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_doug_plummer_
Participating Frequently
December 4, 2008
Question

Printing too dark in CS4

  • December 4, 2008
  • 110 replies
  • 49531 views
I have CS4 on Tiger 10.4.11 on a completely color managed system, Epson 4800 printer. Printing seems to be broken in the new version. Prints are very dark. I know to select "Photoshop Manages Color" in Color Handling, and "No Color Management" in the printer color management dropdown. The procedure works fine in CS3.

That something is up is suggested by this wrinkle. In this case I am printing using advanced b/w. If under color handling I choose "Printer Manages Color" and go into the b/w advanced setup, it's still too dark. If instead I choose "No color management", then make my choices in advanced b/w, it works fine.

One would first think that it's a double color management problem, but I'm turning it off anywhere I can see it in CS4, and still having problems. Is there a new secret handshake I haven't puzzled out yet?
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    110 replies

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    _Henrik_Mjöberg_
    Participant
    March 17, 2009
    Hi, I just wanted to say thanks to all contributors of this extensive an great discussion.. great know-how in any case!
    G
    grayscapes
    Participating Frequently
    March 16, 2009
    One update: The prints from CS3 were not as sharp as the earlier prints. Don't know why. My ink cartridges (SP3800) are getting low, but that should not be the problem. I applied the sharpen filter then printed at 2880/best quality in ABW.

    I hope we get this fixed. BTW, I can't get good prints out of LR 2 either--same exact issue as with PSCS4. Too bad too, because the sharpening is awesome.

    Oddly, I managed to get some recently taken and edited photos printed straight from LR2, (I had to lighten them in ABW) but not the older photos--those had to be printed from CS3.

    Very frustrating.

    aviduser
    A
    Anonymous
    March 15, 2009
    This is interesting. I'll test this tomorrow when I get to the studio. I'll print out a profile target from CS3, which works fine in Leopard with the 9900 as the default printer, measure that the compare it to a CS4 version of the same target printed with the 9800 as the default printer.

    I'm thinking that this can't be enough to "fix" this problem, but measuring two targets and comparing them in ProfileMaker's Measure Tool will tell just how different the two options really are, within the tolerance of the Spectrolino.

    If, in fact they produce statistically similar results, that will be more information for my contacts at Epson, who are already aware that there is a problem of sorts.
    D
    DickSj
    Participating Frequently
    March 15, 2009
    My problem was that the 9800 was not designated as the DEFAULT printer (the 9900 is).

    When the 9800 is not the Default printer - it ignores the profile - and make huge blocked-up black areas.

    When I made the 9800 the DEFAULT printer - it made a perfect print.

    See my new post here:

    Default Printer Problem - Epson 9800 and 9900

    http://www.adobeforums.com/webx/.59b837a5
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    _Ray1292_
    Participating Frequently
    March 15, 2009
    This whole process is logical nonsense to me, sorry. On a color printing head in the darkroom you had three color corrections, plus you had a timer for exposure time, and an f/stop on the lens.

    There is such an endless clutter of obstructions in digital printing. Sure, if you find the right combination great. But look at the misery that smart engineering could eliminate. So where is the smart engineering?
    G
    grayscapes
    Participating Frequently
    March 15, 2009
    This issue has been driving me crazy. Thanks to all that posted. I am using the following:

    Mac OS 10.5.6
    MacPro
    Spyder color calibrated cinema monitor
    Epson Stylus Pro 3800
    Epson Enhanced Matte paper (for B&W)

    I also have LR 2 and PS CS4 installed.

    For the life of me I could not get my B&W prints to come out right in CS 4 or LR 2. After reading here, I selected "Edit in Photoshop CS3" from Lightroom's library. I printed as usual from CS3 (PS manages colors, using SPro 38 EMP profile). Perfect results.

    Too bad I burned so much paper & ink, not to mention hair (!) trying to get to this point. I hope someone releases an update to fix this issue with CS4 soon.

    cheers,

    aviduser
    A
    Anonymous
    March 15, 2009
    Of course!

    :)
    _
    _g_ballard_
    Participating Frequently
    March 15, 2009
    >> what am I doing

    aren't you running a Power PC G5 and 10.4 -- maybe that's the difference
    A
    Anonymous
    March 15, 2009
    I get perfect prints, first time and every time, from CS4: what am I doing wrong?
    Was DYP
    Was DYP
    Inspiring
    March 15, 2009
    What makes you think that there really is something wrong with printing in CS4?

    Could it be that drivers are not updated correctly for Leopard?

    Or, that drivers are not installing correctly?

    Or the OS is overwriting a file the non correct driver needs? Reinstall the driver?

    Not all of us are having these problems!
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