Soft proofing and ICC profiles

Hi all,

I've recently bought a nice printer (Canon Pro-1000) and printed my first few images. I had a question however, since I'm not certain about one thing.

My default color space is Adobe RGB 1998, in which I do all my editing. After editing, I load the ICC profile for the printer/paper combination that I'm using and soft proof my image according to that. When I select my soft proofed image and go to the print dialog (I use Capture One), I have to select a color profile. Do I select my default color space (Adobe RGB 1998) or the ICC profile for the used printer/paper combination? Thanks in advance!

Kind regards,

Dennis
 

LDS

Sep 14, 2012
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Do I select my default color space (Adobe RGB 1998) or the ICC profile for the used printer/paper combination?

Usually you select the destination colour space for which you wish to proof. In this case it's the printer/paper combination. You can use the standard profile for your printer/paper combination which comes with the printer or paper, or you can make specific ones. You could proof for other spaces, for example you could proof for sRGB monitors as well.

Just remember for this to work well you need to calibrate and profile the monitor as well. Your "working" color space is the one in which the image is stored. Than the software uses the monitor profile to show it to you the best it can (depending on the monitor gamut, of course). When you activate the proof view, both the monitor and printer/paper profiles are used to show you how the image should look on paper - but given the differences from a reflective medium like ink/paper and transmissive one like a LED/LCD monitor, and their different gamuts, it's only an approximation. But coupled with hints were colors falls out of gamut can greatly help to print difficult images.
 
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Usually you select the destination colour space for which you wish to proof. In this case it's the printer/paper combination. You can use the standard profile for your printer/paper combination which comes with the printer or paper, or you can make specific ones. You could proof for other spaces, for example you could proof for sRGB monitors as well.

Just remember for this to work well you need to calibrate and profile the monitor as well. Your "working" color space is the one in which the image is stored. Than the software uses the monitor profile to show it to you the best it can (depending on the monitor gamut, of course). When you activate the proof view, both the monitor and printer/paper profiles are used to show you how the image should look on paper - but given the differences from a reflective medium like ink/paper and transmissive one like a LED/LCD monitor, and their different gamuts, it's only an approximation. But coupled with hints were colors falls out of gamut can greatly help to print difficult images.

Hi LDS,

Thanks for your feedback. Isee now (lookiung at my prints) that I indeed need to get more experience in how images on the computer translate to paper, even when the entire workflow is done correctly. I've ordered some extra paper and cartridges to keep myself busy for the coming period.
 
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LDS

Sep 14, 2012
1,768
298
To know more and keep you busy, I suggest you to give a look to Keith Cooper's site:


A lot of very useful articles about colour management and printers. He also pops up in this forum as well sometime.
 
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