Using ICC profiles with Epson Printer

[RobinMcL]

Hello everyone. I had hoped that such problems were behind me - but no.

To begin with, let me say that I had similar problems with my Canon PRO100 but, after months working on them with help from Forum members, several Canon Tech people and Datacolor, I eventually managed to get my printer NOT to do its own color management (Even though color management was set to NONE, it still did it.) I was using Windows 7.

Now, on another PC, running Windows 10, I have the same problem with an Epson XP960. The Auto setting does a pretty good job (I am using Epson paper) but I wanted to do better and so created (as I have done many, many times) custom ICC profiles. Soft-proofing on the monitor (a high-quality,14-bit LUT calibrated model) worked just as expected. I then, as the manuals instruct, switched off the color management in the Epson printer dialogs and selected color management by the App in Publisher (and in Photo). I then selected the ICC profile I had just created and printed. The prints were very dark, nothing like what the soft-proofing suggested (and I made sure that I de-selected the soft-proofing before printing).

I then tried the additional things that, eventually, got things to work on Windows 7 with my Canon PRO100. (This entailed going into Properties, selecting the device and setting color management to Use My Settings and (manually) adding the new ICC profile to the list. Sadly, and although I have tried all the fixes I had to use to get the Canon PRO100 NOT to do color management (and let the app do it) I simply cannot find a way to STOP my Epson XP960 from doing its own color management.

To summarize, if I let the printer do the color management, things work reasonably well. If I try to do better by having the app (either Photo or Publisher) do the color management (selecting the appropriate ICC profile and Rendering Intent) and selecting; More Options -> Color Correction -> Custom -> Advanced -> No Color Adjustment, the prints are much too dark, wildly different from the originals.

Does anyone have a suggestion?

 

 

[walt.farrell]

How did you create your custom ICC profile?

What color space and profile have you specified for your document?

[RobinMcL]

Hello Walt,

I feel a bit embarrassed. The problems I had with Canon were very real indeed. It took forever to get them all sorted out but, after that, I have made many profiles, all successfully. So, when the same thing happened with my new Epson printer, I assumed that the problem must have been with the printer. I then went off going through the entire litany of things that had cropped up in the Canon episode.

Eventually, after forever with no success, I decided to go through the whole process again. This time - no problem. What was wrong the first time? Ah well, sorry, shame on me, I know I'll be shunned by all on the Forum from now on but, well, I had forgotten to switch off color management in the printer when I was printing the test patches.

I've done it correctly so any times, why did I mess up this time and why did I not think about this after spending so much time messing with the printer. I guess my brain had become conditioned after the Canon episode.

On a brighter note, I did manage to print out the book, individual signatures, and I got the alignment done perfectly but it was an enormous effort. If I ever again have images that cross the spine, I will restrict them to the center sheet of a signature. So one book is now behind me and I need to find an artist for the next one.

Thanks to all,

Robin

[Old Bruce]

15 hours ago, RobinMcL said:

... I know I'll be shunned by all on the Forum from now on ...

Coming back and copping to and explaining your mistake means you go up in my estimation.