Topic: Datacolor Print profiler 4.2.3 (Read 3914 times)

audiodoc · « **on:** December 31, 2014, 03:23:59 pm »

I have been trying to make adjustments to my 4800 that prints a little warmer than I want,I've made adjustments using the advanced sliders and have move them to the cooler side of things,added more cyan and nothing has changed on output photo.The preview(in Datacolor test preview) renders the color shift but it's not coming thru in the profile I select in Photoshop or Qimage.I have also disabled the print software. Any ideas or suggestions would be very much appreciated.

Mike

Hope you all have a very prosperous NEW YEAR!

Phil Indeblanc · « **Reply #1 on:** December 31, 2014, 05:56:25 pm »

Instead of adding a color, try reducing in the warms: reds, slightly of yellows.

bill t. · « **Reply #2 on:** January 04, 2015, 07:58:58 pm »

If your profiles do not work correctly based solely on the measured data, then something is wrong with your system. "Adjusting" profiles like that defeats the whole purpose of profiles. What you wind up doing is post-processing the hard way.

I don't know what the current Datacolor system is like, but the profiles I generated a couple years ago with an earlier version are simply laughable. Almost every medium dark to dark color was automatically "out of gamut" even when profiles made with a better system had those areas easily within gamut. And the profiles were overall very red. I thought there was a problem with my particular puck, but a little googling showed the problem was common. The profile editor apparently came out of the need to correct for inadequate hardware.

I respectfully suggest you get a better system, assuming you are confident you are using the one you have correctly and there is not dust in the measuring port, you don't have some non-printing nozzles, etc.

Although manufacturer's profiles are sometimes not exactly terrific, they are generally better than I was ever able to get from my old system.

audiodoc · « **Reply #3 on:** January 05, 2015, 10:37:10 am »

What better color profile program would you recommend?

Mike

wildstork · « **Reply #4 on:** January 05, 2015, 10:55:45 am »

Mike,
I've had the exact same problem with my Datacolor software and device. I repeatedly contacted Datacolor and they just repeated the same "remeasure your color patches" over and over.
The problem was never resolved and Datacolor refused to stand behind their product. I suspect the product is defective as I have many years of experience scanning targets with two different devices (X Rite and Color Munki) and have never had this problem. Datacolor simply refuses to address the issue and will not stand behind their product. Had I known this I never would have purchased the Datacolor product.

Lawrence

digitaldog · « **Reply #5 on:** January 05, 2015, 10:56:13 am »

Quote from: audiodoc on January 05, 2015, 10:37:10 am

What better color profile program would you recommend?

Bill’s right, it’s kind of pointless to continue when expect for rare cases, profile editing isn’t necessary. If you’re on a budget, look at the ColorMunki Photo for creating custom profiles.

Some Guy · « **Reply #6 on:** January 05, 2015, 11:34:28 am »

What about trying to read the colors through a cooler filter (Post calibration of the device), with a Lee #218 (Slight bluish) available from most lighting and theatrical houses for about $6.00 ? It's a -2 Mired shift filter. The opposite would be a #444 (Straw color) which is a +2 Mired shift.

Haven't tried it, just a thought...

SG

audiodoc · « **Reply #7 on:** January 05, 2015, 01:14:54 pm »

I also use the Spyder monitor calibrator .No major changes in it though.I may look elsewhere and see how it goes.I need consistent print color-(don't we all).
My previous cali for the Epson 4900 is a few months old.Were too blue until I did cali again.I really don't want to do this every 6 months.Not good.I'll look into changing systems.
Mike

digitaldog · « **Reply #8 on:** January 05, 2015, 01:26:56 pm »

Quote from: Some Guy on January 05, 2015, 11:34:28 am

Haven't tried it, just a thought...

You could also try altering the reference color patches using Photoshop. It’s a kludge but might work.

