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Epson Stylus Series Manual

Epson Stylus Series Manual

Digital photo print
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Digital Photo Print Guide
NPD3307-00

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  • Page 1 Digital Photo Print Guide NPD3307-00...

  • Page 2: Copyrights And Trademarks

    Seiko Epson Corporation. The information contained herein is designed only for use with this Epson printer. Epson is not responsible for any use of this information as applied to other printers.

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Digital Photo Print Guide Contents Introduction Step 1: System Configuration Step 2: Color Management Color Management Systems ..............7 Color space .
  • Page 4 Digital Photo Print Guide Other color management settings ............43 Printing Monochrome Photos .

  • Page 5: Introduction

    ❏ How to print black and white photos ❏ How to set applications and drivers in a color managed environment ❏ How to keep your work for a long time We hope you enjoy creating high quality productions with your Epson printer. Introduction...

  • Page 6: Step 1: System Configuration

    See your printer documentation for supported paper types. Note: The supported media differs depending on the printer model. Epson printer driver A dedicated printer driver (Please check the Epson Web site for the latest version.) Photo processing application An application with support for color management. Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop Elements or similar.

  • Page 7: Step 2: Color Management

    Digital Photo Print Guide Step 2: Color Management Suppose you take pictures with your digital camera, retouch them on your monitor, checking their color, and print them on your printer. This usually will not result in your intended or expected prints. To improve the color appearance of your picture prints, both your monitor and printer should be configured to produce color as close as possible to its original, which will lead to similar color produced by the devices.

  • Page 8: Color Space

    Digital Photo Print Guide Color space Our eyes can only perceive the radiation of the visible spectrum, also called visible light (See diagram below). Computers, monitors, printers, scanners, and other devices can reproduce colors in this visible spectrum. Visible spectrum Adobe RGB sRGB Because each device has its own feature for reproducing colors, it can only reproduce colors in its gamut.

  • Page 9: Color Management Methods

    Note: The color mode for sRGB will be Epson Standard (sRGB) or Epson Standard depending on the printer model. Also, you cannot specify the intent because it is fixed Perceptual. If you use this function, you must make the required settings in the printer driver, and turn off the color management settings in the application.
  • Page 10 Digital Photo Print Guide Application Printer driver Printer Color management using Host ICM/ ColorSync Specify the input profile. Specify the printer/paper profile. This method invokes the color management function of the operating system from the printer driver. The colors printed will be the same even if you print the same image from different applications. However, there is a slight difference in print results between operating systems.

  • Page 11: Monitor Calibration

    Digital Photo Print Guide Monitor calibration In order to display image data with the correct colors as well as contrast and brightness on your monitor, color calibration of the monitor is necessary. The method is explained below. 1. Arrange the ambient light Set up the monitor where it will not be affected by external light.
  • Page 12 Digital Photo Print Guide Calibration using Adobe Gamma Adobe Photoshop and other similar software come with software called Adobe Gamma which lets you calibrate your monitor easily. Although it is easy to use, adjustment relies on visual observation which depends on ambient light and your own eyesight, so it is not highly accurate. It is less accurate than calibration using a colorimeter.

  • Page 13: Overview Of The Media

    ❏ Epson offers a range of media to suit every application and purpose. By selecting a paper according to the type of photo and the look you want to achieve, you can use the texture of the various kinds of paper to add expression to your image.

  • Page 14: Combining Media And Ink

    New UltraChrome Hi-Gloss2 ink set offers a wider color gamut and improved glossiness for better-than-ever image quality. Note: Epson Ultra Chrome K3 Ink and Advanced B&W Photo mode or UltraChrome Hi-Gloss2 ink may not be supported depending on the printer model. Here we suggest some possible combinations.

  • Page 15: Step 4: Data Input

    Digital Photo Print Guide Step 4: Data Input How to Input the Data Here we explain how to transfer the data from your digital camera, scan film, and create the data actually input to your computer. First we'll explain the data input methods separately for color photos and for monochrome photos. Next, we'll explain how to choose media (paper) size according to the resolution.

  • Page 16: Monochrome Photos

    Digital Photo Print Guide Monochrome photos Digital cameras Inputting monochrome photos from digital cameras uses the same method as for color photos. If you take a photo with a digital camera in the monochrome mode, a monochrome photo will be created. However, it is better to process color data as monochrome on your computer, or to use the Advanced B&W Photo setting in the printer driver when you print the image.

