Posted by Larry Puckett on January 13, 2009 at 10:02 AM
OK, so I went ahead and bought the Canon Pixma Pro 9000 along with the 50D--for $100 it can't be a bad deal. So now I have to learn another new technology--printing my own stuff instead of sending it off to a lab. So my first question is what are these printer paper profiles folks keep mentioning. Some say they create their own--so what goes into one, how do you create it, and where do you put ti once it is created? I can't find anything about them in the Canon literature that came with the printer. Thanks--Larry
Basically, a profile is a special type of file that tells the printer how to put ink in proper proportions onto the paper so that the colors are accurate.
Your printer software install media contains profiles that will install into a folder on your machine when you install the printer driver. These are likely generic profiles for different Canon papers.
If you go the Canon website and do a search for printer profiles for your printer model you should be able to download them. Some OEM profiles are pretty good, others aren't so hot.
Another option is to go to the website of the paper manufacturer for the paper(s) you'll be using and download/install their profiles. Again, some a re pretty good, some aren't.
You can have custom profiles made for the paper(s) you'll be using. NPN's very own Michael E. Gordon makes custom profiles. You could also look at Chromix and InkJetArt.
Making your own profiles requires sophisticated (and expensive) hardware and software. Since you are just starting out, I think it best that you try the other options.
You're now entering the wonderful and whacky world of color management! I suggest that you head over to the Chromix site and start reading before you dive in. It will make your life much, much easier and will save paper and ink, as well. Have fun!
-P
Posted by Robert Fisher on January 13, 2009 at 12:04 PM
Profiles are little pieces of code that effectively 'correct' for differences in how the printer/paper combination you're using render colour and how the colour is supposed to be rendered. Your image file may have a colour that's 128, 150, 202 (RGB) which is sort of a greyish blue but when that colour gets laid down on the paper, the combination of the tints in the inks, the way the driver instructs the printer to lay down the ink, the way the colour is mixed on the paper, the colour of the paper itself and/or the use of brightening agents in the paper coating can all affect how the colour appears on the paper and if you measured the colour on the paper it might turn out to be 130, 147, 205 which is a bit less greyish and a little lighter in hue. Not a lot different, but different enough. The paper profile will instruct the printer how to lay down ink to effectively correct for that difference.
Profiles are made by using a device (a spectrophotometer in most cases) to measure the colour number values of a known set of colour blocks that get printed on a sheet of paper. The measured numbers are compared against a table which has the actual colour numbers. The differences between the measured numbers and the actual makes up the profile and is what's used in the printing process to instruct the printer.
Your printer is a very good one. It's a model that's still produced I believe but it's been around for several years. It's also a dye ink printer. Right or wrong, there are fewer profiles available, generally, for Canon printers compared to Epson and there are fewer profiles available, generally, for dye ink printers compared to pigment ink. Part of that is likely due to there being more Epson printers in use than Canon and that pigment inks are what are used for creating truly archival prints (although newer formulations of dye inks are also lasting quite a long time in testing).
Canon's profiles for its own papers should come bundled with the printer driver and should get installed when you install the drivers. Check the Canon website to see if there are updated software/firmware downloads which may include updated profiles. The better paper manufacturers (e.g., Hahnemuhle, Museo, Moab) now make very good profiles. Canned profiles downloaded from their sites are extremely good for most printers. Check the website of the maker of the paper(s) you want to use to see if they have profiles for your printer.
If you want a good book about colour management that takes a very practical approach (as opposed to a heavily theoretical one) pick up a copy of Tim Grey's "Color Confidence - The Digital Photographer's Guide to Color Management". It's very easy to read, it covers the basics and then some and does it from the standpoint of putting the concepts into practice rather than a pie-in-the-sky theoretical approach that some others take. If you want a good combination of practical and theory look at "Real World Color Management, 2nd Ed" by (the late) Bruce Fraser et al.
Posted by David Bostedo on January 13, 2009 at 4:47 PM
You're now entering the wonderful and whacky world of color management!
Wacky is right Preston....however, I'd say that anyone getting prints made needs to know a bit about color management, whether they are making the prints themselves or getting them done. Either way, knowing about soft-proofing, color spaces, and rendering intents is how you can ensure your best prints.
Most people who aren't concerned with this shoot JPGs in sRGB, which is nice and easy since it helps ensure a good file to print match, while possibly losing some quality. Don't get me wrong - there's nothing at all wrong with that. Most people (myself included a lot of the time) aren't that picky about color.
But if you start printing images with very wide gamuts, or very delicate transitions that you find important - that's when color management really kicks in.
I use paper profiles done by Michael Gordon. They are very inexpensive and are excellent. A custom paper profile can make a huge difference and I recommend one.
