[strubinstein]

Well. I still can't get my G4 running OS X.6 to talk to my Epson 1280 correctly. I'm happy with the way my monitor (23" Cinema Display) is calabrated since when I send photos out to be printed C41 (real photographic paper) they come back and match the screen almost perfectly, so my problem is with my printer or at least talking to it.
Using either Epson high gloss or Ilsford high gloss or Pearla (semi-mat) I have the same problems. Colors are just off, and also dull.
OK. Here is my workflow.
File->Print with Preview
Color Management: Docment: PhotoCal (the profile my calabrator generated and I use for my monitor)
Print Space
Profile: PhotoCal (Again)
Intenet Perceptual
Print
Printer: Photo Stylus 1280
Print Settings
Media Type: Premium Glossy Photo Paper (Recomended by paper manafactures)
Ink: Color
Print Quality: 720, 1440, or 2880
Color Management: ColorSync (Color Controls or No Color Adjustment are even worse)
Even when I print to preview the image that comes up on the screen does not look like what I've got loaded in Photoshop, and both look different from what gets printed by the Epson.
What the heck am I doing wrong?
Cheers.
Stephen

[Philbert]

Here's where I see your setup problems ...
"Color Management: Docment: PhotoCal (the profile my calabrator generated and I use for my monitor)"
This is your working space (Source Space under Print w Preview). Using a monitor profile as your working space is a bad idea. It's effectively the equivelant of not using any color management at all. When printing to your Epson, use U.S. Prepress Defaults under the top Settings drop down, which will set your RGB working space to Adobe RGB (1998). (This is set up under Color Settings)

"Print Space: Profile: PhotoCal (Again) Intenet Perceptual"
This is where you set the paper profile. What you have is fine as long as it's a PAPER profile generated from the same paper you're using. (You would need different profiles for each brand/surfaces of paper.) If it's a monitor profile - NO.
"Print
Printer: Photo Stylus 1280
Print Settings
Media Type: Premium Glossy Photo Paper (Recomended by paper manafactures)"
Should be the closest match to whatever paper you're using.
"Color Management: ColorSync (Color Controls or No Color Adjustment are even worse)"
With the above setup, it MUST be No Color Adjustment.
Basically ---
Your PhotoCal generated monitor profile ONLY gets used in OSX's Display's preferences. You don't utilize the monitor profile within Photoshop AT ALL. (And when you calibrate your monitor, the consensus among most pros is to use a gamma of 2.2 instead of the Mac's 1.8 default - You'll get a better match with 2.2)
Use Adobe RGB (1998) as your working space (Source Space), which is selected in Photoshop's Color Settings. Don't use a monitor profile or a paper profile - they don't belong here. For most RGB printing purposes, Adobe RGB is the ticket. (For images destined for web, use sRGB - just select Web Graphics Default under the main Settings heading.)
Select your PhotoCal created paper profile under Print Space. Don't use a monitor profile - again, it doesn't belong there.
Within Epson's dialogs, choose the paper you're using and turn all Color Adjustments OFF. Doing otherwise will guarantee bad results with the above setup.
Finally, make sure you understand there's a difference between paper profiles and monitor profiles. They are not interchangable. For clarification, you should not be selecting a monitor profile ANYWHERE within Photoshop - in any dialog. The only place a monitor profile is selected is from within OSX's Display preferences. A paper profile is completely different - you should be generating a different paper profile for each of your papers and invoke them in Print Space from within Photoshop's PWP dialog.
Hope that helps ... /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[rockinphotog]

Right, use Adobe RGB (1998).
Print space: I have had the best results from my 1280 using the "Epson Stylus Photo 1280 Standard" print space profile. Regardless of what paper type I use.

In reply to:

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"Color Management: ColorSync (Color Controls or No Color Adjustment are even worse)"
With the above setup, it MUST be No Color Adjustment.

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I disagree here. I always use colorsync.

[Philbert]

In reply to:

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I have had the best results from my 1280 using the "Epson Stylus Photo 1280 Standard" print space profile. Regardless of what paper type I use.

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Well, since Strubenstein has paid for calibration equipment, it stands to reason that he should use the paper profiles generated from it. Otherwise, he's wasted his money. I agree the canned profiles work fairly well but they're not (or shouldn't be), as good as custom profiles created for specific papers. (at least when everything is set up right)

In reply to:

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I disagree here. I always use colorsync.

