Epson 1280, IDCS (Win)

[michelen]

Is anyone out there printing InDesign files to an Epson 1280 (Windows XP Pro)?

I get great results printing photographs directly from Photoshop, which makes sense, as it's a photo printer.

But trying to print page layouts from InDesign is a nightmare. I can't get accurate color, or even semi-accurate color, no matter what I do. I've tried using CMYK, RGB, and Pantone Spot, and the colors are still way, way off. I need to print proofs of a 2-color cookbook, and I can't get close enough on the color to show the proofs to the client.

Does anyone have a good formula for printing to this printer? Or do I use it for photos only, and invest in something else for printing page layouts? I sort of miss my old DeskJet 720C. It committed suicide (did a backflip off my desk), or I'd still have it.

--michele

[terrie]

Michele...what do you have set in ID's color management prefs???

Terrie

[terrie]

Michele...just read this on the ColorSync-Users list (they let me subscribe even though I'm pc based...'-}})...not sure if it will help but figured it might...

>>Subject: Re: Color Manglement in InDesign
Ive been through a similar thing lately and now get the same results as with
Photoshop CS. Heres some settings I had to change when printing:

Ive got my Colour settings the same as Pshop CS ie Europe Press Defaults.

In Print Dialog under Advanced, set Transparency Flattener to High res
Under Graphics, Images, set send data to all. Then under Colour Management source space document and print space your
printer profile or document if printing target.

As long as the printer specific settings are the same as when outputting via
Photoshop, then ive found it now prints the same

Even though all client Macs were set up the same I had some variation from
one client to another when going out CMYK to a Xerox 7700. Turned out that the ppds on a couple of machines where different versions causing difference in saturation.

Above is using Indesign CS >>


Terrie

[michelen]

Michele...what do you have set in ID's color management prefs???

Terrie
Terrie,

I am using the same color management settings in IDCS and Photoshop.

Michele

[terrie]

>>michele: I am using the same color management settings in IDCS and Photoshop.

Well...bummer!

Let's get specific...tell me what your settings are in Photoshop and tell me how you print from Photoshop--what settings in the Photoshop print window and what setting in the Epson print window...

What is your Photoshop working space?

Is your monitor calibrated?

Terrie

[michelen]

Terrie,

Thanks for the info. My settings are as described, except I don't use Euro Press Defaults. I have a custom setting--Adobe RGB for RGB, and US Web Coated SWOP (v2) for CMYK.

It's my understanding that the Epson Stylus Photo 1280 is not a CMYK printer, so I've been leaving my images as RGB. But I'm not having a problem printing images. It's colored text that is the problem. I cannot get a match to any swatch book, not process and not Pantone. Not even close. The job I am working on now is supposed to be black and PMS 021 (orange). It doesn't print orange, it prints a dull brown. I've tried tweaking the color mix, and cannot get a match. So I am wondering if the 1280 is just not built for this purpose.

Best,
Michele

[Norman Hathaway]

michele

just to let you know- i used a friend's 1280 to output pages from indesign cs- and the colors were fine- so it IS possible.

have you tried printing from a pdf of your indesign page?

[terrie]

>>michele: It's my understanding that the Epson Stylus Photo 1280 is not a CMYK printer, so I've been leaving my images as RGB.

That's exactly right...


>> But I'm not having a problem printing images. It's colored text that is the problem.

ahhh...ok...I missed that...sorry...does it print out ok if you print from Photoshop?

What happens if you make a pdf and print that?

Are you using the same paper type (Epson print window) as when you print via Photoshop?

Do you use "no color adjustment" in the Epson Advanced printer settings?

Is the text created in Photoshop or in ID???

Terrie

[michelen]

Terrie,

Good idea, I will try that.

Best,
Michele

[terrie]

>>michele: Good idea, I will try that.

Let me know what happens...

I haven't worked enough with ID with color stuff to feel comfortable with it but I do a lot in Photoshop with text and I've never had problems with colored text I've created in Photoshop and then taken into ID...

Terrie

[michelen]

Terrie,

The pdf prints the same as the IDCS file. Text spec'd as Pantone 021U prints an ugly shade of brown. I've tried defining the color as a CMYK process color (50M 100Y), a CMYK Spot and Pantone Spot. Results the same: ugly brown when it should be orange.

