. The Epson canned profiles for the 3800 are superb, no reason to go the custom profile route. Try one with the matching paper. If you still have issues, you're going into the wrong direction, its not the profile. It could be the printer or something else in the CMS.
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duraace

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« Reply #5 on: February 16, 2008, 11:53:43 am »

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Hi,

I'm using an Epson 3800 printer and the prints are nothing like my monitor which has been calibrated with a Spyer3 Elite.  They seem dark/dull and the colours are not the same.  I've checked every setting in PS and Qimage and they seem right but I'm still getting dull prints. My last resort now is to use professional printer profiles.

Is there anyone you recommend to have this done?  Thanks.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=175162\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Are you double processing the image?  Are you printing managed by the software with "color managment" turned OFF in the driver?  I get perfect prints using CS and Lightroom (the latter employing a work around fix for LR).
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vandevanterSH

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« Reply #6 on: February 16, 2008, 12:12:29 pm »

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Hi,

I'm using an Epson 3800 printer and the prints are nothing like my monitor which has been calibrated with a Spyer3 Elite.  They seem dark/dull and the colours are not the same.  I've checked every setting in PS and Qimage and they seem right but I'm still getting dull prints. My last resort now is to use professional printer profiles.

Is there anyone you recommend to have this done?  Thanks.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=175162\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I had a similar problem when I first started using my 3800.  I kept trying to re-cal the monitor change the ambient light etc. Turns out that I had selected the wrong profile for the paper that I was using.  The "canned" profiles with Epson papers give excellent results.

I also experience a similar problem after I upgraded to Leopard..That was solved when Epson released new drivers.

Steve
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neil snape

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« Reply #7 on: February 16, 2008, 12:34:30 pm »

It could be the monitor calibration, brightness of the calibration compared to viewing light, correlation between the two.

IF you have a reference print and it's original that should tell you right away if it's the monitor set up or not. There should be some reference prints available from many sources. I have a print from Pixl, yet there are many others. They are calibrated prints that should display on your monitor very close to the same overall look.

Also as the other poster said , make sure you have the latest updates, as there were problems with Epson and CS3.

IF ever Andrew makes custom profiles from high patch charts. But as he himself said the stock profiles for the 3800 should be very close in any case.
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Booswalia

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« Reply #8 on: February 21, 2008, 06:57:08 pm »

Sorry for not getting back here sooner. Thanks for all the suggestions.

The Epson Firmware Updater tells me I'm using version o00573.  How do I know if that's the latest?

When I view the proofs in CS3 they do look dull and dark, ....more like the prints. This may be a really dumb question, but should I be working in proof viewing mode all the time?
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digitaldog

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« Reply #9 on: February 21, 2008, 07:01:03 pm »

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When I view the proofs in CS3 they do look dull and dark, ....more like the prints. This may be a really dumb question, but should I be working in proof viewing mode all the time?
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=176506\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

You mean the paper white and ink black simulation? I use this when I have a copy of the original image open in the working space and want to edit the copy, with the simulation on, to better match that original. OR when I'm viewing the image in full screen mode and comparing it to the light box. Otherwise, I keep it off.
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Booswalia

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« Reply #10 on: February 21, 2008, 07:45:45 pm »

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You mean the paper white and ink black simulation? I use this when I have a copy of the original image open in the working space and want to edit the copy, with the simulation on, to better match that original. OR when I'm viewing the image in full screen mode and comparing it to the light box. Otherwise, I keep it off.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=176509\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Not sure what you mean by all of that.
I have set up a custom proof settings to match the paper I'm using. (Enhanced Matte)
Relative Colormetric, Blackpoint Compensation on and simulate paper color on.

When I view proof colours they look closer to the prints in that they are darker and duller.  Should I be making colour adjustments in that view before I print?
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digitaldog

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« Reply #11 on: February 21, 2008, 07:56:15 pm »

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Not sure what you mean by all of that.
I have set up a custom proof settings to match the paper I'm using. (Enhanced Matte)
Relative Colormetric, Blackpoint Compensation on and simulate paper color on.

When I view proof colours they look closer to the prints in that they are darker and duller.  Should I be making colour adjustments in that view before I print?
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=176518\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Right, you've got the simulate check boxes on. You don't have to but if you look at my reply above, you'll see when I do and do not have the simulation's for paper on and off.
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Booswalia

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« Reply #12 on: February 21, 2008, 08:06:45 pm »

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Right, you've got the simulate check boxes on. You don't have to but if you look at my reply above, you'll see when I do and do not have the simulation's for paper on and off.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=176520\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Ah, yes.  I get it now.  Thanks.
I think what I really need it to "see" a reasonable screen to print comparison so I know what I should be expecting.
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neil snape

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« Reply #13 on: February 22, 2008, 01:44:09 am »

Monitors will always be a different "look" than a print but the match can be bettered between screen to print if , your viewing light is stable, consistent and a known value with a white point in a decent range towards what they manufacturer says (like 5000 K and the light is close to that).
Then and only then you can calibrate the monitor to a value that looks similar to the actual media in the light, and set a reasonable limit on brightness. Usually this is 90 cd/m2 for CRT , and 120-140 cd/m2 for LCDs. The white point correlation then sits nicely between 5500-6500 K for a good match to print. So it's not only the quality of the monitor but more importantly the calibration and control situation that is more important.
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