Help with Printing

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Cheryl

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Hi,

I just purchased a new Espon Pro 38'' printer. When I import my pictures to lightroom the color looks great. When I go to the print module the color looks great, however, when I print and view the preview the color is real dull. I have printer managed on color. There must be something I am missing somewhere. I have calibrated my monitor. The color I see on the print preview is exactly what I get from the printer but it is not what I am seeing before I hit the print button. HELP!

Thanks!
 
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Cheryl, I don't do much printing at home, so while we're waiting for some print gurus to comment, (and we have plenty) here's a couple things to check to get started.

First, have you installed the colorimetric profiles (*.icc) that came with your printer? These are important to preserve the colorimetric process chain that you started with your monitor calibration. Typically they associate your printer with a specific paper type (and perhaps ink type).

Secondly, I believe the correct settings are to set LR to manage color, and to set the printer color management to off or 'application managed'.
 
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Thank you, Brad, for your input. I am a bit confused on the colorimetric profiles. I do have profiles when I click on other for color management in lightroom. As for my monitor calibration, I used an eye-one calibration puck to calibrate my monitor. It pretty much did it on its own and did a great job.

Can you tell me how to have Lightroom manage the color? I know how to set the printer color management to off. I understand that Lightrooms color mangement is by default set to off. I just need to know how to turn Lightroom's color management on.

Thanks for the help.
 
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Select the correct profile from the list you get when selecting Other. eg Pro38 PLPP is premium luster.≈ On older versions of Lightroom you have to go back to the menu and then select this profile. Then make sure to turn management off in the Print Driver. You really should upgrade to 1.41 too. It is the most stable version, with loads of fixes.


Perceptual rendering tries to scale out of gamut colours into the available gamut (and in gamut colours get moved too), relative just moves the out of gamut colours to the nearest in gamut colours. If you've loads of out of gamut colours, use Perceptual, otherwise use Relative. Sometimes you need to print both to see which works best.

You've made me think of a cool feature request for Lightroom.... A print Test Strip function showing the Rendering intents and sharpening levels.
 
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OK. I worked with my print issues most of the day yesterday. By the end of the day, I unchecked the Print Resolution box and printed a beautiful picture. I thought the problem was sovled. Today I turn my printer back on, go to start printing again, and the exact same problem turns up again, dull pictures with no life. What is going on. Why does this reoccur. I tried turning off Print management in the printer software, choosing the correct driver for the paper, every thing that Sean mentioned and the prints do get their color back but not as good as when it was working yesterday being managed by Printer for color. Can someone go through all the settings I should have selected to run a beautiful picture using color via Printer Managed selected and using an Epson Pro 38'' printer. The gentleman I talked to that teaches lightroom classes says to always choose Printer Managed for the color. And I do have my lightroom software updated to 1.4. I just have not changed my signature yet.

Again, thanks for the help. I really hope there is someone out there that can help me.
 
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Thank you again Sean. I am going to read it right now. I will let you know if it solves my problems. I doooo hope so.
 
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So do Cheryl. I find prints from my 38'' to be excellent, except with an old batch of A3 premium gloss, but I believe this pack was pre K3 inks and that's the problem. All other papers I've used are good. Eric Chan has a great 38'' resource and he now works for Adobe.

http://people.csail.mit.edu/ericchan/dp/Epson38''/index.html
 
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O.K. So after what I just read, it does look like the Lightroom instructor at the camera shop was wrong. I should not be using Printer Managed as my selecting. I should be selecting the right driver from "Other". I just don't know what all the codes mean in Espon, i.e., Pro38 PGPP, Pro38 WCRW. How do you know what driver is right for your paper? I like to use lots of different papers, it depends on what I am printing.

After selecting PRO38 PGPP, I am using a glossy Epson paper, my colors are much better, however, they are still a little dark. Am I choosing the wrong driver in my setup for glossy paper. Could this be the problem.

And, sorry, I did not understand the work around for the Mac instructions. They lost me completely on that. Can you translate this for a Windows user?

Thanks.
 
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Sean, it makes me feel much better after purchasing this printer that you use it too and are getting great prints. I know if I keep working on this, I too will enjoy this printer. I just have to get through this very trying time. Thanks for the help and please don't give up on me. I really want to make this work.
 
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I have found the codes for the printer profiles in the last article you sent me. Thank you very much. It is now taped up over my computer for future reference. Do I need to download any new drivers? or is the ones that came with my printer good enough for using with Lightroom?
 
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Another question, should I check the box for Print Resolution and, if so, what resolution should I use...24'..44'? Thanks
 
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O.k. I am going to download the latest drivers for my printer. I also wanted you to know....I think we have finally got it. It is Sunday morning and with a fresh mind and after all the reading and testing I did yesterday, I am very happy with my prints. I could not have done this with out you, Sean. Thank you for sticking it out with me. I really appreciate your time you put into helping me. I now love my Epson Pro 38'' and my Lightroom software (which I have not been able to use since I purchased it over one year ago). THANKS!!!

Thanks so much!!!!
 
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That's great to hear a happy ending Cheryl!
 
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Could I get help with one more thing PLEASE. Sean had mentioned I should have the latest drivers for the Epson 38'' printer. I downloaded them from Epson's site to my computer, however, Espon does not install them in the right place for Lightroom to find them. I am still using drivers from 2''6 through Lightroom instead of the new ones I downloaded. Lightroom looks at C:\Windows\System32\Spool\Drivers\Color for the drivers. Can I just use explorer to move the lastes epson drivers to this file, or is there some type of installation I have to do to make the drivers work in this folder that Lightroom looks at. Thanks!
 
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Help. I still need help with this issue. Can I just copy and paste my updated drivers that I download to my harddisk to a folder that Lightroom looks at or do I have to do some type of installation to get these driver updates seen by Lightroom.

Thanks!
 
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Cheryl,

I don't use this feature currently, maybe this page will help. I print very little at home, and my generic HP printer doesn't seem to support this technology.

http://learn.adobe.com/wiki/display/LR/Set+print+color+management+-+Basics

I think the proper terminology is "profiles" instead of "drivers". I have some random profiles (*.icc, *.icm) that applications have installed in C:\Windows ... colors, and they don't show up in LR as available profiles for my selected printer. So, I'm not sure that just copying the profiles there will help.

Normally when I know this little about a subject, I won't post, but I wanted to let you know we're not ignoring you.

Look in that second bullet under #1 in the above link, and see if that gets you access.
 
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