Color Handling - PS vs. Printer advice

[RickOpiekun]

<p>I've been trying to get a handle on the best way to send consistent output to my printer. When I allow PS CS5 to manage colors, there are instances when the prints come out of my printer quite a bit darker than they appear on screen. If I then switch to allowing the printer to manage colors, the prints come out fine. This happens about 75% of the time. The printer I use is always the same (EPSON R1800). The paper is always the same (Permium Luster). The monitor is calibrated. The colorspace I use is sRGB.<br>

If anyone uses an Epson R1800 or reasonably similar equipment, I'd love to know how to resolve this issue to save paper, time and nerves.<br>

Thanks in advance.<br>

Rick</p>

[al_derickson]

<p>Get the latest printer profiles for your printer and paper from the Epson site. Follow the documentation for using them. My experience with my R800 printer has been that these are spot on.</p>

[digitaldog]

<blockquote>

<p>When I allow PS CS5 to manage colors, there are instances when the prints come out of my printer quite a bit darker than they appear on screen.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>see: http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/why_are_my_prints_too_dark.shtml</p>

[patricklavoie]

<p>http://www.photo.net/learn/digital-photography-workflow/color-management/101-basics/</p>

<p>http://www.photo.net/digital-darkroom-forum/00OftB</p>

[danny_low]

<p><em>"When I allow PS CS5 to manage colors, there are instances when the prints come out of my printer quite a bit darker than they appear on screen. If I then switch to allowing the printer to manage colors, the prints come out fine. This happens about 75% of the time."</em></p>

<p>This is a common symptom when <em><strong>both</strong></em> PS and the printer driver color management is ON. You should only use one and the PS color management is recommended. It looks like you did not turn off the printer color management option when using the PS color management option. The main reason why the PS color management is preferred is you can do soft proofing in PS which gives you a reasonably accurate idea of what the image on the paper will look like before doing any printing.</p>

<p>Danny</p>

 

[RickOpiekun]

<p>Thank you for the insights. If, in the Epson print menu I have ICM turned to 'off', then I presume that the printer color management is off and that PS will manage the colors since I have the color management setting set to 'Document'. Am I correct in this assumption?<br>

Rick</p>

[pbarnes]

<p>Rick, that's right, and under Color Handling in the Print dialog box make sure the option 'Photoshop manages colors' is selected. </p>