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printer profile - help please!

davecamdavecam Registered Users Posts: 53 Big grins
edited May 26, 2008 in Digital Darkroom
Hello, I have found and downloaded a profile for my printer and the photopaper I use, how do I use/install it to get better prints?
regards,
dave

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    cmasoncmason Registered Users Posts: 2,506 Major grins
    edited May 26, 2008
    davecam wrote:
    Hello, I have found and downloaded a profile for my printer and the photopaper I use, how do I use/install it to get better prints?
    regards,
    dave

    Well, just to be sure: the profile doesn't get better prints, but it is one part of helping you to see, on your monitor, what the final print from your printer will look like. then you can adjust things to look the way you wish. Of course, calibrating your monitor is an important part of this as well. For more, including how to use profiles to 'soft proof', read this:

    http://www.smugmug.com/help/display-color
    Photos
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    NewsyNewsy Registered Users Posts: 605 Major grins
    edited May 26, 2008
    I use paper profiles for my Canon i960 all the time. Each profile changes dramatically the ink output and subsequent appearance of the printed image. I even invested in a program to generate custom paper profiles a couple of years back. The idea is to calibrate the printer against a standard target using the desired paper and there after you never touch any of the manual controls of the printer for that particular paper. After calibration the printer, with that particular paper, will print a true blue or green etc, providing the input is a true blue or green, etc..

    After this, you then have to ensure your monitor is calibrated to match your printer. You should then find that any changes you make on screen with your editor will transition to the paper providing your editor can use your monitor profile and print using the paper profile.


    For instance, for the i960, Canon supplies several ICC profiles for use with their own papers (profile .... filename).

    Canon i960 MP2 ...... CNB5CDA0.icm
    Canon i960 PR1 ...... CNB5CCA0.icm
    Canon i960 PR2 ...... CNB5CCB0.icm
    Canon i960 SP1 ...... CNB5CEA0.icm

    Where the profile letters indicate paper type and the numbers indicate print quality.
    MP = Matte Photo Paper
    PR = Photo Paper Pro
    SP = Photo Paper Plus Glossy

    When you use the color management function of your editor or printing software it will likely show the profiles referencing the description and filename.

    These ICC profiles are found in this folder under WinXP:

    c:\windows\system32\spool\drivers\color

    You'll find all kinds of files with the extension ".icm".

    Not all of these are printer ICC files, many will be for your monitor color profile. But this would be where you would place the paper profile you've just purchased.


    I'm going to direct you to another website forums where they have oodles of info on this kind of thing.

    DPreviews' Printers and Printing forum:
    http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/forum.asp?forum=1003


    FYI... I use a program called QImage PRO for all my printing as years ago I found PS too cumbersome and I had a desire to print on 8.5x11 sheets but in several sizes and wanted to eliminate paper wastage. It offers many features including layout options and being able to use both printer and monitor profiles.

    http://www.ddisoftware.com/qimage/

    I also used Profile Prism from DDI to generate custom paper profiles. They now sell custom profiles. Profile Prism was extremely effective in curing issues I had with the Epson printer I used prior to the Canon I now own.

    http://www.ddisoftware.com/printerprofiles/



    Good luck!

    .
    http://newsy.smugmug.com

    .
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    davecamdavecam Registered Users Posts: 53 Big grins
    edited May 26, 2008
    Thank you both for your very helpful replies.
    Newsy - I use qimage pro too. I installed the profile and set qimage to use it. In the printer driver settings i put 'application manage colour' I then printed a portrait and the girl looked like she had been on a sunbed for 24 hours! skin was literally burgundy. I must have done something wrong but I can't see what!
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    dmmattixdmmattix Registered Users Posts: 341 Major grins
    edited May 26, 2008
    Vuescan for printer profiling
    I just updated my Vuescan because I finally got a scanner that would work on it again (both Vuescan and Vista)... I was looking through it and found the Profile Printer functionality. Basically they provide a target, you print it, scan it, and it will calculate a Printer Profile for you.

    Has anyone here used this and how does it work for you if you have?

    Thanks

    Mike
    _________________________________________________________

    Mike Mattix
    Tulsa, OK

    "There are always three sides to every story. Yours, mine, and the truth" - Unknown
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    NewsyNewsy Registered Users Posts: 605 Major grins
    edited May 26, 2008
    davecam wrote:
    Thank you both for your very helpful replies.
    Newsy - I use qimage pro too. I installed the profile and set qimage to use it. In the printer driver settings i put 'application manage colour' I then printed a portrait and the girl looked like she had been on a sunbed for 24 hours! skin was literally burgundy. I must have done something wrong but I can't see what!

    Can you tell us what printer (exact model) and also share the profile info, ie link you obtained it from, file name, etc.

    Send it as a PM private message if you prefer - click on my name to do so.

    .
    http://newsy.smugmug.com

    .
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