  • Page 17: The Right Resolution For Output Size

    Digital Photo Print Guide The Right Resolution for Output Size Resolution In order to print photo data well, the data must have the right resolution for the print size. If the resolution is too low for the print size, the image will not be printed crisply, and it will appear blurred. Furthermore, if it is too high, the image will be printed crisply, but the large data size puts an unnecessary burden on the computer.

  • Page 18: Digital Cameras

    Digital Photo Print Guide Digital cameras Digital camera data is expressed in the number of pixels (picture units). You can check the number of pixels in the image properties in Windows Picture and Fax Viewer in Windows XP. Formula for print size and number of pixels (When the resolution of the image data is 360 dpi) Number of pixels suitable for the output size <Horizontal (vertical)>...
  • Page 19 Digital Photo Print Guide Scanner 35 mm film Resolution Data Print Size Size 4 × 6" 5 × 7" 8 × 10" A4 (210 × 10 × 12" A3 (297 × 13 × 19" (100 × (130 × (203 × 297 mm) (254 ×...

  • Page 20: Inputting Data

    Many general monitors do not support Adobe RGB, so you can set up an sRGB environment at lower cost. However, even if your monitor does not support Adobe RGB, Epson printers can output data that uses the Adobe RGB color space. Although the colors on the screen and in the print will differ slightly, printing the data without adjusting it will give you an idea of how to adjust it to create the work that you want.
  • Page 21 Digital Photo Print Guide The types of data format JPEG ❏ Used by many cameras such as digital single-lens reflex cameras and compact digital cameras. ❏ Picture making is performed either by the person taking the photo, or using the preset image processing unique to the camera.

  • Page 22: Scanning

    Note that Digital ICE™ does not support Kodachrome™ and monochrome films. Turn on the scanner approximately 30 minutes before use. This will allow the cold cathode light source to become stable. If your scanner uses Epson's ReadyScan LED Technology it can be used virtually instantly.
  • Page 23 To specify the color space of the photo, set the Epson TWAIN driver (EPSON Scan) as shown below. With EPSON Scan 3.2 it is possible to also embed the profile into your scanned file.
  • Page 24 Digital Photo Print Guide Scanning for correct output When you capture photos and film, it is best to create data that is no bigger than the size required for output. If the image resolution for a specific output size is 360 dpi, the resolution of the final print is sufficient also for a short viewing distance.

  • Page 25: Assembling Images In Applications

    Digital Photo Print Guide Monochrome film Monochrome film represents images only with contrasting tones, so having a lot of tones will result in a more expressive print. If you scan at the 1 color monochrome setting, you can use 24-bit (8 bits × 3) levels. If you scan in grayscale, scan at 16 bits and save the image in the file format of your application (TIFF, Photoshop PSD etc.) Note that if you save it as JPEG, it will be reduced to 8 bits.

  • Page 26: Step 5: Adjusting The Data

    Digital Photo Print Guide Step 5: Adjusting the Data Preparing to Adjust the Data If your photo or scanned data is not the way you want it, you can adjust it using a photo retouching application. In this chapter we explain how to correct common problems (weak tonality, whiteout, blackout and so on) and how to turn a color photo into black and white.
  • Page 27 Digital Photo Print Guide With Photoshop Elements 5.0 With Photoshop Elements 5.0, set the working environment before opening the photo data. From the Edit menu, select Color Settings to display the Color Settings dialog box, and select the Allow Me to Choose radio button. When you select this option, if the photo data does not have a profile, the following message is displayed, and you can select a color space.
  • Page 28 Digital Photo Print Guide With Photoshop CS3 From the Edit menu, select Assign Profile to display the Assign Profile dialog box. Check if the color space set when you took the photo has been recognized correctly. If you select Color Settings from the Edit menu in Working RGB, the name of the working color space set is displayed in the Color Settings dialog box that appears.

  • Page 29: Test Printing

    Digital Photo Print Guide Test printing First print the photo without adjusting it as a basis for considering what sort of work you want to make. For example, if you display photo data that uses the Adobe RGB color space on a typical monitor, most colors will be displayed correctly.

  • Page 30: Adjusting The Photo Data

    There are various methods of making a color photo into a monochrome photo. You can also use the color photo directly without adjusting it, or you can print a monochrome photo making fine adjustments to the level in the Epson printer driver. See “Printing Monochrome Photos” on page 54.

