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A
Adriaan_S
Inspiring
May 25, 2024
Answered

Why does LRC send images to printer in a color space that printer cannot use?

  • May 25, 2024
  • 1 reply
  • 858 views

I am trying to get a better understanding of what LRC does when I print an image. According to Adobe Help (https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-classic/help/color-management.html), DRAFT printing is done using Adobe RGB, so I have to assume that for regular printing, ProPhoto RGB is used. However, my printer (Epson SC-P800) does NOT have ProPhoto RGB as an input color space option (in the "Mode" setting in the printer dialog). Given this discrepancy, how can printing using the setting "Profile - Managed by printer" ever be expected to give an accurate print?

FYI: I am using LRC: v 13.3 on Windows 11-23H2

Thanks, Adriaan Sachtler

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Jao vdL

The system will color manage in the driver by converting to a printer profile as defined by your paper and ink choice in the driver settings when this happens. This is done using the operating system color management system usually so it will understand whatever profile the data is in. If the driver is coded correctly and you're using a standard paper defined in the printer driver, managed by printer will work just fine therefore. You might be able to obtain slightly better results (potentially less banding of colors) by converting to the printer profile in Lightroom but it is often not possible to actually see the difference.

1 reply

J
Community Expert
Jao vdLCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
May 25, 2024

The system will color manage in the driver by converting to a printer profile as defined by your paper and ink choice in the driver settings when this happens. This is done using the operating system color management system usually so it will understand whatever profile the data is in. If the driver is coded correctly and you're using a standard paper defined in the printer driver, managed by printer will work just fine therefore. You might be able to obtain slightly better results (potentially less banding of colors) by converting to the printer profile in Lightroom but it is often not possible to actually see the difference.

A
Adriaan_SAuthor
Inspiring
May 25, 2024

Thank you for your reply. However, I am still confused: if the image color space is handled automatically by the OS, why does the printer dialog have a "Mode" entry where I have to select "sRGB" or "Adobe RGB" (among others). If the OS can figure this out, I would expect there to be an "auto" option - which is not the case?

Thanks, Adriaan

A
Adriaan_SAuthor
Inspiring
June 2, 2024

I am disappointed to hear that the situation is this bad... Anyway, thanks for the update.

Adriaan


I was asked by email whether the answers solved my problem. I ran some test prints, both in LRC and PS, managing color using the sofware versus the printer. The results are the same. Thus I think that the first answer is correct (and I don't have to worry about not having a ProPhoto setting in the printer driver). I have marked it as such.

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