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Introduction


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8 March 1998- Ask anyone with experience in printing: Color management is perhaps the most difficult part of any digital darkroom. There are many variables to note and understand, all contributing to the confusion that can be daunting for newbies. What inkset you are using, the type of paper you select, the settings you apply and how you work an image are all factors to consider. Let me preface this article by saying that I have little or no idea why and how some of the settings work whilst others don't. In short, I have very little experience on the topic of colour management other than the fact that I find certain settings/hints useful and as a result of which I try to keep to those settings/hints for most of my prints. It doesn't help that Epson does not release detailed information on their drivers other than to say that a new version is available for download. So poor little home user like myself have to resort to the Leben list or other sources of collective wisdom (eg newsgroups etc) and the trial-and-error methodology of finding our what works.

For the home user, the first print is inevitably the test print. It has been said that the color management process is an attempt to make the first print less of a test print and more a candidate for a final print. The task is not easy, especially if you, like me, use uncalibrated devices with little or no measuring devices (eg colorimeter) that allow for more precision in deciding whether a method/setting/hint works or not.

This short piece will concentrate on printing with Adobe Photoshop 5.02 and the Photo EX. Hope you enjoy it and find it useful. I have added a color forum just for the sharing of colour related tips. Please contribute any tips you may have.
 
 

The non-variables


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I have done my test prints on Windows 98 platform based on the following global constants:-
• Paper = New Epson Photo Paper (for its longevity)
• New Photo EX Driver (Dec 98) version 4.50
• RGB Work Space = Adobe RGB (1998)
• Inks = Standard Epson inks
• New Epson Photo Paper
The same image was used for all printouts and the said image is a RGB (set to Adobe RGB (1998) file saved in the TIF format.
 

A word on the Print Dialog Box


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Keep your eye on the 2 settings which I have highlighted. They will only be present when you print from Photoshop as most programs use the print driver's color management by default. From what I understand, some imaging software (including Photoshop 5.02) have their own way of handling color and hence, the 2 additional settings highlighted above are to give the users a choice: -
 
• use the Print Driver's own color management method (default) - or
• use the Imaging software's own color management method.


Therefore, when the "Printer Color Management" option is TICKED, that tells the printer that you wish to use the Print Drivers. When UNTICKED, that tells the printer than you wish to use the Imaging software's own color management method. The "SPACE" setting then tells the printer which color profile you are outputting to. The old drivers for the Photo EX actually allowed you to choose the various paper types which were all given individual "spaces". Look at the Windows/System/Color folder and you will find lots of  e19****.icm files which are installed by the old driver.

The new driver (Version 4.50) does not provide all the various paper types as spaces, providing only one space, ie the Epson Stylus Photo EX space. There is only the file Ee035__1.icm in the Windows/Color/Folder.. Some have commented that the new drivers probably do away with multiple profiles by internalising them into one, ie the "Epson Stylus Photo EX" space. Hence, when you select the type of paper in the 'Properties" section of the Print Dialog box, the correct profile will be selected. That's just what I have gathered so far but I can't confirm it.

Variables in the testing

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My test was conducted based on changing the following variables:-

Selecting different "SPACEs"; ticking/unticking the "Printer Color Management" box; and Selecting different "Color Management" options in the Advanced box.

Well, click on the link below for the results. Time permitting, I will add any new results of new settings which I have tested using the same image file and constants described above. Plesae feel free to comment on the findings and perhaps if you can, explain why the settings give the results shown in this article. I have not really been able to rationalise how the system works..as mentioned above, I really don't know enough to comment any further than to show you what works for me and what doesn't.

All Rights Reserved Tham Kok Leong 1998@Singapore