Changing the setting "View>proof colors" is changing the color of my printed pieces.

Report · Oct 31, 2024

Hi All,

I am running the latest version of PhotoShop (26.0.0) on a Mac running OS 14.7, and printing to my Canon ImageProGraf 4000.

I have noticed that when toggling the "View_Proof Colors" on and off it changes the way my prints look!
I have always understood that this setting would never effect my actual prints, it is supposed to only effect the on screen color and simulate the intended output result.

Has anyone expierenced this behavior?

I will try to attch an image showing the difference. The top image is a print with the view proof setting on, and in the bottom print it is off.
It will be hard to see the difference in the image but if you look closely you can see that the bottom image has less magenta in the deeper blues, and the cyan is more vibrant.
Can anyone help me figure out why this may be happening?
Thanks.

Report · Oct 31, 2024

Yes, you're right. That should absolutely not happen. Proof is for display only.

The only explanation I can think of is the profiles you're using. Or possibly a very obscure bug in the color management engine. I have never heard of this before.

Theoretically, proofing is a double conversion, thus limiting the gamut to the proof profile. But as far as I know, it's executed with proof tables built into the profiles. Don't ask me about details, though.

Report · Nov 01, 2024

Thanks for the reply!

I've made sure that the only variable is the proof setting, and the color is definitekly different.

I believe that there is a bug in the color engine, whether it is on the Adobe side or the Canon side I can't tell.

The problem is that it is changing my color and it is critical for my work.

Report · Nov 01, 2024

Are any of your profiles v4? That supposedly doesn't always work well together with v2.

Copy the full Help > System Info from Photoshop and post this under Bugs. Include details of your printer, what print profiles you're using, and also your monitor profile for good measure.

The posted image shows the difference clearly.

Report · Nov 01, 2024

@Blumer8 I'll move this to Photoshop / bugs for you

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

Report · Nov 01, 2024

@Blumer8 Just on the off chance I'll ask

- Photoshop CAN make a printed proof (which would alter print appearance) based on the "View/Proof settings" options - IF you set the print dialog's color management section to hard proofing,

see screenshot below

For normal printing, the color management section should be set to Normal Printing (see below)

If you're not using the upper setting but selecting Normal Printing here and stillseeing that change, then MAYBE the bug is that Photoshop is making a proof when you didn't ask it to.

I hope this helps
neil barstow, colourmanagement net - adobe forum volunteer - co-author: 'getting colour right'
google "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.

Report · Nov 01, 2024

Thank you for the info and your help!
I will double check my print settings, and upload the info you've requested once I get back over to my studio.
(Unfortunately, I don't have the space here for my studio.)

Report · Nov 03, 2024

Ok, I've double checked and I am using "normal printing" in the print dialog.

I've even tried the test using a different ICC profile (one that is installed with the Canon print driver), and printed a version with the "View>Proof Colors" on & off, and the color still changes.

I am unable to paste the text from the "Help>System Info" report because it gives me an error saying it "found an invalid HTML code", so I thought I would attach an .rtf file but can't find any way to attach it?

Report · Nov 04, 2024

Some more info:

Running PhotoShop version 26 on a Mac running OS 14.7.

Printing to a Canon ImagePrograf Pro 4000

Monitor profile is called "HP-27xw"

I'm trying again to paste the information from the PSD "System Info" menu command here:

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Report · Nov 04, 2024

Monitor profile is called "HP-27xw"

Try a different profile just to rule that out. The monitor profile is involved in this equation too at some level. Manufacturer profiles are pretty often defective in different ways. In this case, looking at your original illustration, it only takes a tiny shift in the red primary to explain this change in cyan/blue.

As far as I can tell, this is a standard gamut monitor, so try to replace the profile with sRGB IEC61966-2,1. Relaunch Photoshop so it can load the new profile.

Report · Nov 04, 2024

Can the monitor profile actully effect the printed result? That seems bizzare to me.

I will give this a try tomorrow and let you know, thank you for the input!

