Color setting on Epson 3800

[marke_gilbert]

I am sure this is a stunningly easy question, but I thought I had better double

check--

 

My working space in photoshop is adobe RGB, as are my camera settings--

 

When I print, I of course check "let photoshop manage color"--

 

But I did notice in the Epson "Properties" dialogue box, the "mode" pull down

menu was set for sRGB-- should this also be set for adobe RGB, or will photoshop

handle this anyway?

[ellis_vener_photography]

Let's back up a minute: <P>

 

If you choose "let photoshop manage color" you first need to convert (not assign) that image (and it is best to do this with a duplicate of your master) from a <B>color space</B> like Adobe RGB (1998), sRGB, or Pro Photo to the <B>profile</B> for that printer, ink and paper combination. Assuming you are using Epson inks and Epson papers, the generic profiles which you can down load from the Epson website and install in your computer's operating system in the appropriate location so that Photoshop and other ICC profile aware applications can utilize them, are pretty good.

 

To go forward: as you go further through the printer driver menu there is one other place where you need to turn off the printer's color management. I haven't worked with an Epson printer (I use Canon Printers) in about 10 months so I cannot point you to that menu item.

 

To clarify the basics of color spaces vs. profiles:

 

Display devices (monitors) and specific output methods (printer/paper/ink combinations) each have their own way, due to the reality that they are physical manifestations of the data that makes up your image interpret that data in a unique way. To bring it down to a very basic level, the purpose of a <B>profile</B> is to correct for these differences so that the printed version and the displayed version on your monitor are accurate reproductions of your data. <P>

 

<B>Color Spaces</B> are device neutral storage spaces for your data. There are different types of color spaces but for the purpose of this explanation I'll just focus on what an RGB color space does. In an RGB color space, equal values of Red, Green, and Blue produce a neutral shade of gray.

 

But as I pointed out monitors and printers may not (generally do not) produce a neutral shade of gray if you feed them equal amounts of R, G & B values (Red, Green and Blue) and to restate again, the purpose of the <B>profile</B> is to, within the mechanical limitation of the monitor or printer/paper/ink combination, change those input numbers to numbers that will produce on that monitor or in the print a neutral gray or whatever ever other colors are wanting to reproduce accurately. <P>Be advised that not all printers, papers or inks (and especially printer + paper + ink combinations) are capable of reproducing all colors accurately. It's a compromise and what you are really looking for is the most pleasing compromise -where the color relationships look right to you.

 

One way of handling that is your selection of rendering intent. Rendering intents define the math used to calculate how the numbers are adjusted when converting from one color space to another, or fro ma color space to a color space, or (and hopefully you won't be doing this much) from one color space to another. To keep it simple what works best for most subjects and most people, when going from a <B>color space</B> to a printing <B>profile</B> use Perceptual as your rendering intent and also check the Black Point compensation box. If you are going from a <B>color space</B> to another <B>color space</B>, use Relative Colorimetric as a rendering intent. Having said that it sometimes works better when printing to use Relative Colorimetric as the rendering intent.

 

I think that is enough from me for now, except to point out the strong advisability of using a high quality colorimeter and software combination to calibrate and <B>profile</B> your monitor before you start.

 

Color management practices are a little (but not very) complex to grasp and start using but they will save you money, time and aggravation in the medium and long term.