Printer Profiling In Thailand

[Peter-phillips]

I just converted my Epson Stylus Photo R210 to a continous inking system - obviously it doesn't use Epson ink. Although the colours are reasonable - they don't match the R210 driver so having spent time in PS getting colour etc how I want - I get something else when I print!

I think the answer is to get a printed colour chart from the new ink and get someone to build me a new colour profile. Does anyone know if someone does this in Thailand - and roughly how much it costs?

Alternative will probably be to revert to Epson originals.

Many thanks.

Peter

[Khun Jean]

I have some experience with this. Unfortunately the news is not very good.

When one of the inks is finished and you buy a new one, you will have to do the whole process again. And for every type of paper you have.

What i did is buy a lot of ink. I bought the 300ml bottles. Buy some 1-2 liter containers and fill them up. Store in your fridge. (Don't drink it! ).

With this i managed to have a good profile, i did it myself and it probably has cost me a few thousand baht on paper and ink, defeating the whole purpose of buying not original ink.

Now i have a good enough profile, but still the quality is lower than i would have got with the original ink.

I use it mostly to make some 'test' prints before i go to the shop and let them make a print of it. (Fuji)

Printing 4x6 is almost 5-10 times more expensive then when you go to a shop. Now i can get a print for 3 baht. And that print is of higher quality and it will last much longer.

When you buy paper often the paper alone is about 3 baht.

You can only print cheaper yourself with the large prints (A4 or A3). But slowly shops are getting cheaper with those sizes too.

[Peter-phillips]

Thanks Jean.....but a depressing answer! Trouble is that my local Fuji printer (5 baht for 4x6) also produces random colours! OK, they look reasonable - but still don't match what I expected!

[xty]

I have big problem also when printing to my printer (Canon PIXMA iP4000R). The colour printed doesn't match the picture on the screen even I use the printer's print preview option. The printer is rather new, using original ink and premium glossy paper (Canon, HP, Epson). The resuts mainly become too dark and yellowish (I use sRGB profile embedded in the picture). I've tried so hard to adjust all the color settings in the printer and do some trial-and-error prints, but still can't even close to the original picture.

Maybe this is not a printer profile problem. Maybe it is my lack of knowledge for the correct workflow/method. Don't know...

[astral]

Watch the heads on your Epson.

They are notorious for clogging with non-Epson ink.

[Khun Jean]

I have big problem also when printing to my printer (Canon PIXMA iP4000R). The colour printed doesn't match the picture on the screen even I use the printer's print preview option. The printer is rather new, using original ink and premium glossy paper (Canon, HP, Epson). The resuts mainly become too dark and yellowish (I use sRGB profile embedded in the picture). I've tried so hard to adjust all the color settings in the printer and do some trial-and-error prints, but still can't even close to the original picture.

Maybe this is not a printer profile problem. Maybe it is my lack of knowledge for the correct workflow/method. Don't know...

I don't know how the profile works with your printer driver.

In mine i could adjust the amount of ink being used for each color separatly. I put all of them on the lowest settings and worked from there. This will minimize the use of ink and will let the 'whiteness' of the paper more visible. It becomes more 'transparent'. With not enough ink the colors can be too light, but i found it a good setting from which to start profiling. Adjusting all the colors with 10% procent each test print. The yellowish or redish or blueish will be more visible with lower amounts of ink. When you reach a setting with a good color balance you will have the right 'mix' of colors. Changing the amount of ink can then be changed for all colors with the same percentage while you maintain the color 'mix'. More ink will give deeper colors and slightly darker.

Hope this helps.

[xty]

I don't know how the profile works with your printer driver.

In mine i could adjust the amount of ink being used for each color separatly. I put all of them on the lowest settings and worked from there. This will minimize the use of ink and will let the 'whiteness' of the paper more visible. It becomes more 'transparent'. With not enough ink the colors can be too light, but i found it a good setting from which to start profiling. Adjusting all the colors with 10% procent each test print. The yellowish or redish or blueish will be more visible with lower amounts of ink. When you reach a setting with a good color balance you will have the right 'mix' of colors. Changing the amount of ink can then be changed for all colors with the same percentage while you maintain the color 'mix'. More ink will give deeper colors and slightly darker.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the info. Need to do this trial and error.

BTW, does the picture file's colorspace also matter? I always stick to use sRGB (embedded in JPG) to avoid differences among the pictures.

What I don't understand is why printer's print preview (not Photoshop print preview) gives different results. I thought it's a WYSIWYG.

[Khun Jean]

Thanks for the info. Need to do this trial and error.

BTW, does the picture file's colorspace also matter? I always stick to use sRGB (embedded in JPG) to avoid differences among the pictures.

What I don't understand is why printer's print preview (not Photoshop print preview) gives different results. I thought it's a WYSIWYG.

That is strange. Are you sure you choose the same in photoshop too.

You have 3 colorspaces.

Your picture, photoshop and your printer. I think the canon only has sRGB.

Both previews should be the same.

You also tried the ICM setting in your printer settings. This should take care of converting to the right colorspace.

Edited March 6, 2006 by Khun Jean

[Tywais]

It's also important to stay with the same brand and type within that brand of paper when you profile. Changing to another paper will usually require re-profiling. The best paper I've found for color saturation, contrast, even-ness is Konica QP Premium Photo Glossy. Great prints from it, very fast drying and very important highly water resistant.

Also you might want to go to the Pantone site for profiles and profiling information. The best way is if you can buy a profile kit. This will give you a profiling matching color chart to get the best match possible.

A good site for all the details about profiling: http://www.normankoren.com/color_management_2.html

Edited March 7, 2006 by tywais

[xty]

It's also important to stay with the same brand and type within that brand of paper when you profile. Changing to another paper will usually require re-profiling. The best paper I've found for color saturation, contrast, even-ness is Konica QP Premium Photo Glossy. Great prints from it, very fast drying and very important highly water resistant.

I've always been trying to use Canon photo paper, but it's very difficult to find in Bangkok. I've tried many shops in Pantip or hypermarkets. Mostly they have cheapo IJ brand or Epson/HP. Surprisingly in Pantip I found not more than 5 shops that sell photo paper. Comparing to tens/hundreds that sell printers. People don't require paper anymore to print photos?

Also you might want to go to the Pantone site for profiles and profiling information. The best way is if you can buy a profile kit. This will give you a profiling matching color chart to get the best match possible.

I wish I had enough spare money to buy ColorVision Spyder2. I'm wondering where in Bangkok who provides LCD calibration service? (Don't think my printer needs calibration yet as it's quite new).