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Having some time now I write simple manual how to generate a simple RGB printer profile using ArgyllCMS and the very affordable CR30 colorimeter that has been proven to be very reliable and accurate by multiple users on this forum and as well by some at dpreview.com.
As the necessary program only will work under Windows, MacOS users need to virtualize Windows and run the program with direct access to a virtual COM port assigned to the CR30.
First obtain the CR30 colorimeter. I have bought mine here:
https://nl.aliexpress.com/item/1005..._main.153.37c71802Oj4RR0&gatewayAdapt=glo2nld
Available with reduction during 11.11 promotion period
The next thing download and install Argyllcms:
https://argyllcms.com/
add the necessary path settings to your Windows environment settings and/or config.sys in order to access the argyllcms commands from any place on your computer.
The next thing is to install the ColorQC2 program, which connects the CR30 and forces the device to sample in the standard industry settings (M0, D50, 1931_2) measuring mode. The standalone reading without the ColorQC2 will use the D65 measuring mode, which you do not want to use when generating a RGB printer profile. The exact link of the ColorQC program is a bit cryptic to me, but the device has tiny paper included with the exact link where to download this program.
Start the ColorQC2 program and go to connecting devices (you already have connect the CR30 with a USB-C cable to your computer):
Mine is connected to COM 3, but it might differ from your configuration:
If succesful your CR30 will give a beep and then choose in the menu: measurement settings in order to setup the necessary parameters that needs to be registered in the csv-file, which is feeded towards a script that will convert it to a working ArgyllCMS ti3 file needed to create the printer profile:
The next setting is important, as we are going to measure in the D50 mode and at 2 degrees angle (the industry standard D50/1932_2):
Now we are going to specify the exact data needed for the csv-file in order to generate the ti3 from from the measured data from the CR30: we will need to include the spectral data from 400 to 700 nm in 10 nm steps, so be sure all the spectral data will be registered in the csv-file. This is what you want. NOTE: to include the spectral data you will need scroll down from the first column until you see the spectra data option to be seen on the second column: choose from 400 to 700 nm to the last column and click save and close:
Above you see we will register test mode / light source+angle / L*A*B* value / spectral data from 400 to 700 nm in 10 nm steps
Press on the icon: test target and the ColorQC2 app will ask you to calibrate the black tile (which is hold the device about 1 meter from the ground):
After it is sucessful you will have to cap the spectro with the magnetic white tile to calibrate for the white calibration point:
Now we start measuring: plase the device on the first patch of the printer target and press on the button on top of the CR30 spectro: it will register the color value in LAB values and also the spectral data (which is plotted below in the graph):
Continu the reading until you have read all the patches of the target. A 300 patch target can be read in just about 10 minutes with some excercise:
If you are ready will export the data as excel data and then from Excel or similar into a csv (comma separated) file. For some unknown reason direct export into a csv-file gives me a gibberish-like file which cannot be converted properly into a valid ArgyllCMS ti3 file. Not sure why this is case in my particular settings as others don't have this problem.
After you have saved the data in a Excel compatible xlsx file we will open the file in Excel and we have a look how many rows the data has. This is an extra control if you have done the reading correctly. A 300 patch target will have 301 rows (301 minus the upper one that describes the row corresponding column names below like LAB, measurement condition and angle, spectral data etc). If you have less or more than 301 rows than you have registered incorrectly and you will need to redo the scanning again:
Now we are going to export the xlsx file into a comma separated file which will be fed to the dispensary in order to create the ti3 file and ultimately the final printer profile:
In the next post I will use this csv-file with all the necessary data needed to create the final ti3 file with help of the CR30 conversion tool and convert it to the final printer target.
That's all folks for today....
As the necessary program only will work under Windows, MacOS users need to virtualize Windows and run the program with direct access to a virtual COM port assigned to the CR30.
First obtain the CR30 colorimeter. I have bought mine here:
https://nl.aliexpress.com/item/1005..._main.153.37c71802Oj4RR0&gatewayAdapt=glo2nld
Available with reduction during 11.11 promotion period
The next thing download and install Argyllcms:
https://argyllcms.com/
add the necessary path settings to your Windows environment settings and/or config.sys in order to access the argyllcms commands from any place on your computer.
The next thing is to install the ColorQC2 program, which connects the CR30 and forces the device to sample in the standard industry settings (M0, D50, 1931_2) measuring mode. The standalone reading without the ColorQC2 will use the D65 measuring mode, which you do not want to use when generating a RGB printer profile. The exact link of the ColorQC program is a bit cryptic to me, but the device has tiny paper included with the exact link where to download this program.
Start the ColorQC2 program and go to connecting devices (you already have connect the CR30 with a USB-C cable to your computer):
Mine is connected to COM 3, but it might differ from your configuration:
If succesful your CR30 will give a beep and then choose in the menu: measurement settings in order to setup the necessary parameters that needs to be registered in the csv-file, which is feeded towards a script that will convert it to a working ArgyllCMS ti3 file needed to create the printer profile:
The next setting is important, as we are going to measure in the D50 mode and at 2 degrees angle (the industry standard D50/1932_2):
Now we are going to specify the exact data needed for the csv-file in order to generate the ti3 from from the measured data from the CR30: we will need to include the spectral data from 400 to 700 nm in 10 nm steps, so be sure all the spectral data will be registered in the csv-file. This is what you want. NOTE: to include the spectral data you will need scroll down from the first column until you see the spectra data option to be seen on the second column: choose from 400 to 700 nm to the last column and click save and close:
Above you see we will register test mode / light source+angle / L*A*B* value / spectral data from 400 to 700 nm in 10 nm steps
Press on the icon: test target and the ColorQC2 app will ask you to calibrate the black tile (which is hold the device about 1 meter from the ground):
After it is sucessful you will have to cap the spectro with the magnetic white tile to calibrate for the white calibration point:
Now we start measuring: plase the device on the first patch of the printer target and press on the button on top of the CR30 spectro: it will register the color value in LAB values and also the spectral data (which is plotted below in the graph):
Continu the reading until you have read all the patches of the target. A 300 patch target can be read in just about 10 minutes with some excercise:
If you are ready will export the data as excel data and then from Excel or similar into a csv (comma separated) file. For some unknown reason direct export into a csv-file gives me a gibberish-like file which cannot be converted properly into a valid ArgyllCMS ti3 file. Not sure why this is case in my particular settings as others don't have this problem.
After you have saved the data in a Excel compatible xlsx file we will open the file in Excel and we have a look how many rows the data has. This is an extra control if you have done the reading correctly. A 300 patch target will have 301 rows (301 minus the upper one that describes the row corresponding column names below like LAB, measurement condition and angle, spectral data etc). If you have less or more than 301 rows than you have registered incorrectly and you will need to redo the scanning again:
Now we are going to export the xlsx file into a comma separated file which will be fed to the dispensary in order to create the ti3 file and ultimately the final printer profile:
In the next post I will use this csv-file with all the necessary data needed to create the final ti3 file with help of the CR30 conversion tool and convert it to the final printer target.
That's all folks for today....
