Epson 2400 - Settings for printing profile targets

Hi

I use an Epson 2400 and I'm about to print out some targets (the standard Gretag 918 pair

of charts) to send off to have some custom profiles made.

I will order custom profiles for 4 papers (Epson Premium Gloss, Semi Gloss, Hahnemuhle

Photo Rag Duo 316gsm, and Lumijet Natural Art Two sides 216gsm).

I last had custom profiles made a long time ago (Epson 890), and back then it was argued

that rather than using 'No Color Adjustment' in the Epson driver, it was better to select

'Color Controls', as this would lay down less ink and subsequently produce a better gray

scale (though possibly a reduced color gamut).

Is such an approach still relevant for the Epson 2400?

I've been printing the 'printer evaluation' image that is available on the Dry Creek website.

This image comprises of a 15 step grayscale step wedge, a color gamut map, spot colors

for R,G,B,C,M,Y, and some fine crosshairs. The idea is to print this image using different

driver settings, and to examine it to find the best settings for printing the profile charts.

I've tried different settings for the Hahnemuhle Photo Rag, but I'm getting confused with

all the possible variables (various matte paper choices using the rear feeder, different ink

density settings, and then different gamma settings if you opt for 'color controls' rather

than 'no color adjustment'.)

Using the Velvet Fine Art set and 'no color adjustment', the 3/4 shadow tones are dark and

undistinguished (i.e. there's a jump from black 0,0,0 to dark grey 17,17,17 but then no

difference at 34,34,34 and little difference at 51,51,51 and 68,68, 68.) Setting the ink

density to -20 opens up these tones a bit, but not much.

Switching from 'no color adjustment' to 'color controls' makes a a big difference. The

shadow tones open up and the grayscale looks evenly spaced. The black still looks black.

But the spot colours look paler and less intense. (I've played with a few setting and Epson

Vivid, Gamma 1.8 might be best.)

Am I wasting my time exploring these variables? Is it best just to print out the Gretag

charts using 'velvet fine art' 'best photo' and 'no color adjustment', even if the patches in

darkest column (column A, rows 1 to 17) are barely distinguishable?

Thanks for any tips

Elliot

The print driver should be set up the same way you will use the profiles in Photoshop - CSM = ON, Color Adjustments = OFF. However, set the resolution to 1440 or 2880 and uncheck all the boxes beneath the resolution box. (The paper settings in the Epson driver are not profiles. They are simply preferences for resolution and speed - the boxes described above.)

In the Photoshop print dialog box, select "No Color Control" or something to that effect.

'The paper settings in the Epson driver are not profiles. They are simply preferences for

resolution and speed'

Thanks Edward. I understand that the paper settings in the Epson driver are not profiles.

They do however effect how much ink is laid down on the paper (at least that's what I've been

told). Printing through the rear feed of the printer there are 6 'art' paper options ('Velvet Fine

Art', 'Ultrasmooth Fine Art' etc). When using a third party paper, such as Hahnemuhle, it is a

mystery as to which option to choose.

Your paper choice will indeed affect the overall ink laydown, so you should pick a setting

that

best matches your paper needs. You can determine the ink laydown by printing a color

stepwedge without a profile, just to see at which setting all patches will be separately

discernable. That will be a good setting to get a healthy profile out of your target. Andrew

Rodney has one on his website on this page: http://digitaldog.net/services.html .

(http://digitaldog.net/files/InkDensity.zip)

In my Epson driver I can also limit the ink laydown within the paper choice. There is a

slider

with an ink limit percentage box. Look for it.

Thanks Erik. I'll print out that test chart with some different paper settings. Choose the best

one, and then make further tests with different ink density setting. I'm assuming that as ink

density is reduced, shadows open up, at the risk of losing gamut in saturated primaries.