Print On Canson Extra Photo Quality Paper 130/170gsm profiling suggestions needed

Hi all,

i got about 750+ sheets of A3+ old paper for 70 euros, it goes from Canvas, Fine Art, Glossy, Semigloss, Photo Quality, Matte, from Canson, Ilford, Epson, Canon, HP and other unknown brands.

For some of them i got the paper manufacter profiles for my Epson XP 15000 (but i think maybe i will do my custom the same) but for other i will have to do my own custom profiles.

I use ArgyllCMS software to create the profiles, i don't have any X-rite software, i bought the device with no disc/manual included.

Now i'm using this Print On Canson Extra Quality paper (i will attach a photo of the box) and i tried to print two small 100x150mm (A6) charts with 180 patches (Black=4 White=4 Grey=59) using Epson Photo Quality media type (printed with Quality only it was possible) and Epson Matte media type (printed with High Quality), no color management from printer, using Adobe Color Print Utility software.

I tried this two media types because on the box there is nothing about which media type setting to use and i printed the standard images (i attached them) and i see more B/W details and contrast on the Matte image (notes added).

I didn't try to print using Epson Glossy or Semigloss Paper media types ? Do you think i would try them too (i have about 150 sheets of A3 so it is not a problem to use some A5/A6 sheet) ?

I used BN spacers for my i1pro devices (is it better to use BN spacers or COLORED spacers with the i1pro ?) but while for the charts with Epson Matte i read the patches without any problem, for the chart with Epson Photo Quality i had an hard work to read all the strips.

Also the profcheck for the Matte (only 1 reading) gives: errors(CIEDE2000): max. = 1.036895, avg. = 0.225911, RMS = 0.273122

While the profcheck for the PhotoQuality (i had to make 3/5 readings for 3/5 strips) gives: errors(CIEDE2000): max. = 2.860489, avg. = 0.530873, RMS = 0.763451

While both the max/avg/RMS values are low enough, the Matte would have better values.

I compared ICC profiles with iccview.de and it seems that the Photo Quality profile has a wider gamut (just a little not on all colors) while the Matte has a better black (that confirm my initial notes), if someone can give me some suggestions on which one is better to use, i will redo the full profile with the best of two profile or if you think i would try also Glossy and Semigloss i will redo two A6 print with the same chart and new comparing.

Thanks for any suggestion

I'm not familiar with ArgyllCMS profiles so I can't interpret your numbers and tell if they are good or not so good.

mavtop said:

i don't have any X-rite software,

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The i1Profiler software is free and can be downloaded from the resp. internet pages, you need an older version - I think 3.1 or below - which still supports the old i1 spectro - the newer versions only support the Pro2 and Pro3 spectros.
But you can run the software only in demo mode - you need a software key which gets stored in the spectro, the spectro is a kind of software dongle . Run the i1 diagnostics, it will tell you if any software keys are stored on it.
I'm not aware of a manual, there is help integrated in the software.

Ink stained Fingers said:

I'm not familiar with ArgyllCMS profiles so I can't interpret your numbers and tell if they are good or not so good.


The i1Profiler software is free and can be downloaded from the resp. internet pages, you need an older version - I think 3.1 or below - which still supports the old i1 spectro - the newer versions only support the Pro2 and Pro3 spectros.
But you can run the software only in demo mode - you need a software key which gets stored in the spectro, the spectro is a kind of software dongle . Run the i1 diagnostics, it will tell you if any software keys are stored on it.
I'm not aware of a manual, there is help integrated in the software.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info.

Can you compare my icc profiles and give some feedback ?

There is a serious problem - your profiles assume a white point at L=67 - that's a medium gray but not white at all.


But I can't tell you why you are getting such results.

could it a low patches profile that gives these results ?

mavtop said:

could it a low patches profile that gives these results ?

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No, I'm doing profiles for 4x6 inch papers with 96 patches with i1Profiler and never have seen such effect. Photo papers of all kinds - glossy - silk - baryta whatever etc run with a white point of L*= 90 to 95 for the luminance of the white point. You need to check the data file/sheet with the color patches but again - I'm not familiar wtih ArgyllCMS to proceed from here.

Ok i will reprint the target again, then i will read them again, i updated ArgyllCMS to the latest version, maybe i would have left it to the old version