Thanks Godfrey. I was wondering why you didn't respond immediately. You've been busy <g>. What you posted before sounded complicated because it was detailed. I tend to oversimplify. I appreciate the clarification and your evaluative tests. I've always wondered if I was losing a lot with my color space. Apparently, if there's any loss, it's minor. I have tried Colorsync color settings with Adobe 98 color space, and the results were not pleasing. I will try the North America Prepress settings one of these days, but I'm always a little leer of change when things are going well. Paul
> Paul, > > You set up all the specifics with the workflow I presented exactly > the same way you do with the ColorSync workflow. Steps 0, 1 and 2 are > identical except for using the NAPP/A-RGB setting vs the ColorSync/ > Generic-RGB settings. You can set up the same bundle of settings at > the printer as a one-step pick as well. > > Regards the question, "..is there any real advantage..?": > > In seeking enlightenment with a ColorSync workflow, I did the > experiment: took a test photo and printed six times as follows ... > --- > Did a calibration check on the monitor with the Gretag-Macbeth Eye > One Display colorimeter, generated new profile (profile analysis > demonstrate it to be identical to 1 month old one for all practical > purposes) and set the screen to use it. > - > Image file converted from RAW and output with 16bit per channel RGB, > Adobe RGB color profile. > - > ** I don't have an Epson 2200 to work with at present, only an HP > 7960 for color output. The 7960 probably has a slightly larger gamut > (dye inks vs pigment inks) but I suspect that Epson's profiles for > the 2200 are a bit better since I know who produced them... ;-) ** > > Photoshop CS2 ColorSync color settings > Document profile converted to ColorSync Generic sRGB > print 1 - Photoshop controls color, HP Premium Plus Glossy paper, HP > driver ColorSync setting > print 2 - Printer controls color, HP Premium Plus Glossy paper, HP > driver ColorSync setting > > Photoshop CS2 North America Prepress settings > Document profile retained as Adobe RGB (1998) > print 3 - Photoshop controls color, HP Premium Plus Glossy paper, HP > driver ColorSync setting > print 4 - printer controls color, HP Premium Plus Glossy paper, HP > driver ColorSync setting > print 5 - Photoshop controls color, HP Premium Plus Glossy paper, HP > driver ColorSmart III setting > print 6 - printer controls color, HP Premium Plus Glossy paper, HP > driver ColorSmart III setting > - > Results: > Print 5 is the clear odd man out. Glarey, higher gamma, yellowish > cast in shadows, more exaggerated whites. > > Prints 1,2,3,4, & 6 are very close under standard tungsten room light. > .. Under kitchen flourescent lighting, 1 & 3 have brighter, cleaner > tones ... > shadow values go a little muddy; #3 is a bit warmer in faces and > shadow values. > .. Under balanced 5000 deg K viewing box, #3 and #1 present closest > by-eye match to screen. > .. Under shaded sunlight, 1,3,6 are again very close, with #3 being a > slightly closer eye-match. > > My conclusion is that there is a small benefit from using A-RGB and > North America Pre-Press color settings. It's probably a greater > difference if you're working from a JPEG image. Here's the difference > in histogram profiles from Adobe RGB (16bit), and Generic sRGB > (16bit) - Generic sRGB (8bit) conversions: > > http://homepage.mac.com/godders/profile-comparison.jpg > > Note the relationship of the Red and Green left-side tails in the A- > RGB vs sRGB histograms ... sRGB is likely clipping a bit, it might > explain some of the subtle color shifting happening in the shadow > values. > > The good news, of course, is that printing with *any* color > management scheme that uses at least decent profiles is going to > produce superior results to printing source files without color > management. I converted the file to 8bit, converted profile to sRGB > and output it as an untagged JPEG file. I then reopened it and told > Photoshop not to color manage it, produced two more prints... Not > even worth analyzing, the color balances are strikingly different > from the above 1,2,3,4,6 prints and don't match the screen display > very well at all. > > In short, profiling the screen and using color management workflow > are the two fundamental keys to getting consistent, repeatable > output. As long as you're working with a decent color management > workflow and tools, you'll get results that shift only by subtleties. > The differences will become more significant depending upon specific > printer/ink/paper printing systems. Having the OS fully color > managed, as Mac OS X is, also presents an advantage in that more > applications will take advantage of embedded ICC profiles and render > photos with better accuracy. > > Godfrey > > On Sep 12, 2005, at 8:53 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > Wow! That's far more complex than using colorsynch workflow. I > > merely go to page setup to select paper size and positiong, then > > choose my paper in the print dialogue box and dial in the desired > > resolution and color management. Having done that once, however, I > > can save the paper with the resolution and color managment choices. > > After that, it's a one step process. Is there any real advantage to > > going through all that you've outlined below? I will have to give > > it a try, but I can't really see anything in my prints that I would > > want to change. I get exactly the results I want with no muss or fuss. > > Paul > > > > Godfrey wrote: > >> t's pretty much the same when working with Photoshop for both Mac OS > >> and Windows. Mac OS X's built in color management makes life easier, > >> but the workflow is the same. > >> > >> 0) calibrate monitor, whether you use a software utility or a > >> hardware colorimeter. > >> 1) set up Photoshop's color preferences for a color managed workflow > >> (I use the "North American Pre-press defaults" as a basis and > >> customize that a little bit.) > >> 2) When converting RAW format files, set the output colorspace to > >> match the working > >> colorspace you use in Photoshop. > >> 3) When it comes time to print, use the "Print with Preview" command. > >> In that dialog, use > >> the Page Setup dialog to set printer parameters, the sizing and > >> other tools to center and > >> align the output, and use the color management options to pick > >> color management settings. > >> - set the popup to let Photoshop manage colors > >> - set the intent to "relative colormetric" > >> - pick the output profile per your printer/paper > >> That's all Photoshop controls. > >> - then press the Print button. Now you're in the print driver's > >> control space > >> In the print dialog, turn off all color management at the > >> printer. > > > > > > > > >
