Printer profiles for dummies - help needed

ShawWellPete

ShawWellPete

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Pete
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I am just about to send a load of photos to DSCL to get printed so I can get some frames around the house.

I noticed they have a pre corrected service (for pros) and an autocorrected service.

I have a calibrated screen and use Lightroom 3. Can anybody explain to me in simple terms how to use the printer profile that I have downloaded from their site please?

Or should I just go for the autocorrected service?
:thinking:
 
Just read the instructions on the DSCL web site.

What they are asking you to do is to use the "convert to profile" option within Photoshop. It's an unusual way to go about things but it seems it works for them!. You can't do this operation in Lightroom.

The only way round this I can find is to use the print module to do the work for you. You'll need to use a template that matches you desired print size. Then rather than print to the printer select print to JPEG. In the dialogue box at the bottom of the left hand pane where you have a choice of output profiles ( it's normally set to Adobe RGB) choose the paper / printer profile you want.

A quick test I did gave an output with the paper profile I had selected Not sure how successful this method is for using DSCL. If in doubt do a test or talk to DSCL
 
Chappers, i think you can use lightroom using the export

I've started using them, and you can use the colour profile in lightroom. It's in the export bit...
 
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sorry, have logged into pc now....

right... just had to go through it again to make sure its correct.

close lightroom

right click on the colour print profile file, select install..

open lightroom

select the pictures, then right click "export", down to file settings tab, then colour space, select other and it should appear.....

i could be wrong about this as im a bit of a newb in Lightroom and printing, but it seems to work for me.
 
Yeah I thought you could use it with LR too.



Spot on Stokes.
 
stokes said:
sorry, have logged into pc now....

right... just had to go through it again to make sure its correct.

close lightroom

right click on the colour print profile file, select install..

open lightroom

select the pictures, then right click "export", down to file settings tab, then colour space, select other and it should appear.....

i could be wrong about this as im a bit of a newb in Lightroom and printing, but it seems to work for me.
Click to expand...


You may be a newb but you showed me something I hadn't known about and I've been using Lightroom since the Beta days.
 
can be a tiff too Pete.....the advantage is for their printers so hopefully it gets printed much more like your screen shows it.
 
ShawWellPete said:
Thanks Tom. Presumably I have to reopen the exported file to see how that looks though?
Click to expand...


I think so..but then again it may not show as the DSCL profile...it does in CS5 as you can change profiles in-situ..so to speak.
 
tiler65 said:
I think so..but then again it may not show as the DSCL profile...it does in CS5 as you can change profiles in-situ..so to speak.
Click to expand...

I am clearly a bit thick :D

In Lightroom I have an image on the calibrated screen and I am trying to get a print that matches that image.

If I export the image as sRGB and send it to DSCL they "autocorrect" and print and it may look different.

If I export with their printer profile I get a JPEG that I can send them and they do not autocorrect.

Does that mean that the second way gives me a better match to my screen?
 
It should do Pete...but you can export as a tiff too...I don't think it makes much difference. Maybe it just saves them time doing it....one of the reasons why they are pretty cheap.

Do you have CS5 too?

edit..Also without a fantastic high end monitor..I doubt you can colour match soft proofing any way..plus the lighting has to be consistent too.


I have not had a problem with DSCL but make sure your screen is not over bright as you may find some images come back darker than you anticipate.
 
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tiler65 said:
It should do Pete...but you can export as a tiff too...I don't think it makes much difference. Maybe it just saves them time doing it....one of the reasons why they are pretty cheap.

Do you have CS5 too?

edit..Also without a fantastic high end monitor..I doubt you can colour match soft proofing any way..plus the lighting has to be consistent too.


I have not had a problem with DSCL but make sure your screen is not over bright as you may find some images come back darker than you anticipate.
Click to expand...


OK thanks. The funny thing is that when you export using their profile and open them in their software the colours all look weird.

I think I may just stick to RGB and the autocorrect service...
 
ShawWellPete said:
OK thanks. The funny thing is that when you export using their profile and open them in their software the colours all look weird.

I think I may just stick to RGB and the autocorrect service...
Click to expand...


it is supposed to look weird I think.....I have never had a problem with colours and I use their profile all the time. It is because your monitor is set to your colour space and the print is set to their colours space....do a trial print from them Pete...only way you will find out.
 
tiler65 said:
it is supposed to look weird I think.....I have never had a problem with colours and I use their profile all the time. It is because your monitor is set to your colour space and the print is set to their colours space....do a trial print from them Pete...only way you will find out.
Click to expand...

Good idea Tom, I'll try the same photo as sRGB and as their profile.
 
My first batch looked weird on loading but came out stocking.. trust in the profile lol. Test print... :) do a lustre, glossy and Matt to see which you prefer...
 
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