Phil Indeblanc · « **Reply #9 on:** January 05, 2015, 02:33:58 pm »

The Spyder for monitors is a decent product. I think the PrintPro is the one not up to par.
If you don't have either I would say go with XRite on both, but based on the feedback from people who used it, don't waste money on the PrintPro of Datacolor.
I have it and used it for a few things years back and can't give you helpful info on it from my experience.

rubencarmona · « **Reply #10 on:** January 09, 2015, 01:47:53 am »

If you say the print pro, is it the PrintFix Pro you're talking about?

If so, indeed, I can submit that this product is a waste of money.

Now we have the new product of Datacolor (SpyderPRINT) in the office. And I must say it works quite well. A lot better.

Phil Indeblanc · « **Reply #11 on:** January 09, 2015, 03:37:31 am »

Yes, print fix pro.

How do they differ? And is it worth dealing with it vs the i1 criteria?

artobest · « **Reply #12 on:** January 09, 2015, 09:05:27 am »

The SpyderPRINT isn't a bad product per se, I use it sometimes with the extended grey set to get better shadow defintion on some papers, and in one or two cases to fix posterisation problems with an existing profile. But, in general, the results from my Z3200ps's built-in spectrophotometer are better. User error can be a problem with all profiling systems, so I recommend multiple readings and using the supplied averaging function to improve accuracy.

John Nollendorfs · « **Reply #13 on:** January 09, 2015, 12:46:10 pm »

DataColor's PrintFix was a quarky kind of product, but it was cheap! On some printers it worked quite well. But that was back in the day when most cheap desktop inkjet printers did not give you very good photo quality prints out of the box.

Spyder Print works very well. The early versions did suffer from reading inconsistency problems, but this was fixed. I prefer the results it gives over the Xrite calibrator/profiler in my Z3100. The ability to fine tune a set of patch readings for your exact needs is a plus. Also, the B&W profile mode allows you to create as many different B&W looks as you want from reading only one set of extended patches.

audiodoc · « **Reply #14 on:** January 25, 2015, 10:43:21 am »

It has happened again.I re-profiled my Epson SP9900 for Epson Premium Luster earlier this month.I re-printed a photo from that profile last night and it AIN"T even close.I'm using Windows 7 64 bit and Photoshop profiles.Make no since to me.Anymore ideas?

Miscalibrated Mike

digitaldog · « **Reply #15 on:** January 25, 2015, 01:15:57 pm »

Quote from: audiodoc on January 25, 2015, 10:43:21 am

Anymore ideas?

Another profiling package and instrument sorry to say.

bill t. · « **Reply #16 on:** January 25, 2015, 04:58:00 pm »

Unless your 9900 is seriously ill, you would need to make a pretty darned good profile to get one better than the factory profile that installed with your printer software.

huguito · « **Reply #17 on:** January 25, 2015, 06:38:54 pm »

One more vote for a color Munki
Mine has been easy to use, never a problem and very consistent

audiodoc · « **Reply #18 on:** January 25, 2015, 07:35:38 pm »

Here's what's strange:I've profiled a SP4900 before and it did the same.Not sure if it's a computer glitch or not.I'm using a solid state hard drive system.Is there a possibility everything is not loading properly?I don't know.

For funzies,I used the Epson factory profile for premium luster on the SP9900 today.It was perfect.My observation is this:Before- the Epson profile on the SP9900 was not good.Had too much blue in the photos.After profiling,it was perfect.Now it's not.This is driving me crazy-too many inconsistencies.Not sure where to go with this.Switch to X-Rite color Monki or what?Still digging.

Mike

bill t. · « **Reply #19 on:** January 25, 2015, 08:56:33 pm »

Does the 9900 report color by color ink usage for each print? Might be useful to monitor that. Could spot an intermittent channel.

Are you testing several different images? I once had a file that would shut down a couple different colors on my old 7800 until it was power cycled. Going to an earlier version of the image fixed the problem. I think the bad file had a glitch in the data that was being interpreted as command codes by the printer.

Author Topic: Datacolor Print profiler 4.2.3 (Read 3914 times)