Suddenly all my prints from Lightroom have visible banding...why?

[Myphototrail]

Recently I've noticed that whenever I print an image with a smooth visible gradient (light to dark) such as a vignette on a seamless backdrop, I get visible banding.  None of the banding is ever visible on screen, only in prints.  Strangely, I have never had this issue until the past month.  Here is my process for the attached sample jpg that was exported to be printed on 8x5 paper:

- Images are edited as TIF files in Photoshop.  The attached image started as:  16 bit, RGB color, 2400x1500px.  The background is a solid grey layer with a vignette  added in Camera Raw within Photoshop.  

- Because I'm typically printing 100+  files at a time, once all my photoshop edits are complete, I then apply some light sharpening in Lightroom which I then sync to all the selected images.  

- I select & export all the images from Lightroom with these settings:  JPEG, sRGB, Quality 100, Resize long edge to 2,400 pixels, resolution 300

- So far, the images look great on screen.  No visible banding.  

- I'm using a local printer for my photos.  He tried printing on a few different types of printers, but the banding was a problem on all of prints.  He had so suggestions on how resolve this issue.  In fact, he had printed almost identical files last year, on same printer without any banding.  I can't see what has changed from my end.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  As this is affecting all my studio portraits when using seamless backgrounds.  Thank you!

[Myphototrail]

I'm reposting this as I didn't receive a reply over the past few weeks:

Recently I've noticed that whenever I print an image with a smooth gradient (light to dark) I get visible banding.  This is particularly an issue with headshots against seamless paper where there is light falloff.

None of the banding is visible on monitor during the editing process.  I have never had this issue until the past month and I'm using the same editing process as I have for years.  Here is my basic editing procedure along with sample jpg that was exported to be printed on 8x5 paper:

- ARW (Sony) files are imported into Lightroom where I custom color balance the images before fine editing individually in Photoshop.

- Selected mages are edited as TIF files in Photoshop.  The attached sample image started as:  16 bit, RGB color, 2400x1500px.  The background is a solid grey layer with a vignette  added in Camera Raw within Photoshop.  

- Because I'm typically printing 100+  files at a time, once all my photoshop edits are complete, I then apply some light sharpening in Lightroom which I then sync to all the selected images.  

- I select & export all the images from Lightroom with these settings:  JPEG, sRGB, Quality 100, Resize long edge to 2,400 pixels, resolution 300

- So far, the images look great on screen.  No visible banding.  

- My prints are done professionally.  They tried printing on a few different types of printers, but the banding was a problem on all of prints.  They couldn't why it started happening this year...but suggest it is a compression problem in Lightroom.    Near identical images were printed last year on the same printer with no visible banding...so what would cause it to start? 

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you!

[DS256]

I am by no means an expert but here are some thoughts:

• Resolution 300 has no affect unless you have selected an export with dimensions like inches or cm. Yes, I don't know why Adobe doesn't grey out this option when it doesn't apply.
• I didn't see any vignette in your sample picture.
• I'm not a PS user, but wonder why you would be going back in Camera Raw in PS after processing in LrC.
• Your photo's are 2400 pixels on the long side. You didn't mention if the print size requires the JPG to be enlarged.
• It sounds like you have used this printer with success in the past. They say it's the same printer but the software they use to send the file to the printer may have changed. As a test you may want to try another print vendor. LrC does not use any special compression for JPG and millions, including myself, use Export regularily without incident.
• Is your print vendor using a colour profile that you could load and view under Soft Proofing
• Will you print vendor accept a non-compressed TIFF file as test to prove their thoughts it's a LrC compression issue?
• Have you tried printing directly from LrC on your home printer (which I assume you have) to see if you have the problem there? Have you tried printing an Export image on your home computer?
• Do you use an Export plug-ins that could be affecting the image?

