Does Windows Default printer profile need to match CS2’s Printer Profile?

AM
Posted By
Al_Mecklenburg
Aug 3, 2007
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429
Replies
6
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Closed
The question I ask comes at the end.

In Windows: right-clicking on my printer (Epson R1800) in Printers and Faxes, selecting Properties, and then the Color Management tab allows one to “associate a color profile” with the printer. Let’s say I click on the “Manual” radio button, choose “SPR1800 Premium Glossy”, then click “Set as Default” (and then click “Apply”, I think) “SPR1800 Premium Glossy” now appears in the middle of this screen as the “Default color profile” for the R1800.

In CS2: I’ve got an image where I want it, so I Ctrl-Alt-P into Print Preview. Let’s say that in the Options section, I select “SPR1800 Enhanced Matte” in the ‘printer Profile” field.

Finally, here’s the question: when the Windows Default color profile (SPR1800 Premium Glossy in my example here) is set to a *different* profile than CS2’s Printer Profile (SPR1800 Enhanced Matte in this example), which profile is used? Or do you need to choose the same profile in both places?

My experiments seem to indicate that the CS2 profile prevails, but if anyone can confirm or deny this, I’d be happy to listen.
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RP
Rick_Popham
Aug 4, 2007
Choose the same profile in both places. That is, if you’re talking about selected a matching paper setting in the printer driver dialog when it opens. I don’t think you have to change what you’ve set for the Windows default, because it should be ignored if you set Photoshop to manage colors and turn off color management in the printer driver.

I’m not even sure what a "Default Color Profile" does (I never selected anything here), especially if you use Photoshop to do your color management. Is SPR 1800 Premium Glossy selected as the default paper when the printer driver dialog opens?

Here’s my understanding of the process. Select the printer/paper profile in the Photoshop "Print with Preview" dialog. That sets up the proper color profile for Photoshop’s color engine to use. Select the matching paper in the Printer Dialog list. That sets the printer to lay down the proper amount of ink, the correct black ink, drying time between head passes, etc. Turn OFF color management in the Printer driver.
DP
Daryl_Pritchard
Aug 4, 2007
The purpose of the Windows Default Printer Profile is to establish the initial printer configuration and media choice when the Print dialog is invoked for any application. It may be set up independent of what you commonly use for Photoshop, but if Photoshop is the primary application you print from then it may be more convenient to set your defaults per your desired settings for PS. For example, my Epson R1800 default is set to show the advanced settings first, disable ICM, select the Premium Photo Luster paper, and enable borderless printing. If I’m printing general purpose stuff to plain paper, I manually change the settings; otherwise I’m good to go with most of my PS printing.

Regards,

Daryl
AM
Al_Mecklenburg
Aug 4, 2007
Daryl, Rick, thanks for your responses. I also sent this question to Cathy Stratton (Cathy’s Profiles), and got this response:

"No, the profile and for that matter all of the settings on the "Color Management Tab" of the "Windows Properties" for of your printer are NEVER used unless you:
Enable "ICM"
and then DO NOT Click "OFF (No Color Adjustment)" Then the settings "Color Management Tab" of the "Windows Properties" are used because you are telling the printer driver to use Windows Color Management (ICM).
This is a TERRIBLE idea because:
1. PhotoShop has MUCH better color management, it is more accurate and allows much more user control.
2. If you have do not disable PhotoShop color management and are using BOTH PhotoShop and Windows to manage your color that is called DOUBLE PROFILING. The results will be absolutely AWFUL. To get an idea of the results you would get setup to print using PhotoShop’s color management and once you are in the printer driver Click "Print Preview" the preview will be very magenta cast, almost duo-toned magenta and white. That is because Epson’s Print Preview is designed for use with Epson’s automatic print modes so the preview is being double-profiled. Your print will come out fine because your printer driver is not setup incorrectly, the Print Preview just assumes that one of the automatic print modes are also being used and it is used to create the preview."

If you go with Cathy’s interpretation, I think she’s saying that the profile settings on the Color Management tab are ignored if you "Let Photoshop Determine Colors" (on the CS2 Print Preview screen, Color Handling section). I’m guessing that if you selected "Let Printer Determine Colors", then whatever profile that is set up on the Color Management tab *would* be used.

I do think, though, that, from the Epson R1800’s Properties screen, General Tab, Printing Preferences, you still must chose a paper under Paper Quality Options that most closely matches the paper you intend to use. You can also get to Printing Preferences via CS2’s Print Preview Page Setup button.

If I can, I’ll try a couple of experiemnts and report back.
C
chrisjbirchall
Aug 4, 2007
Set the media profile (SPR 1800 Premium Glossy) in the Photoshop Print Dialogue.

Set the Epson Printer Driver dialogue to No Colour Management.

If you change media (paper) ink or printer, you will need to set the appropriate ICC profile in the Photoshop dialogue. But always set the Epson dialogue to NCM.
DP
Daryl_Pritchard
Aug 4, 2007
Al,

Yes, you do understand Cathy correctly. What I mentioned earlier was only to address the purpose of the Windows Default Printer Settings dialog…to establish a starting printer setup for any application. In my defaults, I select "No ICM" and my paper choice because that saves me extra steps when I go launch PS; meanwhile, if I was to print out of some other application that isn’t color managed, I’d enable ICM and let the printer handle the color management.

Your comment about "you must still choose a paper…" is definitely correct also. One reason that should be done is so that any additional options supported by that paper choice are made available. This may be of little help, but here is how my settings are defined when printing from PS CS2 & CS3 to Epson Premium Luster paper on my R1800: <http://ambress.com/photoshop/printer_setup.htm>

Regards,

Daryl
AM
Al_Mecklenburg
Aug 7, 2007
Well, I did a few more experiments, and things worked as expected. If you turn on ICM in the R1800’s Properties, choose reasonable profile/paper, and choose "Let printer determine colors" in CS2, you get results not too far different from what CS2 would have done. If you leave ICM on, but set CS2 for "Let Photoshop determine colors", you get awful results (because BOTH CS2 AND the printer are passing RGB values through the chosen profile(s), double profiling as Cathy mentions). With ICM on, if you print on matte paper, but set the printers properties for, say, a glossy paper, bad news again. So, all worked as expected.

Thanks to all responders.

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