Why color calibration on DJ z3100

[Damir]

Hi everybody

This is my first post here - I searched for this topic but can not find any information.

My questionis what is going on when I run color calibration on my Z3100?? I have GP PS version of printer.

If I made ICC profile i calibrate printer for paper I use - I know where profile is and how to use it - but I wonder what is going on when I run color calibration?

Do printer generate some file with data about calibration? How is he using that file, or how is Photoshop or any other piece of software use it - is it just for internal use of printer, if so what is going on when application manage color? If I have any doubt about color representation I can run profiling for another ICC profile to replace the old one, why should I use some function like color calibration which actually do not have any relation to any software or to ICC profile?

I really do not understand what is going on inside the printer when color calibration is activated by user.

Thank you for answers or any link that might have some information about this topic.

Damir Tiljak

[Ernst Dinkla]

Hi everybody

This is my first post here - I searched for this topic but can not find any information.

My questionis what is going on when I run color calibration on my Z3100?? I have GP PS version of printer.

If I made ICC profile i calibrate printer for paper I use - I know where profile is and how to use it - but I wonder what is going on when I run color calibration?

Do printer generate some file with data about calibration? How is he using that file, or how is Photoshop or any other piece of software use it - is it just for internal use of printer, if so what is going on when application manage color? If I have any doubt about color representation I can run profiling for another ICC profile to replace the old one, why should I use some function like color calibration which actually do not have any relation to any software or to ICC profile?

I really do not understand what is going on inside the printer when color calibration is activated by user.

Thank you for answers or any link that might have some information about this topic.

Damir Tiljak

A printer has to be calibrated for the paper + media preset before the ICC profile for the same combination is created. The calibration brings the printer's ink distribution back to the standard condition like it left the factory but also takes care of quality fluctuations of the media coating (to a degree). The calibration data per media is stored on the printer and will automatically be used with the media preset it belongs to, from all the computer systems that print to that printer. On that consistent base the OEM ICC profiles and the ICC profiles created on the Z3100 by the user will keep their value. It is also a consistent base for the B&W mode of the driver that doesn't know the same CM available in both color CM modes. It doesn't matter whether Printer/Driver CM is used or Application CM is used, in both cases the calibration data + media preset is the base the CM builds on.

This is very similar to a RIP linearisation function that has to be done from time to time when a RIP is used as the driver.

The idea that one can achieve the same by making new ICC profiles from time to time is wrong. If the printer is consistent in its ink distribution in time there's no need to reprofile, all the existing profiles should work as good as before. Epson owners often start from that thought. That doesn't take care of paper coating fluctuations per batch however and may be a too general assumption in total. ICC profile creation (RGB-device variety included) more or less depends on linear basic output to perform best, either the printer has to have a very basic linear consistency in time and/or should have the calibration feature.


Ernst Dinkla

Try: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Wide_Inkjet_Printers/

[Damir]

Thank you for answer - now the relation between color calibration and ICC profile is clear.