Just some of the areas I would explore if it was me

[TheDigitalDog]

You should always test output using good color reference images designed for that task. The color reference images RGB values are such that they are set for output and are editing and display agnostic. Test the output this way and examine for the same color issues so we know it's not your image-specific issues causing the problems:
http://www.digitaldog.net/files/2014PrinterTestFileFlat.tif.zip
This and other such documents can also be downloaded at http://www.digitaldog.net/

[Myphototrail]

Recently I've noticed that whenever I print an image with a smooth gradient (light to dark) I get visible banding.  This is particularly an issue with headshots against seamless paper where there is light falloff.

None of the banding is ever visible on monitor.  I have never had this issue until the past month and I'm using the same editing process as I have for years.  Here is my basic editing procedure along with sample jpg that was exported to be printed on 8x5 paper:

- ARW (Sony) files are imported into Lightroom where I custom color balance the images before fine editing individually in Photoshop.

- Selected mages are edited as TIF files in Photoshop.  The attached sample image started as:  16 bit, RGB color, 2400x1500px.  The background is a solid grey layer with a vignette  added in Camera Raw within Photoshop.  

- Because I'm typically printing 100+  files at a time, once all my photoshop edits are complete, I then apply some light sharpening in Lightroom which I then sync to all the selected images.  

- I select & export all the images from Lightroom with these settings:  JPEG, sRGB, Quality 100, Resize long edge to 2,400 pixels, resolution 300

- So far, the images look great on screen.  No visible banding.  

- My prints are done professionally.  They tried printing on a few different types of printers, but the banding was a problem on all of prints.  They couldn't why it started happening this year...but suggest it is a compression problem in Lightroom.    Near identical images were printed last year on the same printer with no visible banding...so what would cause it to start?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you!

[c.pfaffenbichler]

- I select & export all the images from Lightroom with these settings:  JPEG, sRGB, Quality 100, Resize long edge to 2,400 pixels, resolution 300

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I would recommend trying sending 16bit tifs instead. 

jpg’s lossy compression can really mess up some gradients. 

[D Fosse]

Is it color banding or luminance banding? Or both?

I can't see any excessive banding in your attached file (which BTW has Adobe RGB embedded, not sRGB). There is also some noise here, which breaks up and masks 8-bit banding.

c.p. is right that jpeg compression tends to produce banding on its own. If you send them 16 bit TIFFs, you know that any banding is on their end. Which is what I'm inclined to believe in any case.

I also notice that there's a slight blue color balance overall, not enough to notice visually, but B is about two values higher than R and G. If the file is somehow re-jpeg-compressed at the printer, that could be enough to produce visible banding.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

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If the file is somehow re-jpeg-compressed at the printer, that could be enough to produce visible banding.

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Interesting point; it does seem possible that the images are processed for impositioning for example. 

[Derek Cross]

Some find adding a little Filter > Noise helps.

[D Fosse]

It does, but in fact there already is some noise in the attached example file, so there isn't much more to collect from that. I can't see any reason this file should print with banding. If you ask me, this has to be on the printer's end, perhaps from a new second round of (aggressive) jpeg compression.

Or maybe they just have bad printer drivers.

[NB, colourmanagement]

I agree with @c.pfaffenbichler jpg’s lossy compression can really mess up some gradient

ESPECIALLY if the image is cropped OR resized after saving as Jpeg - maybe DFosse is right and this is happening at the printers. I'd try sending them a TIFF instead. Repeated re-compression of jpegs [on each saving] is very damaging.

I hope this helps
neil barstow, colourmanagement net - adobe forum volunteer - co-author: 'getting colour right'
google me "neil barstow colourmanagement" for lots of free articles on colour management

[clancyd18402756]

I have an Epson P 700. I don't know why mine started streaking with lightroom either. However, if I export the print then open it up and Epson Print Layout and print the picture, they are magnificent high-quality, no streaking. I think it's something to do with the lightroom interface with the Epson printer, and it happened when they did an upgrade.