  • Page 31: Notes For Adjusting Data

    Digital Photo Print Guide Notes for Adjusting Data Data viewed as a histogram Viewing the data in simplified form (histogram) Image processing software like Photoshop has a function for showing the distribution of brightness in the image. This histogram allows you to view all the colors and each RGB color as peaks, and to check whether the colors and brightness are within the reproducible range.
  • Page 32 Digital Photo Print Guide An example of a poor histogram for Red If the histogram for Red is up against the right side, the saturation has been increased too much, and red color components will be oversaturated and toneless. An example with low peaks for mid levels, and high peaks at both ends Very light and very dark objects are both present in the image.
  • Page 33 Digital Photo Print Guide A good example with no loss of level There are plenty of mid level components, and they are distributed evenly. Of course, just because levels are distributed at both ends the data does not necessarily indicate a poor photo.

  • Page 34: Resolution

    Digital Photo Print Guide If too great an adjustment is made, there will be a lot of white lines and the adjusted image does not look good. A bad example of histogram after Levels adjustment Resolution Please refer to the resolution table. See “The relationship between image data resolution and print size”...

  • Page 35: Step 6: Printing

    Digital Photo Print Guide Step 6: Printing This chapter explains how to print color and monochrome photos. It explains the settings for using color management with the printer driver and application when you print color photos, as well as the settings for the Advanced B&W Photo mode in the printer driver used for printing monochrome photos.
  • Page 36 Digital Photo Print Guide Turn off the color management function of the application From the File menu, select Print. Select Show More Options. Step 6: Printing...
  • Page 37 Mode in the Main menu (Type B). Then select EPSON Standard (sRGB) or Adobe RGB. Note: ❏ The choice of EPSON Standard (sRGB) or Adobe RGB depends on the color spaces of the image which was set when it was taken with a digital camera or captured with a scanner.
  • Page 38 Digital Photo Print Guide Type A Type B Step 6: Printing...
  • Page 39 Select Color Management, click Color Controls, and then select EPSON Standard (sRGB) or Adobe RGB for the Mode. <OS 10.5> Select Print Settings, select Color Controls for the Color Settings, and then select EPSON Standard (sRGB) or Adobe RGB. Check the other settings and print the image.
  • Page 40 Digital Photo Print Guide Select Show More Options. In the Color Management of the Printer Profile menu, select the ICC profile of the paper to use for printing and Rendering Intent, and then click Print. In Adobe Photoshop CS3, select Color Management, and then click Document for the Print: Select Photoshop Manages Colors for the Color Handling.
  • Page 41 Digital Photo Print Guide Rendering Intent There are four methods for color matching, of which we need to choose one. We recommend using Perceptual for photographic images. The characteristics of each method are shown below. Saturation In order to emphasize saturation, for colors with high saturation, the difference between the color reproduced on the monitor and the color reproduced by the printer is set greater than that of other intents.
  • Page 42 Digital Photo Print Guide Type A Click the Advanced tab, and select ICM for the Color Management, and then select Off (No Color Adjustment). Type B Select Custom for the Mode in the Main menu, and then select No Color Adjustment. Step 6: Printing...

  • Page 43: Other Color Management Settings

    Digital Photo Print Guide For Mac OS X, do the following depending on the printer driver type. <OS 10.4 or below> Select Color Management, and then click Off (No Color Adjustment). <OS 10.5> Select Print Settings, and then select Off (No Color Adjustment) for the Color Settings. Check the other settings and print the image.
  • Page 44 Digital Photo Print Guide Set the application From the File menu, select Print. Select Show More Options. Step 6: Printing...
  • Page 45 Digital Photo Print Guide In the Color Management of the Printer Profile menu, select Printer Color Management, and then click Print. In Adobe Photoshop CS3, select Color Management, and then click Document for the Print. Select Printer Manages Colors for the Color Handling, and then click Done. Step 6: Printing...
  • Page 46 Digital Photo Print Guide Set up the printer driver Note: The printer driver type and supported OS differ depending on the printer model. Open the printer driver window (Windows) or the Print dialog (Mac OS X). For Windows, do the setting below depending on the printer driver type. Type A Click the Advanced tab, and select ICM for the Color Management, and then select Host ICM for the ICM Mode.
  • Page 47 Digital Photo Print Guide Type B Select Custom for the Mode in the Main menu, and then select ICM. Next click Advanced and select Host ICM in ICM window. Step 6: Printing...
  • Page 48 Digital Photo Print Guide For Mac OS X, do the following depending on the printer driver type. <OS 10.4 or below> Select Color Management, and then click ColorSync. <OS 10.5> Select Color Matching, and then click ColorSync. Check the other settings and print the image. Color management using Driver ICM (Windows only) The following explanation is based on Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 in Windows.
  • Page 49 Digital Photo Print Guide Type B Select Custom for the Mode in the Main menu, and select ICM. Next click Advanced, and then select Driver ICM (Basic) or Driver ICM (Advanced) for the ICM window. If you select Driver ICM (Advanced), you can specify the profiles and intents for image, graphics, and text data individually.
  • Page 50 Digital Photo Print Guide Type B Also if you select the Show all profiles check box, you can select from all the profiles registered in your computer. Click OK to return to original screen. Check the other settings and print the image. Step 6: Printing...
  • Page 51 Digital Photo Print Guide Color adjustment using the printer driver Before you print, make fine adjustments to the color level and brightness of the print data using the printer driver. Basically we recommend that you retouch your images in an application, but this method can be used if your application does not have color adjustment functions.
  • Page 52 Digital Photo Print Guide Type B Step 6: Printing...
  • Page 53 Digital Photo Print Guide For Mac OS X, do the following depending on printer driver type. <OS 10.4 or below> Select Color Management, click Color Controls, and then click Advanced Settings. <OS 10.5> Select Print Settings, select Color for the Color, and then click Advanced Color Settings. Make the necessary settings.

