Color controls printing issues

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DaydreamJay

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Jason
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I recently bought a R2880 because I was ready for throwing my Epson 7600 out of the top floor window. I have had the 7600 for about a year with very mixed results. Most things seem to print out really dull and without vibrance. Occaisionally it will spit out something quality unexpectedly. B&W is a particualar minefield - the whites are white and the blacks are black but the mid greys are far too dark, almost black. I have tried loads of different settings including Bill Atkinson's profiles.

I got a R2880 the other day with a Lyson CIS. I printed out a photo that had a pale blue sky and it came out as dark blue just like it would have done on my 7600. I read the manual for the Lyson system and realised that I hadn't switched the Color Controls setting from Epson Standard sRGB to Adobe RGB as stated in the instructions. I made the switch and voila! the sky was almost the correct colour (still a touch dark but totally acceptable.)

So I thought to myself that this was maybe my mistake all along on the 7600 but when I looked in the options for Color Controls on the 7600 there wasn't a Adobe RGB one, just Charts/Graphs, Epson Standard sRGB and Automatic.

So my question is - can I add the Adobe RGB in there? I guess probably not as it will be built into the driver but it does seem that it would cure all my problems if I could...

Thanks for any help offered as I am at my wits end with this problem. In fact if there is anyone local to Dewsbury, West Yorks there is cash waiting if you can come and sort my problem out! :)

Jay
 
DaydreamJay said:
I recently bought a R2880 because I was ready for throwing my Epson 7600 out of the top floor window. I have had the 7600 for about a year with very mixed results. Most things seem to print out really dull and without vibrance. Occaisionally it will spit out something quality unexpectedly. B&W is a particualar minefield - the whites are white and the blacks are black but the mid greys are far too dark, almost black. I have tried loads of different settings including Bill Atkinson's profiles.

I got a R2880 the other day with a Lyson CIS. I printed out a photo that had a pale blue sky and it came out as dark blue just like it would have done on my 7600. I read the manual for the Lyson system and realised that I hadn't switched the Color Controls setting from Epson Standard sRGB to Adobe RGB as stated in the instructions. I made the switch and voila! the sky was almost the correct colour (still a touch dark but totally acceptable.)

So I thought to myself that this was maybe my mistake all along on the 7600 but when I looked in the options for Color Controls on the 7600 there wasn't a Adobe RGB one, just Charts/Graphs, Epson Standard sRGB and Automatic.

So my question is - can I add the Adobe RGB in there? I guess probably not as it will be built into the driver but it does seem that it would cure all my problems if I could...

Thanks for any help offered as I am at my wits end with this problem. In fact if there is anyone local to Dewsbury, West Yorks there is cash waiting if you can come and sort my problem out! :)

Jay
Click to expand...

I have the same problem with my R2400, just going to give it a try now....
 
This is usually caused by double profiling or just the wrong profile.

I've had the same problem give me an hour and I will try and get some information together.

One or two questions 1st.

What paper manufacturer are you using.

What paper profile are you using Lysons, Epsons or the paper manufacturers.

Do you have any means of print calibration and monitor calibration.

I get as near damn it perfect prints when using any ink with any paper but I'll let you into the secret when I post some info for you.

The info will be relevent to both the 2400 and 2880, I use it for my R300 and 2000p Epson printers as well.

:D
 
Thanks ChrisH - to be honest I have wasted so much time/effort/paper and ink with the Epson 7600 I am going round the bend. On the epson 7600 I am using genuine Epson UltraChrome inks with epson papers i.e. Matt or Gloss. I have just purchased a roll of Kodak Luster and have download the icc profiles and installed them.

With the 2880 I am using Lyson ink and Lyson paper.

I have not calibrated my monitor but I think it's not far off.
 
Okay so first thing first what is double profiling.

When using CS4 you can either have CS4 do the colour profiling for your output, or you can have the printer driver doing the profiling via an ICC profile.

Double profiling is where you set CS4 to control printing and also set the printer driver to do the profiling.

This causes double profiling which causes the two profiling options to fight.

In my case I got jet blacks, pure whites and almost everything else so dark it looked like the light werent on ( ring a bell )

So below is how I set up CS4 and the printer to get near perfect output.



settings.jpg


So here we have the two parts that make up the system.

On the right is CS4's print window, on the left the printer driver window.

Sorry it's small it's the limitations of the site.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

So in the right panel ( CS4 ) you will see I have chosen the printer ( R300 ) at the top.
I always scale to fit the paper but thats because I like A4 output.
In Colour management I have set

PHOTOSHOP MANAGES COLOUR


This is the important first step. You want CS4 to control the ouput not the printer driver.

The Printer profile is set to United Office A4 Glossy, this is Lidl's cheap glossy paper ( we believe to be Agfa )
You would set your profile to the Lyson profile, probably Lyson Glossy A4 or similar.

I set Rendering Intent to SATURATION but thats what my profiling device tells you to do.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now to the left window

PRINTER DRIVER

You will see that I have it set to A4 glossy, when I profile paper I always set it to that and profile it. You won't be able to do this but suggest you try this setting first.

The important bit is

The radio button ICM is highlighted and

NO COLOUR ADJUSTMENT is ticked.

You can save the settings as I have done by clicking on save settings, call it Lyson ( or whatever ) Landscape
Make another thats call Lyson Portrait.

This allows you to quickly choose a setup in one click.

Now try a print, if you have an Epson print proof set to pop up it may show scary colours, just ignore it and print it anyway.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------


So what was the secret of me sorting my printing.

A Spyder Pro screen calibration system, and most of all a Spyder print profiler.

Together they have save my printers from a murky grave in the local canal.

Following Spyders online tutorials I got great prints first time.

There are other makes like colorMunki etc.

