onyx input profile question

[Forrest M]

I've noticed a dramatic improvement in image quality when I changed the input profile in onyx to BigRGB from the use embedded profile that it was automatically set to. When I have it set to use embedded profile everything has a slight washed out look to it. Although from reading comments on some message boards it seems like it's a bad idea to not keep the input profile the same as the profile that the image is in(in other words I should stick with the use embedded profile to get the best results). Right now dp2(the program that we use to process all of our customers files that they send us) is embedding srgb when it renders the files out to the folder that we print from. So for whatever reason that I haven’t been able to figure out yet when onyx uses that embedded srgb profile as the input profile the prints come out looking very washed out, which is interesting because if I tell onyx to use the srgb profile that it has as one of its input choices over the use embedded profile(the srgb that dp2 embedded) the prints come out looking way better(a bit too dark but not washed out). I'm wondering if just because we are embedding the srgb profile that doesn’t mean that it changes the color space of the file or if that is just not correct because the file wasn’t perhaps originally created in srgb, orrrrr if dp2 is just not embedding the profile correctly?

 

[Tim-Ellis]

Hello Forest,

Just a few questions to help us all understand.

What is the output profile for printing? Fogra? SWOP etc?

What type of machine is doing the printing? Offset? Digital? Inkjet proofer?

What is the output intent? Absolute? Perceptual?

Can you post a few examples of the images before and after?

Cheers

Tim

 

[Forrest M]

The output profile is one we created through i1profiler.
We're printing on an Epson S80600 solvent printer.
Using a perceptual output intent.
We're printing fine art canvas prints.

 

[Tim-Ellis]

Hello Forrest,

Did I Profiler tell you the Epson was an RGB printer or a CMYK printer? Epson printers are often RGB and then the RIP decides how to use the four inks.... Or twelve inks etc

 

[Forrest M]

It a 9 ink printer. I profiler told me it was a cmyk. I tried profiling it as an rgb printer first and the blacks came out looking very blue/purplish

 

[Tim-Ellis]

Hello Forrest,

Now that surprises me. I would expect a 9 colour printer to have a RGB profile. I am out of my comfort zone now as my proofer is just CMYK.

Did you get the option in I Profiler to have CMYK+4 inks?

You have to choose Advanced options over the Basic ones.

I'm not sure if that will really help you. Hopefully someone with a better knowledge of Canvas and the Epson S80600 solvent printer will come along soon...

In the meantime we are assuming there are no blocked heads and everything is working as it should.

What if you made a test chart in photoshop with specific RGB values and you pushed it through the system as if you were a customer? That way you can see what effect the workflow has had upon the numbers when you open it in Acrobat Pro before it drops into the RIP.

 

[Forrest M]

the cmyk+4 is a possible option that I can select from in I profiler, but if I select the printer it comes up as just cmyk

 

[Correct Color]

I'm wondering if just because we are embedding the srgb profile that doesn’t mean that it changes the color space of the file or if that is just not correct because the file wasn’t perhaps originally created in srgb...

That is the most likely explanation. And that's a pretty common problem for files that have passed through some internet system. I have yet to meet a guy who designed one of those systems who cared about color or wanted to learn.

As far as your printer profile goes, there are actually several different ways to profile a S80600 in Onyx, but from what you've described, I think there's a pretty good chance you may not even be using your orange.

Despite what many will tell you, there's much, much more to color management and print process control in large format printing than just going to a seminar and getting an i1. If you'd like some help, drop me a line.



Mike Adams
Correct Color