Hi all. I was wondering who among you are using custom profiles for printing? I'm also curious who you had make the profiles if you are using custom made ones? Do you have them made for your favorite paper, or for more than one paper?
Thanks for any feedback and info anyone can share.
Posted by Doyle Thomas on December 12, 2006 at 8:20 PM
I have an Epson 7800 and use MonacoEZColor to create profiles thru my Epson
1680 scanner. This works pretty slick. You print your test target and then
attach an ITT color patch set that has been measured for color and stored in
a file. You scan the test target with the ITT color patch attached. The
software reads the file and the color patch to find the difference and make
an offset. It then reads the target and applies the offset to create the
profile so the scanner does not even need to be calibrated. The profiles
that came with the printer are pretty good. I would expect the same for the
3800. I think that my own are better in the yellows and magentas.
How many profiles you need depends on how anal you need to be, you will want profiles for each paper because, as you will see, each will print differently. You may also want profiles for each resolution you intend to print at as some papers may respond differently due to dot gain and other factors.
Building a profile for transparency material can be done but it is tricky.
One issue to watch for when using a scanner to build a profile is UV brightners in the paper. The scanner has no ultra violet filter and this can skew the result. Sending your target print to someone with a spectrometer will get around this as there is a filter. I have some UV filtered lamination material that I have laid on the scanner bed and scanned thru.
I have seen sites on the net that will do profiles for $25 each or so. There is no way to tell if it will be any better that what you have until you try it.In my experience a profile custom fitted to your printer and practices will be better.
Be sure to shut off all color managment in both the printer and PhotoShop when you print your target.
Posted by Randy Hanna on December 12, 2006 at 8:38 PM
Ryan: I use MOAB and Crane papers. I have found that the MOAB ICC's are spot on in almost nearly every case (obtained from their web site). I had to have several Crane custom ICCs built for various CRANE papers that I use. I had this done at Glazers in Seattle. I know how they do them and watched them do one while I was there. Not a big deal. Be sure to profile your monitor and take into consideration ambient light when doing the monitor work.
Doyle, Randy, thanks for the infomation and advice.
I've been using primarily Epson Papers and profiles. I calibrate with a SpyderPro2 which also measures ambient light in the room to develop the profiles. The lighting in my computer room doesn't change much, so it seems very accurate.
The test prints I've made with the 3800 on Epson's Luster Paper with the Epson Profile are significantly better than the same paper and appropriate profile on my 2200. Moab says they will have profiles for the 3800 soon, and I'll be trying those first (since they are free).
Has anyone tried Red River Papers?
Posted by Doyle Thomas on December 12, 2006 at 10:34 PM
I have some Red River Art Vellum, don't like it, too yellow. I will toss a few sheets in your care package.
Posted by Doyle Thomas on December 12, 2006 at 10:39 PM
Randy,
Per Epson, their printers are consistant enough that a profile from one printer will work well on another. I think thats true. Have you tried compairing a custom profile to the Moab one?
I've read some good reviews of the Red River Aurora White and Dourian Art, as well as high marks for Moab Kayenta and Entrada. Other papers that I've been referred to are Hawk Mountain Paper's Condor Bright White and Merlin 2 Natural. For the most part I've been investigating black & white printing and centering my paper questions around that, but I'll be looking into color printing as well, and I know I'd get some recommendations for Entrada for color as well.
Posted by Rod Barbee on December 14, 2006 at 9:56 AM
For custom profiles, try Cathy's Profiles. I've had really good luck with her work as have others. In fact, I think I first read about her services on this very forum.
I've had profiles made for the Office Depot super glossy paper and for the Costco Noritsu printer (luster paper). Both worked great.
Discussion
7 repliesThanks for any feedback and info anyone can share.
1680 scanner. This works pretty slick. You print your test target and then
attach an ITT color patch set that has been measured for color and stored in
a file. You scan the test target with the ITT color patch attached. The
software reads the file and the color patch to find the difference and make
an offset. It then reads the target and applies the offset to create the
profile so the scanner does not even need to be calibrated. The profiles
that came with the printer are pretty good. I would expect the same for the
3800. I think that my own are better in the yellows and magentas.
How many profiles you need depends on how anal you need to be, you will want profiles for each paper because, as you will see, each will print differently. You may also want profiles for each resolution you intend to print at as some papers may respond differently due to dot gain and other factors.
Building a profile for transparency material can be done but it is tricky.
One issue to watch for when using a scanner to build a profile is UV brightners in the paper. The scanner has no ultra violet filter and this can skew the result. Sending your target print to someone with a spectrometer will get around this as there is a filter. I have some UV filtered lamination material that I have laid on the scanner bed and scanned thru.
I have seen sites on the net that will do profiles for $25 each or so. There is no way to tell if it will be any better that what you have until you try it.In my experience a profile custom fitted to your printer and practices will be better.
Be sure to shut off all color managment in both the printer and PhotoShop when you print your target.
I've been using primarily Epson Papers and profiles. I calibrate with a SpyderPro2 which also measures ambient light in the room to develop the profiles. The lighting in my computer room doesn't change much, so it seems very accurate.
The test prints I've made with the 3800 on Epson's Luster Paper with the Epson Profile are significantly better than the same paper and appropriate profile on my 2200. Moab says they will have profiles for the 3800 soon, and I'll be trying those first (since they are free).
Has anyone tried Red River Papers?
Per Epson, their printers are consistant enough that a profile from one printer will work well on another. I think thats true. Have you tried compairing a custom profile to the Moab one?
I've had profiles made for the Office Depot super glossy paper and for the Costco Noritsu printer (luster paper). Both worked great.