Help Needed to Understand EMX and EMY files with Epson Printers

[pflower]

I have been printing, successfully I would say, with Epson printers on a Mac with mostly Lightroom for over 20 years.  The standard procedure is simple - choose a icc profile (usually stored in Library/Colorsync/Profiles) in Lightroom  and in the Epson driver choose the correct Media Type, quality settings etc. and then print.

Now my P5000 has died and I have got a 5300 as a replacement and I am confronted with the Epson Media Installer.  Despite efforts to understand what the EMY and EMX files actually do when it comes to printing I am confused and wonder if anyone can help.

I understand that the EMX or EMY file contains a huge amount of information about how to deal with a particular paper.   I understand how to import and install an EMX file so that it is registered both on the computer and on the printer.  But I am struggling to understand the correct workflow for actually printing with it. 

For example, I use Epson Archival or Enhanced Matte a lot for proofing and rough work prints.  I have installed the relevant EMX file for that paper on my computer and on the printer.  Looking at the information contained within that file there is reference to an .icc profile.  That .icc profile  is also installed automatically in my profiles folder and is recognisable by Lightroom.  I came across a video from Red River which stated that an EMY file is not a substitute for an .icc profile.  And so when printing I should choose the relevant .icc profile in Lightroom and then choose the relevant paper under the media type settings.  Is that right?  I also downloaded an EMY file for Canson Prestige Baryta II that did not include a separate .icc profile.

So my first question is this;  when using an installed EMX or EMY file should I just choose printer manages colour in Lightroom and then choose the paper which (having installed the EMY or EMX file) is specifically available under the media type in the printer driver - in other words does the EMX or EMY file also use the relevant .icc profile?  If not then I am a bit stumped when it comes to the Canson paper because I don't have a separate .icc profile for it.

The second question is this: If I choose a specific paper installed via an EMX or EMY file in the printer driver does that override the paper settings on the printer.  So if the printer is set to, say, Baryta paper and I want to print with an Epson paper from an EMX file will that override the paper setting on the printer? I guess I can work that out for myself by trial and error but since I am posting this I might as well include it.

Any help anyone can give me would be most welcome.

Thanks

[digitaldog]

Start with these videos from Epson:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVyCL7kOGNSUtIJ1MeFQJp49-mE7-CqU1

Many 3rd-party companies are providing the emyv2 files; the emyv2 files should be uploaded to the Epson Media Installer.
The emyv2 contains the ICC profile plus any mechanical parameters that need to be set on the printer. Then, in the print driver, one selects the (example: Canson media) by name; mission-critical: also select that same Canson media on the control panel, so there is a handshake between the printer and computer.

[pflower]

As always many thanks for all your help and expertise.

Just to be clear once I have the EMX or EMY installed on both the computer and the printer, then in the Lightroom Print Module I assume I choose "Managed by Printer", choose the actual name of the media from the Media Type dialog in the print driver and manually choose the same paper on the printer's lcd panel.  Is that right?

[digitaldog]

As always many thanks for all your help and expertise.

Just to be clear once I have the EMX or EMY installed on both the computer and the printer, then in the Lightroom Print Module I assume I choose "Managed by Printer", choose the actual name of the media from the Media Type dialog in the print driver and manually choose the same paper on the printer's lcd panel.  Is that right?

I actually don't know, as I only use custom ICC profiles and in Lightroom Classic set everything with a print template to control every aspect of the printing process. In that context, I have to use Application Manages Color.

[fdisilvestro]

As always many thanks for all your help and expertise.

Just to be clear once I have the EMX or EMY installed on both the computer and the printer, then in the Lightroom Print Module I assume I choose "Managed by Printer", choose the actual name of the media from the Media Type dialog in the print driver and manually choose the same paper on the printer's lcd panel.  Is that right?

Hi,

If you work with a colour managed workflow, keep using the .icc profile associated with the paper. When you install the EMX file, the specific paper will appear in the Media type in the printer dialogue. Lightroom does not read the EMX file, so it does not have a reference of what icc profile to use. The same if you print directly from Photoshop.

Now, if you use instead the Epson Print Layout software (either from LR or PS), then it can select the associated .icc profile when you chose the paper in the Media Type dialogue inside Epson Print Layout.

In regards to the Canson papers, specifically the Baryta Prestige II, the downloaded zip file should contain the files "cifa_p5300_prestige2_340_p_bk.icc" and ""EPSON SC-P5300 Canson Infinity Baryta Prestige II.emy2", so the same workflow applies.

Usually the EMX file includes parameters for platen gap, paper thickness, drying time per pass, and for a printer such as the P5300 it may include roll tension and paper suction. The EMX / EMY files provided by the paper vendors are not editable, but you can create a copy in Epson Media Installer and you can edit this copied file to adjust any parameter.