Profiling the HP 7960

[stevierose]

The documentation of the color management features of the HP 7960 is poor. Calls to

HP have been unhelpful as they do not seem to be very attuned to these issues. In

particular I found it difficult to decide which settings to use when generating a

profiling

target print as it doesn't have a "no color adjustments feature" like the Epsons do.

 

I was able to communicate with Bruce Fraser (autthor of "Real World Color

Management" and "Real World Adobe Photoshop") who recently reviewed the printer

for MacWorld magazine. Here is his response regarding this issue:

 

"OK, I remember now.

 

I set the Photoshop output space to Same As Source (NOT printer color management)

 

I set the Driver color options to ColorSmart III

 

I turned the Digital Photo Slider to OFF, and made sure that Auto was unchecked.

 

I printed the profiling target, and made a profile which I then used in Photoshop as

output space with the the driver options set as above.

 

It seemed to work reliably on the 20 or so prints that I made...

 

Best,

 

Bruce"

[joshua daniels]

Bruce - you are correct. The HP 7960 has poorly implemented color management, though I can tell you that HP is currently working on correcting that. If you watch their site, they will be posting a document that provides a clear and complete overview of how they've implemented media profiles in the driver rev. 5.1.

[joshua daniels]

I forgot to add that the ICM controls, in driver 5.1 can be used in conjuction with Photoshop by using print with preview, then selecting the target HP media profile. You need to set ICM in the HP 7960 printer properties, under the color tab. I think best results may be obtained by making your own profile, but you may wish to play with the ones from HP. In my experience, this shift color and exposure quite a lot from what appears on screen in Adobe 1998 color space. As mentioned, HP is "investigating" this currently. Very puzzling why they'd jump into this competitive market with an otherwise promising product, but with color management so poorly documented and apparently not well implemented. Bob Atkins tested the printer recently on photonet, but so far I have not seen his response on this issue.

[john_shriver]

As for why HP would have a product with iffy color management: The engineers (what's left of them at the new streamlined/outsourced HP) probably understand the issues. But the "product managers" probably don't, or pushed it aside in a rush to get the printer to market. Now they're fixing it in the "dot-dot" software releases.

 

The product managers probably did spend a lot of time worrying about what the box looks like. They probably also made sure that the manual is "drool proof", and wouldn't scare the customers. ICM is scary! They just want something that moves off the shelf at Staples. "Serious users" are a niche market.

 

(This is the same HP who marketed CD-R drives that do not say anywhere on the box or documentation what TYPE of SCSI interface it has, what SCSI connector, etc. Mustn't scare the consumer -- especially not with the information they need to install the product!)

 

-- John (who has spent too much time in the computer industry living Dilbert's world)

[joshua daniels]

John - I think there is some truth in what you say. However, I believe that HP suffers more from over-extended-itis: too many products, too many issues, too many bottom line priorities. The 7960 is a very well conceived piece of gear, but in the end I think they rushed it to market and didn't understand the audiences for the product. So, as you say, they applied dumber and dumbest to smart (Photosmart?) product ignoring the huge lead Epson and Canon both have in this product area, not to mention their understanding of the enthusiast audience. Yes, there is also a touch of arrogance there about 'knowing better than we do' how the product should be used, and thus poorly anticipating the reactions and needs of actual users. Unfortunately, they appear to be keeping pretty quiet in tersm of addressing product shortfalls, but it wouldn't surprise me to see some of these issues addressed soon.