Why have a calibration system, simple really. You can go to Lidl, Aldi, Wilki's and many more places and buy reasonably good or very good paper. You can buy a CISS system and use cheap inks and not pay the Lyson silly prices.

If you print a lot then you will save heartake and pain in bagfulls.
 
Thanks. I'll read your post propery when I get in tonight as I am on my mobile at the moment.
 
Muchus thanks to the OP !!

My R2400 is now printing better than it ever has.
 
WTF is OP it's been bafflin me for days. I'm gettin old now and hate all these abreviations.

I would highly recommend when you have some dosh to spare either get a Spyder pro, and a Spyder print. ( buy them seperate it's cheaper than the boxed set ) or a Colormunki.

Whilst I may get called rotten for advising it I will hold my ground.

A Closed loop calibration system is a life saver and will save you a mint in ink.

The only shortfallings are that your screen is radiated light and your prints are reflected light, so you may still get a slight difference. On my screen and printer setup it is visible but is more than acceptable.

I use

Samsung 24" widescreen monitor ( crap wish I'd never bought it )
Epson R300 using Lidl United Office A4 Glossy £4.99 for 50 sheets and cheap ebay CISS inks
Epson 2000p ancient A3 using any paper I can afford and cheap ebay ink in refillable carts.

I use a Spyder 3 montor calibrator and a Spyder print print calibrator.

:naughty:
 
ChrisH said:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

So in the right panel ( CS4 ) you will see I have chosen the printer ( R300 ) at the top.
I always scale to fit the paper but thats because I like A4 output.
In Colour management I have set

PHOTOSHOP MANAGES COLOUR


This is the important first step. You want CS4 to control the ouput not the printer driver.

The Printer profile is set to United Office A4 Glossy, this is Lidl's cheap glossy paper ( we believe to be Agfa )
You would set your profile to the Lyson profile, probably Lyson Glossy A4 or similar.

I set Rendering Intent to SATURATION but thats what my profiling device tells you to do.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Click to expand...
OK, I have set the printer to none, but I don't have Lyson in the options in Elements8. What else should I be choosing?
 
ChrisH said:
James

I don't have elements but you should have the option to choose a profile in elements. Give me 24 hrs and I will find out for you :D
Click to expand...
This is what I have

my.php
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Struggling here on mobile broadband because my cable went off. Phoned up and got Mrs Singh who aked me what was showing on my TV she didn't like my answer of fu~~ all why do you think I rang you.


Anyway what printer and paper are you using ?
 
For now, nice Day premium high gloss photo 180g, in a HP 5550.
 
Sorry Chris. I have a deskjet 5550 not the laser.
 
Okay so after a little playing here's what you need to do

Download the file above and save it someowhere. When you run the file chees the second option to leave the file in the directory it chooses and dont delete it.

Find the file and right click it

Choose INSTALL PROFILE

if it asks you to UNINSTALL IT then just close the operation.

In elements you now choose

default RGB profile for HP CLJ 5550

Without basic colour profiling equipment thats as good as you will get.
 
Thanks so much for your help. Just to clarify, the colour laser profile will be ok for my deskjet printer?
I will try it in the morning.
 
Sorry james your knackered. Your printer uses a 3 colour cartridge ? by the looks of it.

The laser profile will be useless.

HP never profiled your printer so your stuck. The only way to do it would be to buy a Spyder print or Colormunki.

To be honest it would be a waste of money. To get anything like a decent print you would need 3 colours and black. Most printers for photos have 5 and black making 6. Some have more.

If you weren't so far away I would bring my spyder and try and generate a profile for you, but sadly your miles away.
 
Chris,

The only thing that you are suggesting I do different to what I have already been doing is to select ICM rather than the option I usually use which is "Off (no color adjustment) in the printer driver. The instructions I received with Bill Atkinson's ICC profiles told me to select "Off" rather than ICM - I have never selected ICM.

I will try it tomorrow and let you know what difference it makes. Thanks once again for your lengthy input into this problem.

Jay.
 
Is it possible that a moderator could change the title of this thread to "Color controls printing issues" or something similar as it obviously now encompasses more than the original topic of the 7600?
 
ChrisH said:
Okay so first thing first what is double profiling.

When using CS4 you can either have CS4 do the colour profiling for your output, or you can have the printer driver doing the profiling via an ICC profile.

Double profiling is where you set CS4 to control printing and also set the printer driver to do the profiling.

This causes double profiling which causes the two profiling options to fight.
Click to expand...

I think you mean Double Colour management not profiling..
 
DaydreamJay said:
Is it possible that a moderator could change the title of this thread to "Color controls printing issues" or something similar as it obviously now encompasses more than the original topic of the 7600?
Click to expand...


Done :cool:

Although as thread starter you have access to do that yourself by editing the first post, hitting the advanced button and you then have the ability to edit the title :)
 
DaydreamJay said:
I have not calibrated my monitor but I think it's not far off.
Click to expand...

I used to think this too until I bought a Pantone Huey and actually calibrated it - the difference in colour matching between monitor and printer was AMAZING! Like you I was ready to chuck my R265 printer but now I love it :love:
 
The plot thickens...

I have found something that I think was causing or at least contributing to the problem. In the print preview of CS5 I click on the "page setup" that takes me then to the R2880 driver settings. I change all the settings to what is recommended by Lyson and then click ok. If I then click on "page setup" again the settings have all been restored to default... The same happens in CS4 - BUT the difference is that in CS4 after clicking print in the PS print preview you are then given the standard windows print dialogue box where you can select printer and settings again - if you then change the settings in THAT print driver window the print comes out correctly. In CS5 you do not get the second option of changing the print drivers.... Maybe just a problem with my system but it's bearing in mind incase other users have this problem. At the moment it seems I cannot print from CS5 before I resolve this.

Jay
 
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