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I have been having a problem with a major change in my print gamuts. This is a new problem that has occurred after about two years of successful printing – now something has changed. I am not new to color space, calibration, and ICC profiles. I am not an expert but I understand how they work and have used them successfully.
I reinstalled all the software associated with printing including drivers, Photoshop, and printer firmware. Then I reinstalled the operating system on a different hard drive and then installed Photoshop CS-2. Still no change. (Settings were transferred with the new installations.)
It acts like more than one ICC profile is being used or the wrong one. Some prints with gradients show banding like the gamut has shrunk to only a few colors in part of the gamut. A gray scale step chart prints about half pure black.
What I know so far:
The same problem occurs in two different printers attached to the same PC so we need to find something they both have in common. It still occurs even if only one printer is installed. I can only be hardware, software, firmware, settings. Up to this point Epson’s canned profiles have been bullet proof for Epson papers so that is probably not the source. Even new profiles don’t work correctly. I am using existing files so no amount of monitor calibrating will change the print. (something others have suggested)
PC (XP Home)
PS CS and then PS CS-2 (temp version)
Printers: Epson 4000 and Epson 1280
Attached directly via USB 2.0
1 GB RAM
Photoshop Settings:
Adobe RGB (1998)
RGB: Preserve Embedded Profiles
Engine: Adobe (ACE)
Use Black Point Compensation
Use Dither
To print on Epson Premium Luster:
under Properties/Advanced/Color mgmt OFF
Print Quality 720dpi
under Paper/Media Type/Premium Luster Photopaper (250)
Print page – under Print Document (Profile: Adobe RGB (1998) Options:
– Color Handling: Let Photoshop Determine Colors
– Printer Profile: Working RGB – Adobe RGB (1998)
– Rendering intent: Perceptual
Black Point Compensation – YES
Any help would be appreciated,
Tim
I reinstalled all the software associated with printing including drivers, Photoshop, and printer firmware. Then I reinstalled the operating system on a different hard drive and then installed Photoshop CS-2. Still no change. (Settings were transferred with the new installations.)
It acts like more than one ICC profile is being used or the wrong one. Some prints with gradients show banding like the gamut has shrunk to only a few colors in part of the gamut. A gray scale step chart prints about half pure black.
What I know so far:
The same problem occurs in two different printers attached to the same PC so we need to find something they both have in common. It still occurs even if only one printer is installed. I can only be hardware, software, firmware, settings. Up to this point Epson’s canned profiles have been bullet proof for Epson papers so that is probably not the source. Even new profiles don’t work correctly. I am using existing files so no amount of monitor calibrating will change the print. (something others have suggested)
PC (XP Home)
PS CS and then PS CS-2 (temp version)
Printers: Epson 4000 and Epson 1280
Attached directly via USB 2.0
1 GB RAM
Photoshop Settings:
Adobe RGB (1998)
RGB: Preserve Embedded Profiles
Engine: Adobe (ACE)
Use Black Point Compensation
Use Dither
To print on Epson Premium Luster:
under Properties/Advanced/Color mgmt OFF
Print Quality 720dpi
under Paper/Media Type/Premium Luster Photopaper (250)
Print page – under Print Document (Profile: Adobe RGB (1998) Options:
– Color Handling: Let Photoshop Determine Colors
– Printer Profile: Working RGB – Adobe RGB (1998)
– Rendering intent: Perceptual
Black Point Compensation – YES
Any help would be appreciated,
Tim
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