Epson color controls, photo enhance, ICM - which one for accurate photo printing?
 

I printed a digital photo on an Epson Stylus Photo 820 printer and the =
color balance was noticeably off. There are a number of color balancing =
options in the print driver, i.e. Photo Enhance, ICM, Color Controls =
(with gamma choices), and I wonder how to determine which one will give =
me the most accurate results (without having to print the same photo =
using every possible setting g)? The "Photo Enhance" option seems to =
do additional image processing, such as noise removal and sharpening, =
which I don't want since I've already adjusted the images. The ICM =
option is a simple On/Off choice, while the Color Controls offer a =
multitude of adjustments. I've already made gamma and temperature =
adjustments on the monitor with good results. Thanks!

Epson color controls, photo enhance, ICM - which one for accurate photo printing?
 

From: "Lindyhop"

There are a number of color balancing
options in the print driver, i.e. Photo Enhance, ICM, Color Controls
(with gamma choices), and I wonder how to determine which one will give
me the most accurate results ... I've already made gamma and
temperature adjustments on the monitor with good results.

If your monitor is already calibrated and you're printing from a decent
graphics program then use ICM. The other "controls" are for tweaking with the
image if you don't have a calibrated monitor or if you don't have a graphics
program.

Bill

Epson color controls, photo enhance, ICM - which one for accurate photo printing?
 

"Bill Hilton" wrote in message =
...
From: "Lindyhop" =20
=20
There are a number of color balancing=20
options in the print driver, i.e. Photo Enhance, ICM, Color Controls=20
(with gamma choices), and I wonder how to determine which one will =
give=20
me the most accurate results ... I've already made gamma and=20
temperature adjustments on the monitor with good results.
=20
If your monitor is already calibrated and you're printing from a =
decent
graphics program then use ICM. The other "controls" are for tweaking =
with the
image if you don't have a calibrated monitor or if you don't have a =
graphics
program.
=20
Bill

Thanks for the quick reply. When I select ICM does that refer to the =
Epson printer profile, i.e. EE163_1? (couldn't find out anything about =
this on the Epson website).

Epson color controls, photo enhance, ICM - which one for accurate photo printing?
 

From: "Lindyhop"

When I select ICM does that refer to the
Epson printer profile, i.e. EE163_1? (couldn't find out anything about
this on the Epson website).

The ICM flow means there's a .icm file that describes how to translate the
numbers in the image file into numbers (colors) that will appear on the print,
or at least as close as is possible since the printer will always have fewer
colors than the screen (ie, smaller gamut) and lower brightness.

Many of the good Epson Photo printers give you the ICM file for each paper
type, which allows you to 'soft-proof' in Photoshop by dumbing down the monitor
view to (hopefully) show the reduced gamut and brightness of the print. If you
have Photoshop V6 or later I can tell you how to do this.

The printer you have has bundled all these profiles into one ICM file (your
EE163_1.icm or .icc) so you can't soft proof them separately. What happens is
that when you select the paper type to match what you're printing on the Epson
driver will pick the right ICM file for that paper.

This works pretty well if your monitor is well calibrated and if the colors are
in gamut, and works poorly if the monitor is not properly calibrated.

Here's some background if you're interested in CM basics ...
http://www.creativepro.com/story/feature/13605.html

Bill

Epson color controls, photo enhance, ICM - which one for accurate photo printing?
 

The ICM flow means there's a .icm file that describes how to translate =
the
numbers in the image file into numbers (colors) that will appear on =
the print,
or at least as close as is possible since the printer will always have =
fewer
colors than the screen (ie, smaller gamut) and lower brightness.
=20
Many of the good Epson Photo printers give you the ICM file for each =
paper
type, which allows you to 'soft-proof' in Photoshop by dumbing down =
the monitor
view to (hopefully) show the reduced gamut and brightness of the =
print. If you
have Photoshop V6 or later I can tell you how to do this.
=20
The printer you have has bundled all these profiles into one ICM file =
(your
EE163_1.icm or .icc) so you can't soft proof them separately. What =
happens is
that when you select the paper type to match what you're printing on =
the Epson
driver will pick the right ICM file for that paper.
=20
This works pretty well if your monitor is well calibrated and if the =
colors are
in gamut, and works poorly if the monitor is not properly calibrated.
=20
Here's some background if you're interested in CM basics ...
http://www.creativepro.com/story/feature/13605.html
=20
Bill

Thanks!

Epson color controls, photo enhance, ICM - which one for accurate photo printing?
 

My personal experience: Using Paint Shop Pro 7, I was never able to get the
colors "just right" on the Epson 1280, and I tried EVERYTHING g.

When I print using Photoshop Elements, I simply set the 1280 to "No Color
Adjustment" and the results are perfect.

"Lindyhop" wrote in message
...

The ICM flow means there's a .icm file that describes how to translate the
numbers in the image file into numbers (colors) that will appear on the
print,
or at least as close as is possible since the printer will always have
fewer
colors than the screen (ie, smaller gamut) and lower brightness.

Many of the good Epson Photo printers give you the ICM file for each paper
type, which allows you to 'soft-proof' in Photoshop by dumbing down the
monitor
view to (hopefully) show the reduced gamut and brightness of the print.
If you
have Photoshop V6 or later I can tell you how to do this.

The printer you have has bundled all these profiles into one ICM file
(your
EE163_1.icm or .icc) so you can't soft proof them separately. What
happens is
that when you select the paper type to match what you're printing on the
Epson
driver will pick the right ICM file for that paper.

This works pretty well if your monitor is well calibrated and if the
colors are
in gamut, and works poorly if the monitor is not properly calibrated.

Here's some background if you're interested in CM basics ...
http://www.creativepro.com/story/feature/13605.html

Bill

Thanks!