Report · Nov 04, 2024

Agree, it does seem bizarre, but then, this whole thing is bizarre. Leave no stone unturned.

As I said, it only takes a tiny nudge to the red primary to cause this change.

Report · Nov 05, 2024

I've changed the monitor profile to "sRGB IEC61966-2.1" as you suggested, and reprinted the test with "Proof Colors" on & off. The difference is still there.

Also, I noticed the color is different now compared to when I had the monitor profile set to the HP setting.

Once again, I didn't think that changing the monitor profile would effect any change in my prints! proof color test.jpg

Report · Nov 05, 2024

Crazy. This is not how color management is supposed to work...

One last try: In Photoshop color settings, try to change from "Adobe Color Engine" to "Apple Color Engine".

There was a color problem a while ago, otherwise unrelated, that was apparently fixed by this. I say "apparently" because it is clearly a bug; it should obviously work regardless.

Things are a little more complicated on Mac than on Windows, because the OS is directly involved in profile conversions, much more so than Windows which maintains a hands off policy leaving it to the application.

Do you have other Adobe applications you could try to print this from, like Lightroom Classic or InDesign? Just to see if the same happens there?

Report · Nov 05, 2024

I will try the color engine change and let you know what happens. Why not, right?

I have InDesign, but I stopped using it last year because it too started changing the color of my printed pieces!

I was using InDesign for my print templates so I could waste less paper with some of my print orders, but sometime in 2023 or maybe late 2022 someting changed and I noticed that the color of my prints were not the same when compared to prints sent directly from PhotoShop. I think this may be directly connected to the "bug" you mentiond. I used to have my studio in a different location, and used a PC there. Now I am mac based, but, I was able to use InDesign without any problem early on. I don't know what changed.

It's not just when changing the "proof colors" setting that color has changed.

In early 2023 something changed drastically, and colors that I was always able to produce on the same printer and paper using the same ICC profiles I've been using, I can no longer create, and it is the vibrant blue/aqua hues that are being changed. The differences are much greater that what I've shown in this post

I hate to bring all this up now, but it really seems like it may be the same problem?

Back then when it happened I contacted Canon support and they of course were no help. Apple support was also no help.

It's a shame, because now my biggest art client is afraid to create her originals using some of those colors, just so I can reproduce them more accurately!

I have more information if you think it pertains, it is a lot to type out and explain.

Report · Nov 05, 2024

Well, changing the color engine made a difference, and the 2 test prints with proof colors on & off now look the same!

You've helped me figure out at least part of what is going on, and I thank you!

I'm not sure if you've read through my last post yet, but once you do if you have any suggestions on how to proceed, please let me know.

I did notice that the printed color with the Apple CMM is not as saturated as it is with the Adobe ACE setting, so I've learned that I need to have the Adobe ACE setting on, and make sure that the proof colors setting is off. That way my color is closer to the control proofs I have on file for my clients.

Report · Nov 05, 2024

I did read it, but I don't really have any explanations. But the problem does seem to be in MacOS.

I hate that feeling of not knowing what to trust or what is correct. This would drive me up the wall. I'm in the very fortunate position of having an absolutely perfect match between what I see on screen and what comes out of the printer.

Keep us posted if you find out more -

Report · Nov 06, 2024

Thank you for your help, I can't tell you how much it is appreciated!

Like you had alluded to, this has caused me a ton of stress over the last couple years.
I've always been proud of the fact that I could absolutely nail the color of my clients art in my prints.

I have my monitor, scanner and printer all calibrated, and have created a color managed workflow that has made my process much faster and efficient.

Then this happened (whatever it was), and I had to go in to all my files and rework the color again, it was hours and hours of work, cussing and stress.

And even after all that, I still cannot produce the vibrant color that I was able to produce before, using the same paper, ICC profiles and printer!

I still find myself getting mad just typing this. Somehow something changed (probably in the macOS like you said), and now I am considering getting a windows laptop just to send files to print from, but that isn't a great solution.

Thanks again, you are the only person that I've spoken to about this problem who took the time to look onto it, and understood enough to suggest a solution.