I printed a sample using several Pantone spot colors and matched it against my Pantone swatch book. Ugh.

I am using the same settings as when I print from Photoshop, except for paper type. From Photoshop, I am printing to either Epson Premium Glossy Photo Paper or Epson Matte Paper Heavyweight. From IDCS, I am printing to Epson Photo Quality Inkjet Paper.

I _always_ use "no color adjustment" in the Epson driver. Anything else spells disaster, in my experience.

The text is not created in Photoshop. This current job is a cookbook created entirely in IDCS. It's supposed to be a 2-color job, black plus 1 spot color.

Here is the weird thing--the colors get closer, though not close enough, if I turn IDCS color management off.

My brain hurts. I'll do more, better documented tests and pursue this further...tomorrow.

Thanks for your help!

Best,
Michele

[terrie]

>>michelen: From IDCS, I am printing to Epson Photo Quality Inkjet Paper.

That can make all the diff! What happens if you try printing on Premium Glossy or HWM???


>>I _always_ use "no color adjustment" in the Epson driver. Anything else spells disaster, in my experience.

Oh yeah...NCA is always the way to go...

>>The text is not created in Photoshop. This current job is a cookbook created entirely in IDCS. It's supposed to be a 2-color job, black plus 1 spot color.

Ok...

>>Here is the weird thing--the colors get closer, though not close enough, if I turn IDCS color management off.

There's something telling about that...here's the IDCS help on turning cm off:

"By default, color management is disabled in InDesign. When color management is disabled, but color conversion is required, InDesign uses two built-in profiles to convert between color spaces: Adobe RGB (1998) for RGB images, and Photoshop 5 Default CMYK for CMYK images. For example, in a CMYK workflow where you're printing to a CMYK device or exporting to a format (such as EPS or PDF) with CMYK as the selected output color space, it's important not to change the actual CMYK values. Those values are defined in terms of your final press values. However, so that the CMYK colors may be seen on-screen, the colors are converted to RGB for display purposes, using the built-in RGB profile. This results in on-screen colors that look more like printed CMYK colors."

Note the last sentence...not sure what to make of this except that it's using PS 5 conversions...

>>My brain hurts. I'll do more, better documented tests and pursue this further...tomorrow.

Try 2 things:

1. Print a page using either the PM or the HWM and tell me what happens...

2. Can you take a page into PS? What do you see? What happen if you print the page from PS?

Is your monitor calibrated?????

Terrie

[michelen]

Terrie,

I've printed this job on Epson Semi-Matte with even worse results. I don't really want to waste 250 sheets of Premium Glossy Photo paper for this job, it doesn't pay enough.
Uh, what is PM and HWM?

Best,
Michele

[terrie]

>>michelen: I've printed this job on Epson Semi-Matte with even worse results.

Ahhh...sorry...missed that...

>>I don't really want to waste 250 sheets of Premium Glossy Photo paper for this job, it doesn't pay enough.

No...not realizing you'd tried semi-matte (heavyweight matte???) which I thought you'd said printed your other stuff fine before, I thought you might try a printing a page of this problem file on it...

>>uh, what is PM and HWM?

Sorry...HWM=heavyweight matte and PM=was a typo...I meant PG...as in Premium Glossy...

Can you take a page into Photoshop and try printing it from there?

Is your monitor calibrated???

Terrie

[michelen]

FWIW,

I have finally got the answer to my own question.
In InDesign, disable color management.
In the Epson printer driver, choose "Custom" then "Advanced", set the media choice, and choose "Color Controls: Automatic." Yes, it makes my skin crawl, but this is what works. When I use these settings, the output from InDesign matches the output from Photoshop. Who knows why.

[Franca]

Yes, it makes my skin crawl, but this is what works.LOL! Sounds as though your color trials with the 1280 have been about as fun as mine with the 3000.

[terrie]

>>michelen: In InDesign, disable color management.
In the Epson printer driver, choose "Custom" then "Advanced", set the media choice, and choose "Color Controls: Automatic." Yes, it makes my skin crawl, but this is what works. When I use these settings, the output from InDesign matches the output from Photoshop. Who knows why. <<

Ewww...icky...icky...ick! Still...whatever works...'-}}


Terrie