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Colorsync can work but it's a different workflow involving more setup. (What do you have as CS's default RGB?) And CS is really for images that don't contain embedded profiles. (A bad idea, imo.) I've used CS with decent results but the above workflow produces better results for me. I never use Colorsync. /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[rockinphotog]

I actually have the same Colorvision Spyder with the Photocal Software, so I am pretty much commenting on an identical setup. The thing with Colorvision is that it is strictly a monitor calibration system. It doesn't have scanners to make printer profiles like the expensive Eye-one systems. It has done well for me. I've gone to press with the images from my calibrated CRT and they match great.

In reply to:

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What do you have as CS's default RGB?

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Adobe RGB (1998)

[Philbert]

Ok-doke - my mistake. I was assuming he was creating paper profiles as well. In that case, he shouldn't be using the Photocal profile in Photoshop at all.

In reply to:

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Adobe RGB (1998)

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Assuming you've chosen Adobe RGB as your working space and selected a paper profile in Print Space, wouldn't that be the same as No Color Adjustment? You're telling the printer to use Colorsync which is pointing to the same color space you're already in. It seems redundant and just something else to worry about. Do you see a difference in prints if you choose No Color Adjustment? I wouldn't think so.
To use Colorsync correctly, you need to configure Print with Preview for Postscript Color Management instead of selecting a paper profile. This tells Photoshop to NOT manage color and lets the printer do it. Like I said, it's a different workflow. Colorsync is mostly useful for when you don't have an appropriate paper profile.

[rockinphotog]

In reply to:

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It seems redundant and just something else to worry about. Do you see a difference in prints if you choose No Color Adjustment? I wouldn't think so.
To use Colorsync correctly, you need to configure Print with Preview for Postscript Color Management instead of selecting a paper profile. This tells Photoshop to NOT manage color and lets the printer do it. Like I said, it's a different workflow. Colorsync is mostly useful for when you don't have an appropriate paper profile.

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Yes, you could look at it as being redundant, but I see it as being thorough. /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif And, it works.
I swear that I explored just about every scenario in my years of using these Epsons, but I will test your suggested route with no color management and let you know how it goes.

[Philbert]

Well none of this junk is a slam-dunk - I just think the more variables you introduce, the more confusing it becomes. Besides, I'm like current - I take the path of least resistance! /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
In the end tho, "it works" is ALL that matters .....

[strubinstein]

Philbert, Rockinphotog.
Thanks for all the info. As usual when I think I have some free time, things come up. I hope to try your suggestions over the next few days and see if I can get my printer to behave. If not, C41 digital prints are looking like a very good and inexpensive solution.
Cheers.
Stephen

[strubinstein]

Philbert, RockinPhotoG
So I tried what you suggested and now my printer is printing bizzar colors no matter what setting I'm using. I think one or more of my print heads is clogged but running the cleaning cycle doesn't do anything. I'm almost ready to through this printer out and start all over. Any suggestions?
Cheers.
Stephen

[Philbert]

It's pretty easy to tell if a nozzle is clogged by running the nozzle check. If there are no breaks in any of the swatches, you're fine. If there are, then that color's nozzle is clogged. If you have a clog that's particularly stubborn, it's important to run the cleaning cycles in succession (up to 6 - 10 times), because each time you run it, the cleaning action gets stronger.

[strubinstein]

Thanks. Do you know if the check and other tools exists in OS X for the Epson 1280 and if so where it hides. I can't seem to find it in OS X. It does exist in OS 9, but I no longer have it installed.
Cheers.
Stephen

[Philbert]

You should have an alias in your Applications Folder called Epson Printer Utility. (The actual app is located in HD/Library/Printers/Epson/Utility/EPU) You could launch it from the alias or from Apple's Printer Setup Utility. In the Printer List, highlight the printer and click the Utility button.

[strubinstein]

Well after updating the driver and realizing that my printer wasn't on, I finaly found and got the untilities to work. I'm so frustraited at this point that I'm not thinking stright. I'll let you know if I ever get everything to work right.
Thanks for all your help.
Cheers.
Stephen