Epson R800 printer problems

[Bob Nicholson]

Hi all

I'm having problems printing.

My monitor is profiled using a Gretag-Macbeth EyeOne device, so I
presume it is somewhere close to giving a "correct" image.

The problem is that when I print an image on my Epson R800 it comes out
significantly darker than the image on the screen.

I use Epson's profile for their Premium Glossy paper - the SPR800 (G)
I have Colour handling set to: Let Photoshop Determine Colours
I have Rendering Intent set to Perceptual
I have tried Black Piont Compensation both on and off, this seems to
make little difference.

Can anyone suggest how I can get the printer to print an image similar
to that shown on the screen please?

Cheers

Bob  
*in Carlisle, England*

[Lisa Nikodym]

One thing that might be a factor...

I used to think that my Epson 2200 printed significantly darker than the screen, too, until I happened to carry a print under a really good light.  I had been viewing the images under a skylight or in a room with a halogen lamp before.  Directly under a bank of fluorescent tubes, however, the print looked pretty much just like the monitor.  It became obvious to me that how well a print's brightness matches the monitor depends on what sort of light you're viewing the print under.  Is it possible that you are viewing the prints under dimmer lighting conditions than the printer drivers are optimized for???  You might give it a try under a brighter light (maybe something like gallery-style lighting, if you have access to some) and see what you think.

Lisa

[francois]

...The problem is that when I print an image on my Epson R800 it comes out
significantly darker than the image on the screen.

I use Epson's profile for their Premium Glossy paper - the SPR800 (G)
I have Colour handling set to: Let Photoshop Determine Colours
I have Rendering Intent set to Perceptual
I have tried Black Piont Compensation both on and off, this seems to
make little difference.

Can anyone suggest how I can get the printer to print an image similar
to that shown on the screen please?
...[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Bob,
You may find a solution on the DOP [a href=\"http://www.outbackphoto.com/tforum/viewtopic.php?TopicID=1539#7375]forum[/url]. They're some more articles on DOP website or forums.
Hope this helps

[Bob Nicholson]

One thing that might be a factor...

Is it possible that you are viewing the prints under dimmer lighting conditions than the printer drivers are optimized for???  You might give it a try under a brighter light (maybe something like gallery-style lighting, if you have access to some) and see what you think.

Lisa
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=51866\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I am looking at the print in daylight through a window which is near the monitor.

[Bob Nicholson]

Bob,
You may find a solution on the DOP forum. They're some more articles on DOP website or forums.
Hope this helps
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=51867\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

thanks, I'll have look

[pobrien3]

Bob, I too have the R800 and get good prints, well matched to my monitor (profiled).  I use custom profiles though, and have never had good results from the SPR800 (G) profile. There are other profiles available from the Epson websites which are better than the one you're using.  As a point of interest, are you softproofing before print, and if so is the softproof a closer match to the print?

[Bob Nicholson]

Bob, I too have the R800 and get good prints, well matched to my monitor (profiled).  I use custom profiles though, and have never had good results from the SPR800 (G) profile. There are other profiles available from the Epson websites which are better than the one you're using.  As a point of interest, are you softproofing before print, and if so is the softproof a closer match to the print?
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=51896\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I will admit to not really understanding "soft proof", but when I looked at it it was quite like the screen image, BUT that may be because I didn't have it set up properly.

[pobrien3]

Bob, the softproof is intended to give you an on-screen simulation of what the printed output will look like, dependant on the printing profile you select.  Access it through the 'View' menu, go into 'Custom' and select the profile you want to use (can't remember the settings without Photoshop in front of me, but make sure 'simulate paper white' or something like it is selected - there's an article on it here).  This is an excellent feature, and I find it to be a very accurate representation of what the print actually looks like.

[pobrien3]

Bob, emailed you this morning - hopefully it will help.

[Bob Nicholson]

Bob, emailed you this morning - hopefully it will help.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=52193\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

many thanks for your mail, I'll try them out as soon as I can and let you know the results.

I will need to get some nore glossy paper next time I'm in town.

Regards

Bob

[jmechan]

Hi Bob,

I'm actually having a similar problem - did you get anywhere with this?

Thanks,

Jon

[Jonathan Wienke]

The problem is most likely due to some combination of 2 factors:

1. The "canned" profile you're using does not match the characteristics of your printer. Solution: Make (or have made) a custom profile for your printer for each type of paper you use.

2. When comparing emissive and reflective image devices (monitors and printers) there is one and only one lighting condition that will result in an exact match. If ambient light is too dim, the monitor will appear brighter than the print, and if ambient light is too bright, the print will appear to be brighter than the monitor. If the monitor and printer are both properly profiled and there is still a brightness mismatch, adjust the lighting.

[pobrien3]

I had the same problem and it took me a long time to get it sorted to the point where my prints are acceptably close to the monitor.  It took three attempts at custom profiles for Prem Glossy, and now I have two profiles that I use depending on the image characteristics.  None of them perfect, but now acceptable.  I've also found that the printers are sufficiently different that the same profile won't necessarily give good results on another printer, so you'll have to get your own made.

The biggest issue with the profiles is how it will map to out-of-gamut colours: I have one profile which does it well so the green/brown smearing at low values is greatly improved.

I think we have to accept that this is not a pro-level printer, but a custom profile should help you.