  • Page 54: Printing Monochrome Photos

    Digital Photo Print Guide Printing Monochrome Photos Use the Advanced B&W Photo mode of the printer driver. Whether the image data is monochrome or color, you can print high quality monochrome photos. Note: The Advanced B&W Photo mode may not be supported depending on the printer model. Using the auto mode, you can print with your preferred tint just by selecting the tone, but if you use the advanced settings screen, you can print richly tonal monochrome photos without having to adjust the image in an application.
  • Page 55 Digital Photo Print Guide For Windows, select Advanced B&W Photo for the Color. For Mac OS X, select Print Settings, and then select Advanced B&W Photo for the Color. Step 6: Printing...
  • Page 56 Digital Photo Print Guide For Windows, click Custom for the Mode, select Color Controls, and then click Advanced. For Mac OS X, do the following depending on the printer driver type. <OS 10.4 or below> Select Color Management. <OS 10.5> Click Advanced Color Settings.
  • Page 57 Digital Photo Print Guide Make the necessary settings and print the image. For more detailed information, see the online help of the printer driver. Step 6: Printing...

  • Page 58: Troubleshooting

    Digital Photo Print Guide Troubleshooting Here we cover the main problems that may arise when you print photographs, and the ways of dealing with them. The color shown on the monitor and in the print is different ❏ Color management may not be set correctly. Check the settings of the application and the printer driver.

  • Page 59: Print Quality Is Poor (Uneven, Too Light, Or Too Dark)

    Digital Photo Print Guide Print quality is poor (uneven, too light, or too dark) ❏ Check that the mode does not favor speed over print quality. Set the quality to Quality or Max Quality to favor quality. If High Speed is on, turn it off. ❏...

  • Page 60: The Results Are Blurred Or Jagged

    Digital Photo Print Guide The results are blurred or jagged ❏ Check that the resolution is right for the print size. See “The relationship between image data resolution and print size” on page 17. The same problem will arise if you crop a small area and enlarge it. Low resolution High resolution Even if the original data was captured at high resolution, if you save it in JPEG with a high compression...

  • Page 61: Roughness

    Digital Photo Print Guide Roughness ❏ Check that the sharpness and saturation correction is not too high. Sharpness is set too high Sharpness is set just right Raising sharpness superficially sharpens the image, but raising it too far can make it look rough, destroying its texture.

  • Page 62: Over Saturation

    Digital Photo Print Guide Over saturation Raising the color saturation superficially enhances the vividness of the colors, but raising it too far can cause loss of tonality similar to whiteout. In the histogram check the spread of black and white, but also check that RGB are each distributed well.

  • Page 63: Step 7: Storage

    Typically, printouts and photos fade over time (change color) due to the effects of light and various gases in the air such as ozone. Although Epson special media is made to minimize fading due to these influences, the degree of color change can be reduced further with the correct care for display and storage methods.

  • Page 64: Long-Term Storage

    Digital Photo Print Guide Long-Term Storage ❏ If you intend to store your prints, place them in clear files or similar holders after drying them completely. We recommend that you keep them in a dark place away from high temperatures, humidity, direct sunlight, air currents, and equipment that emits ozone.

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