Thank you, Preston and Harley, for recommending my service!
Plenty of good advice is begin given here. I also I highly recommend Real World Color Management by Fraser/Murphy/Bunting (the bible of color management). One can also learn a good deal about CM simply by Googling "color management".
Once you dig into it, color management isn't as whacky or voodoo as it may intially seem. CM is reasonably straightforward when it comes to inkjet printing and stand-alone machines. Once CM becomes part of your workflow, it'll be hard to imagine NOT working in a calibrated and color-managed environment.
Posted by David Bostedo on January 13, 2009 at 6:06 PM
Oh, one more thing : I have the same printer, so if you have any questions, I might be able to help...
Posted by Larry Puckett on January 13, 2009 at 7:09 PM
Thanks all and David, you're just down the road from where I work in Reston--Larry
Discussion
7 repliesBasically, a profile is a special type of file that tells the printer how to put ink in proper proportions onto the paper so that the colors are accurate.
Your printer software install media contains profiles that will install into a folder on your machine when you install the printer driver. These are likely generic profiles for different Canon papers.
If you go the Canon website and do a search for printer profiles for your printer model you should be able to download them. Some OEM profiles are pretty good, others aren't so hot.
Another option is to go to the website of the paper manufacturer for the paper(s) you'll be using and download/install their profiles. Again, some a re pretty good, some aren't.
You can have custom profiles made for the paper(s) you'll be using. NPN's very own Michael E. Gordon makes custom profiles. You could also look at Chromix and InkJetArt.
Making your own profiles requires sophisticated (and expensive) hardware and software. Since you are just starting out, I think it best that you try the other options.
You're now entering the wonderful and whacky world of color management! I suggest that you head over to the Chromix site and start reading before you dive in. It will make your life much, much easier and will save paper and ink, as well. Have fun!
-P
Profiles are made by using a device (a spectrophotometer in most cases) to measure the colour number values of a known set of colour blocks that get printed on a sheet of paper. The measured numbers are compared against a table which has the actual colour numbers. The differences between the measured numbers and the actual makes up the profile and is what's used in the printing process to instruct the printer.
Your printer is a very good one. It's a model that's still produced I believe but it's been around for several years. It's also a dye ink printer. Right or wrong, there are fewer profiles available, generally, for Canon printers compared to Epson and there are fewer profiles available, generally, for dye ink printers compared to pigment ink. Part of that is likely due to there being more Epson printers in use than Canon and that pigment inks are what are used for creating truly archival prints (although newer formulations of dye inks are also lasting quite a long time in testing).
Canon's profiles for its own papers should come bundled with the printer driver and should get installed when you install the drivers. Check the Canon website to see if there are updated software/firmware downloads which may include updated profiles. The better paper manufacturers (e.g., Hahnemuhle, Museo, Moab) now make very good profiles. Canned profiles downloaded from their sites are extremely good for most printers. Check the website of the maker of the paper(s) you want to use to see if they have profiles for your printer.
If you want a good book about colour management that takes a very practical approach (as opposed to a heavily theoretical one) pick up a copy of Tim Grey's "Color Confidence - The Digital Photographer's Guide to Color Management". It's very easy to read, it covers the basics and then some and does it from the standpoint of putting the concepts into practice rather than a pie-in-the-sky theoretical approach that some others take. If you want a good combination of practical and theory look at "Real World Color Management, 2nd Ed" by (the late) Bruce Fraser et al.
Wacky is right Preston....however, I'd say that anyone getting prints made needs to know a bit about color management, whether they are making the prints themselves or getting them done. Either way, knowing about soft-proofing, color spaces, and rendering intents is how you can ensure your best prints.
Most people who aren't concerned with this shoot JPGs in sRGB, which is nice and easy since it helps ensure a good file to print match, while possibly losing some quality. Don't get me wrong - there's nothing at all wrong with that. Most people (myself included a lot of the time) aren't that picky about color.
But if you start printing images with very wide gamuts, or very delicate transitions that you find important - that's when color management really kicks in.
One thing that might be good, Larry, is this article from NatureScapes on getting started with inkjet printing. And if you are really into it, the Luminous Landscape "From Camera to Print" videos are very good.
http://www.michael-gordon.com/template.php?page=customRGBprofile
Plenty of good advice is begin given here. I also I highly recommend Real World Color Management by Fraser/Murphy/Bunting (the bible of color management). One can also learn a good deal about CM simply by Googling "color management".
Once you dig into it, color management isn't as whacky or voodoo as it may intially seem. CM is reasonably straightforward when it comes to inkjet printing and stand-alone machines. Once CM becomes part of your workflow, it'll be hard to imagine NOT working in a calibrated and color-managed environment.