[naomir_9451]

Hi, I was wondering did you ever find out what the problem was, having the same issue and it's driving me mad

[NB, colourmanagement]

@naomir_9451 IF you mean lines across the print (in line with the movement of the printhead) normally this will be a blocked or partially blocked printhead, sometimes it may come and go

Is Lightroom the only application where you see banding in prints?

OR

Do you mean "contouring" or "posterization" where, say, a fade across a sky prints out like map contours? With steps in colour/tone rather than a smooth gradation? That’s often due to over enthusiastic editing.

I hope this helps

neil barstow colourmanagement - adobe forum volunteer,

colourmanagement consultant & co-author of 'getting colour right'

See my free articles on colourmanagement online

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[clancyd18402756]

I have the same issue. I have a work around. I will do work on the print
in Lightroom. Then I will print using Epson Print Layout on my P-700. All
the banding is gone and the prints are crisp. It's definitely an interface
problem between Lightroom and the Epson P-700. Furthermore, the problem
didn't exist until a Lightroom upgrade around March 2024.

[DS256]

A couple of things:

• Make sure you are not using Airprint to connect to the printer. It does not support all services.
• Here are some instructions from John Rellis in overcoming print conflicts between Apple's Color Sync and Epsons Colour Controls. 

These may help overcome issues.

[NB, colourmanagement]

@DS256 "Make sure you are not using Airprint to connect to the printer."

more on that 

Epson / Mac: Add printer, AirPrint issue, here are some notes about Apple’s built in (default) Gimp Print / Gutenprint based printer drivers.

Best avoided.  It can print quite differently from the manufacturer's own driver software. 

Does the print driver look different? some options have changed?

Are media names the same as previous drivers you've used, e.g.. is 'Premium Luster Photo Paper' mentioned or are the media types just simplified names like matte or gloss? 

You'll be aware, I'm sure, that the selected media name in the driver must match the selection made when printing ICC profiling patches, (so the ICC profile and media type selection are linked) . BUT is the media name selected previously actually there in the list?

IF the media names listed differ (and have been simplified) then you are perhaps inadvertently using Apple’s default Gimp/ Gutenprint driver rather than Epson’s own. It's not just a matter of installing Epson driver software, you have to select it too. I do know it's very important to use Epson's own driver software. I tripped over this myself on a client site, the driver looked different and I put it down to an OSX update imposed style - took a while to work that one out.

Here's an example of what I'd expect to see in an Epson driver for media name options:

 

Can you access print settings in an application other than Photoshop, try Preview?

If not, a thorough purge may be in order, perhaps install drivers (downloaded from Epson) again: 

1. Delete all instances of Epson printers from 

System Settings (or System Preferences depending on Mac OS version) / Printers & Scanners -or- System Preferences>Print & Fax, whichever you have.

2. Then go to /Library/Printers and trash the whole Epson folder.

3. Delete the Epson LFP Remote Panel (IF you are using that utility).

4. Then go to Epson online and download the printer drivers yourself.

Do not let the Mac install the printer driver for you.

There’s one more tripwire - in System Settings (or System Preferences depending on Mac OS version) / Printers  - - - , when adding the connected printer

[i.e. click the padlock, enter your password and click the “+” button]

- watch out for the “Use" selection - I recommend you do not select "Airprint" there under "use", but, rather, manually set "use” to the printer name, which will then call on the manufacturer’s own software rather than the default Apple driver (that’s based on Gimp Print / Gutenprint, which misses out some printing options such as specific manufacturers media names). 

Ted landau mac Guru had the same issue:https://www.macworld.com/article/224167/the-trick-to-finding-the-right-printer-driver-for-your-mac.h...

I hope this helps

neil barstow, colourmanagement net  - adobe forum volunteer - co-author: 'getting colour right'

google me "neil barstow colourmanagement" for lots of free articles on colour management

Help others by clicking "Correct Answer" if the question is answered.

Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here. "Upvote" is for useful posts.