Dark Printing Epson R1800

[Ken-L]

A Search on Google shows lots of threads about this, with no answer......

My settings in Photoshop CS3 are all correct, I'm using the proper profiles. There are no updates I'm not using......

I just had a second edition of my Coffee Table Book printed through Blurb.com and as usual the results are great.....the images I see on my Calibrated monitor match those that are printed by Blurb!

It's the Epson R1800 that seems to print way too dark......

Any guesses?

[gsk]

Ken.
I have the R1800 also and have the same problem. I did some research on this in the past and it seems that this is a problem with all the R1800 printers. In my search, epson did not have a fix. I have gotten around it by changing the gamma before printing. Also, what helps is to use custom proof setup under the view tab in PSCS3. In the custom setup, you can use the epson IRC profiles. This will give you a starting point.

[Harry]

I feel left out, because I don't appear to have that problem with my 1800.

[StinkyDaddy]

Have you tried going into the print properties dialog, then the advanced tab and set color management to "ICM" and "off, no color adjustment"?

I've had an R1800 for several years now, with good results.
I went to the Epson

Have Fun,
Wm.

[StinkyDaddy]

Sorry, I apparently hit send my mistake.

What I was saying is that I went to the Epson Print Academy which helped a great deal.

Have Fun,
Wm.

[Ken-L]

Thank you! That was the setting I used....

I've done some printing in the meantime, bypassing Photoshop, using the Windows Print and letting the printer software to do the adjusting.

I'm going to play with Colorvision's PrintFix software to set up my own printer profiles.....I hope.

[kinlf]

As far as I remember, Epson fixed this problem in the newer driver.

[Sgt.]

I had trouble with mine and bought a monitor calibrator.Looks good now.
Is your monitor calibrated?

[Light Currents]

I battled with dark printing on an epson for a long time and when I finally found out what the problem was, I was astounded that the solution was so simple.

Monitor luminance.

First, your monitor should be calibrated for color. Period. Can't afford one? Borrow one... but calibrate! (and get a good hardware calibrator)

Second, when calibrating, note the luminance level. I have read help tutorials that say the luminance level should be anywhere between 90 and 120. I have found that 95-105 works for me. The prints that I now get off the epson are so accurate and close to the monitor display they're almost shocking.

Most monitors, out of the box, will have luminance levels way too high. Even as much as 200 or more. The effects are simple: if your monitor is too bright, your prints will be too dark; if it's too dark, the prints will be too light.

And yes, when you first put your luminance level down where it should be, it will appear dark. But your prints will be great.

Hope that helped.

[Ken-L]

My apologies for not replying to your posts.....I just returned from a 4-week+ car trip to Fort Lauderdale-Disney World-Missouri.....

kinlf Thanks! I downloaded the latest Epson software before I left on my trip but have not yet tried it.....keeping my fingers crossed.


Sgt. Thanks! I use a ColorVision Spyder, and have calibrated all my monitors with it......there was not much change from how I was already set up, but the differences were still very noticeable.


Light Currents Thanks! I do calibrate...... I use LCD monitors and IMHO they are a great improvement over the CRT's I used to use.....and I also have found the brightness issue is significant with the LCDs.


Because I have had my photos reproduced in "coffee table books" prined by Blurb.com and they look exactly as they did on my monitor, I am confident in how my monitor is calibrated..... That made it a lot easier to be "certain" that the problem was with my printer. I also use an HP960c for my everyday printing (not photos) and when I do print a photo with it there is also no problem, which further confirms that the Epson is the problem.....

Hopefully the new driver/software will be the answer!

[ohenry]

Sorry to hear your issues Ken. I also have an R1800 and have not experienced similar issues. I don't know if it's a driver issue or what. In any case, hope you resolve the problem soon.

[Sgt.]

Yes please let us know how you make out!

[Ken-L]

Thanks Ohenry and Sgt.!

[Mikkic]

I had the same problem. One thing I found that helped me is to adjust the 'output' number in the levels dialog box at the end of editing my image. I usually set it to at least 10, depending on the amount of pure blacks I have. Now I have detail even in the darkest areas of black in my images...

Just a thought...

[Ken-L]

Originally Posted by Mikkic

I had the same problem. One thing I found that helped me is to adjust the 'output' number in the levels dialog box at the end of editing my image. I usually set it to at least 10, depending on the amount of pure blacks I have. Now I have detail even in the darkest areas of black in my images...

Just a thought...

Thanks, I'll check it out.

[Songman45]

One a side note: Is Epson discontinuing the R1800 and replacing that carriage width with an R1900 with a totally different ink set? I guess it just made too much sense to have standard and wide carriage printers with interchangable inks. Oh, and not only different but more expensive ink of course. Unfortunate because we currently use an 800 and 1800 each in our trailers.

[HighMark Adventures]

Hate to revive an old thread but seem to be having the same problem. Did you ever get it figured out? I have googled and tried some of the recommended settings but not really having any luck. I have calibrated my monitors using Colormunki. Next I will try and calibrate the printer also as colormunki has that function and see if that will do anything.....

Sometimes it prints close to what I am seeing but I have to let the the printer determine everything. Useally have to bump up the brightness etc... to me though that is not the way it should work... Do all of the stuff in ps to get it where you want it and then let the printer decide how it wants it to look does not make sense. Is this just me?

Anyway sorry for opening this thread back up...Hopefully somebody has figured it out....Just glad I`m not alone on this one

[Ken-L]

Originally Posted by HighMark Adventures

Hate to revive an old thread but seem to be having the same problem. Did you ever get it figured out? I have googled and tried some of the recommended settings but not really having any luck. I have calibrated my monitors using Colormunki. Next I will try and calibrate the printer also as colormunki has that function and see if that will do anything.....

Sometimes it prints close to what I am seeing but I have to let the the printer determine everything. Useally have to bump up the brightness etc... to me though that is not the way it should work... Do all of the stuff in ps to get it where you want it and then let the printer decide how it wants it to look does not make sense. Is this just me?

Anyway sorry for opening this thread back up...Hopefully somebody has figured it out....Just glad I`m not alone on this one

The "fix" is very easy..... I use either the printer's Color Control to increase Gamma to 1.8, or I use the Photoshop Exposure settings to add the 1.8 Gamma (with Photoshop you can add a little less or more as you like). Because I used the printer to control the color I also had to check the box for "Adobe RGB" which is the mode I use in Photoshop.

Note that when you use Photoshop the photo will look way too light.... I just create a new layer for that adjustment.

Just last week I had to print a photo and it printed just fine first time!

[HighMark Adventures]

Originally Posted by Ken-L

The "fix" is very easy..... I use either the printer's Color Control to increase Gamma to 1.8, or I use the Photoshop Exposure settings to add the 1.8 Gamma (with Photoshop you can add a little less or more as you like). Because I used the printer to control the color I also had to check the box for "Adobe RGB" which is the mode I use in Photoshop.

Note that when you use Photoshop the photo will look way too light.... I just create a new layer for that adjustment.

Just last week I had to print a photo and it printed just fine first time!

Thanks for info, I will try that tonight.... Still weird though you have to do this with this printer

[Ken-L]

Originally Posted by HighMark Adventures

Thanks for info, I will try that tonight.... Still weird though you have to do this with this printer

Yes it is weird.....but it seems to be a common "setting" using the 1800.

BTW....In September 2010 I'll be in Victoria/Sydney BC with a bunch of photographers for our "annual" shoot.....come join us!