Canon's Color Management download for printers.

[Some Guy]

I noticed Canon added some download called Color Management software for some of their printers.  I have an old Canon 9000 II model and it appeared for that in their downloads area so I downloaded and installed it for fun.

Oddly, it found I had two profile hardware units installed:  A "ColorMunki Photo" and a "i1 PhotoPro 2" both.  Nice!  (The i1 PhotoPro 2 head was plugged in already.).  It runs without using the x-rite Profiler software too.  I used the i1 chart.  The "ColorMunki Chart" might use the "Chevrons" over the small patches in the i1 chart it makes, but I didn't try it.  First page had a lot of blues and greens; Second sheet was more reds, oranges, and yellows.

Aside, I needed to scan the rows all the way to the right of the number on each line.  No alignment marks for the rolling ruler so you need to dead on with the edge on each line.  I also had to direct it where to save the profile in Windows too, but I know where those icc profiles go as I'm in there so much as it is. (C:\Windows>System32>spool>drivers>color)

I printed a Northernlight color test image using both the Canon Management and the x-rite Profiler.  The x-rite profile had better density (darker) and the Canon seemed too light.  Might be that I used a sheet of black paper under the Kirkland paper I used for the Canon, but don't know.  I may abandon that black backing paper idea and try it again.

SG

[Scott Martin]

Might be that I used a sheet of black paper under the Kirkland paper I used for the Canon, but don't know.  I may abandon that black backing paper idea and try it again.

Right - replicating the same measurement conditions (including easement mode (M0, M1, M2)) are essential for a fair comparison. Let's not even suggest a conclusion until then...

[Some Guy]

Right - replicating the same measurement conditions (including easement mode (M0, M1, M2)) are essential for a fair comparison. Let's not even suggest a conclusion until then...

I repeated the test with the x-rite i1 PhotoPro 2 white baseboard behind the target images rather than the black paper behind the Kirkland paper.  No significant difference in the Northern Lights test image.  The prints made with the Canon Color Management software are just lighter overall compared to that off the x-rite Profiler software.  I didn't see anyplace in the Canon software where you can change the M0, M1, M2 settings either, just does a generic calibration and that's it.  There is the option in the Canon printer driver to darken the print so I guess one could alter it there.  Too bad there isn't a way to tweak the density in the Canon software someplace.

Might be interesting to try it with the ColorMunki Photo too and see if there is a difference with it as it uses different targets (chevrons).

SG

[Scott Martin]

Did you make prints with both Relative Colorimetric and Perceptual with both profiles?

[Some Guy]

Did you make prints with both Relative Colorimetric and Perceptual with both profiles?

I don't believe you have that option in the calibration process as you are printing from the Canon driver itself, and not out of PS or whatever else one prints with where you can make a Perceptual or Colormetric choice.

Aside, I am coming around to the belief that whatever paper you first select 'must' be correct else your subsequent profiles may be off due to the lie-down of the black ink (dMax.) for that paper you first pick out.  I don't know via all the Epson choices which one lies down the most ink (Their Matte maybe?).

I was just messing with some metallic papers this AM that I profiled long ago.  Seems that InkDensity.tif file of digitaldog's was a bit light on the profiles I had.  I cranked the Epson driver up to 30% more density and got a far better black than the profile I first made with the i1 Profiler at 0% density in the driver.  Maybe I need to go back and leave the Epson driver set to 30% and do another profile using that setting over say the generic Epson Glossy Paper driver I used initially which was a default of zero percent?

SG

[Justin B]

I don't believe you have that option in the calibration process as you are printing from the Canon driver itself, and not out of PS or whatever else one prints with where you can make a Perceptual or Colormetric choice.

Are you describing how you printed the actual profile patch target here? I think Scott was referring to the evaluation image that you printed using each profile afterward.

Which media type setting did you use on each the i1Profiler and the Canon Color Management targets? Was your media type selection the same on both? Which actual media were you printing on for this test?