Epson Printer Profiles and Mac ColorSync

I have had a consistent problem with PS CS3 printing darker than my calibrated monitor despite everything that I do with softproofing etc. Interestingly, when I print the identical image from Lightroom 2.2, the paper print is a much better match to what I am seeing on the monitor. I am beginning to wonder whether the difference has anything to do with the way these programs interact with ColorSync on the Mac. I am using an Intel iMac running OSX 10.4.11 and print with an Epson 2200 using the custom Epson paper profiles available on Epson's website. In both the Lightroom 2.2 and the CS3 I leave ColorSync set to Standard and allow LR or PS to manage the printing (No Color Management); however, when I open the Mac ColorSync Utility and examine the printer profiles there, it is using the standard Epson profiles that came with the printer driver rather than the newer ones (e.g., SP2200 Luster_PK.icc rather than SP2200 Prem.Luster1440.icc). Could this "mismatch" of printer profiles be causing a different result in LR2.2 and Photoshop? Should I change the profile in ColorSync so that it points to the new profiles?

I'd appreciate anyone's help!!

Should I change the profile in ColorSync so that it points to the new profiles?

That is always worth a try.

Is it possible that your monitor is set to bright and LR is the one with the problem.

You really need to have a control image to print to get a handle on the issue.

I would suggest you go here.

<http://homepage.mac.com/billatkinson/FileSharing2.html>

And download the profile test images. You can then compare them to what you images look like on the screen and compare to your printed images. That will give you a good idea where to start in making proper color management decisions.

Also try the Photodisc PDI target image download here
<http://www.gballard.net/dl/PDI_TargetFolderONLY.zip>

And remember:

The file (the document Source Space) is independent of Photoshop.

The Color Management System CMS, Photoshop, ONLY uses the monitor profile for one thing: To PROOF source file on the monitor (the monitor profile has zero to do with how the file prints).

The Color Management System CMS, Photoshop, ONLY uses the printer (target) profile Print Space for one thing: To PROOF source file on the paper (the printer profile Print Space has zero to do with how the file looks on the monitor).

In other words:

The printer can PROOF (print) the source file faithfully regardless of how right or wrong the monitor is set up, and

The monitor can PROOF (display) the source file faithfully regardless of how right or wrong the printer is set up.

COLORSYNC

Why/how are you using ColorSync in an Adobe-Epson print workflow?

DARK PRINTS EPSON

This has already been discussed here, might try adding dark to your search...

DYP and gballard,

I can't tell you how helpful your notes and references were. I downloaded Bill Atkinson's profile test images and have managed not only to get Epson premium luster prints of the files to look identical when printed from LR 2,2 and PS CS3 but also to adjust the brightness of my monitor so that the screen images and the prints are close to what I see on the screen. < http://www.gballard.net/psd/printing_epson_photoshop_cs3.htm l> was very helpful.

In printing both the Lab Test Page (which I converted to ProPhotoRGB before printing to maintain consistency with my workflow) and the PDI Target, there is a SUBTLE pinkish quality to the neutral grays which does not appear in the on-screen image. Is that simply a characteristic of my printer which would require actually profiling the printer to eliminate? Any suggestions as to how to deal with it would be welcome.

Thanks for the help already given! I appreciate your taking the time!

the 2200 has pretty noticeable METAMERISM problem -- looks great in regular room light, but dingy green/cyan in sunlight

green/cyan is of course the opposite of the magenta/red you seem to be asking about in the neutrals so try looking at the print in daylight

did the dark problem get solved using the PDI

remember the PDI image should never be adjusted to cheat a bad monitor/printer profile, PDI is designed to confirm good profiles and expose bad profiles/work flows — it is a known good file and you may trust it as such

I don't have a particular issue with metamerism. The prints look pretty good. It DOES help to have a "good file" so I can be certain of what I am seeing, The dark issue seems to be resolved (although I have to confess that I am not certain exactly why it has gone away). The only remaining issue is a subtle "pink" hue in the gray scale at the bottom of the PDI image.

good...reads like you are back on track

remember to test outside of saved printer PRESETS because presets can get funky and have cost a lot of users grief