I am using Win7, PS CS1 (!) and trial mode CS5. The reason I haven't upgraded PS in ages is because I mainly use Lr2.x and now LR3.x, but I need PS to do digital negatives.
As I am using Win7, at least I do not suffer from the Snow Leopard / Epson issues.
However, I did print a digital negative calibration chart out on the same sheet of film and so they are processed the same way:
- ACPU
- CS5, with Adobe RGB ->Adobe RGB null transform
- CS1, print with "Same as Source" and "Application Manages Colors" (no color management)
This is on a HP Z3100. I scan results with an Epson Expression 1000XL so it's not as accurate as a densitometer. However, the results are clear:
- ACPU scales the output. This is consistent for letter size and my pano size of 8.5x22". May be it is a bad interaction with HP driver. I do not know, but the behavior is again consistent.
- CS5 with null transform and CS1 with no color management produces output that are virtually the same. Any measurable differences are probably due to the digital negative->contact print->scan workflow.
- ACPU output is VASTLY different from the other two.
My conclusion is that ACPU is a piece of junk. In addition to who knows what it's printing, it:
- has a lousy UI
- scales your images
- doesn't even have the courtesy to remember the last folder
- open TIFF only
Someone is asleep at the wheel in Adobe.
// richard