Datacolor User to User Support Group.

So far I've been very impressed with the PrintFix Pro, but I'm
struggling a little to get neutral tones to print neutral, and to get
separation in the low values. If I print a ramp from 0,0,0 to 19,19,19
there is no significant difference in the L* values until about 16 or
17, depending on how I set the contrast slider in PFP.

I've tried to tweak the profiles in PFP, but wish for a little more
control than the sliders give - something like the Photoshop curves
adjustment would be ideal. In the absence of that, any suggestions?

Thanks,
Helen

Thanks for the reply.

I'll try other media settings. I'd like to try to understand how the
media settings affect this. If a 0,0,0 pixel gets printed as a square
with an L* of 2.5 and an 18,18,18 pixel gets printed as a square with
the same L*, where has the media setting come in? Too much ink? 

The above example comes from the profile with no adjustments. I am
using the Epson Premium Glossy setting for Epson Premium Glossy paper.
I've checked the spectro against my calibrated TR924 densitometer, and
they agree closely.

Best,
Helen

--- In colorvision_group@yahoogroups.com, CDTobie@... wrote:
>
> 
> In a message dated 3/23/06 6:24:29 PM, helenbach@... writes:
> 
> 
> > So far I've been very impressed with the PrintFix Pro, but I'm
> > struggling a little to get neutral tones to print neutral, and to get
> > separation in the low values. If I print a ramp from 0,0,0 to 19,19,19
> > there is no significant difference in the L* values until about 16 or
> > 17, depending on how I set the contrast slider in PFP.
> > 
> > I've tried to tweak the profiles in PFP, but wish for a little more
> > control than the sliders give - something like the Photoshop curves
> > adjustment would be ideal. In the absence of that, any suggestions?
> > 
> You may find that testing other media settings, and choosing one
with better 
> shadow separation for your profiling process is a better solution;
the profile 

> can only give you what the media setting allows...
> 
> C. David Tobie
> Product Technology Manager
> ColorVision, Inc.
> CDTobie@...
> www.colorvision.com
>

On 3/23/06 6:54 PM, "Helen Bach" <helenbach@...> wrote:

> I'll try other media settings. I'd like to try to understand how the
> media settings affect this. If a 0,0,0 pixel gets printed as a square
> with an L* of 2.5 and an 18,18,18 pixel gets printed as a square with
> the same L*, where has the media setting come in? Too much ink? 
> 
> The above example comes from the profile with no adjustments. I am
> using the Epson Premium Glossy setting for Epson Premium Glossy paper.
> I've checked the spectro against my calibrated TR924 densitometer, and
> they agree closely.

Helen,

I tested a couple of glossy papers on my 4800 and the Semi-Matte setting opened up the 
shadows a little more than Epson's recommended media setting...but just a little.

I have since switched to matte black...my first test prior to profiling is printing a ten patch 
grayscale from 100% to 90% with about five media settings. Mainly to find the best setting 
to keep the shadows open as the Epson driver has a tendency to bring black in fast.

You might have read my post below a few weeks ago as it's really helped with delicate 
shadow detail:


" I too have found media settings are fairly close to each other but I wanted to explore a 
little more. Epson's black usually comes in hard and fast, less so with the newest printers 
but I wanted to find the media setting that has smoothest black from 100% to 90%.

So I recently tested to find the "best" media setting for William Turner paper on my Epson 
4800.

I printed a ten patch gray ramp from 100% to 90% with five media settings.

My Excel results are below for William Turner on an Epson 4800:

http://homepage.mac.com/johnvito/WilliamTurnerMediaSettings.png

From 100% to 90% only two media settings show linear density loss albeit stepped at 
times. While the other three actually have spiked increases in density ˆ called reversals ˆ 
on some patches. For example Epson's Enhanced has the same density at the following 
patches: 100%, 99% and 97%. As you can see the 98% patch has a lower density. Another 
reversal at 94%.

My choice is the UltraSmooth media setting, as it has the most linear path in the shadows."

David, John,

Thanks for the answers. I was actually asking for an explanation of
how the media setting causes the lack of shadow detail, not
criticising the profile. I've found that the Watercolor media setting
gives the best shadow detail, and also the highest D-max for Epson
Premium Glossy. I measured an L* of 1.87.

Best,
Helen

Media setting tells the printer how much ink it should lay on certain paper. If you have a RIP, you can bypass it. ... -- ... xun911@gmail.com www.xun-wang.com

--- In colorvision_group@yahoogroups.com, "xun wang" <xun911@...> wrote:
>
> Media setting tells the printer how much ink it should lay on
certain paper.
> If you have a RIP, you can bypass it.

RIPs unfortunately tend to be for wide format printers and pro-only
printers.  Certainly with good color calibration software / hardware
combinations at lower price points it would be nice if there were true
RIPs for printers like the Epson R1800.

Thanks. I already knew the basics (I use IJC/OPM for B&W printing),
but not why the lowest eighteen RGB values all printed at the same
density. That just seems dumb, an opinion I suspect you all share.

If the density range of your media is low the loss of seventeen values
is probably unimportant - you adjust the black point and get your
shadow detail back, rather like you have to do with light sensitive
paper. But if you have a density range of 2.6 and an 8-bit driver it's
a different matter.

Best,
Helen  

--- In colorvision_group@yahoogroups.com, "xun wang" <xun911@...> wrote:
>
> Media setting tells the printer how much ink it should lay on
certain paper.

> If you have a RIP, you can bypass it.
> 
> On 3/24/06, Helen Bach <helenbach@...> wrote:
> >
> > David, John,
> >
> > Thanks for the answers. I was actually asking for an explanation of
> > how the media setting causes the lack of shadow detail, not
> > criticising the profile. I've found that the Watercolor media setting
> > gives the best shadow detail, and also the highest D-max for Epson
> > Premium Glossy. I measured an L* of 1.87.
> >
> > Best,
> > Helen
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> 
> 
> --
> ::Xun Wang::
> xun911@...
> www.xun-wang.com
>