Manage by printer versus LR handle color management

[Harry Briels]

Does "let LR handle printer color management" clearly result in better printing quality than when "Managed by printer" is being used?

 

[3dogs]

Does "let LR handle printer color management" clearly result in better printing quality than when "Managed by printer" is being used?

Use ICC profile, printer manages colour turned off. Or make your own profile, and use that. Most photo paper manufacturers have ICC profile free. They are usually quite good, but better still make your own profile for the paper and ink you are using, always much more accurate PROVIDING, you take care and make an accurate profile.

 

[Harry Briels]

3Dogs: thank for your advise.
But this is not an answer to my question.
Manage by printer, some time ago almost out of the question, is no longer a bad option per se.
Because of this I ask my above question.
Harry

 

[3dogs]

Answer is then yes

 

[The Hat]

Does "let LR handle printer color management" clearly result in better printing quality than when "Managed by printer" is being used?

There is no earthly reason why you can’t let the printer manage colour !
Are all photos that bad that they always need some editing, I reckon not..

 

[Harry Briels]

The Hat:
It would be nice to read about printing quality differences when using "Let Printer" or "LR manage colors".
Years ago it would be out of the question to use "let printer manage", but that has changed. Yes, I can just start testing myself but why would I if somebody else, more knowledgeable than me, did already do such testing.
Harry

 

[The Hat]

Yes that’s right Harry but you can be the best judge of your own photo quality by simply (1) let LR manage colour and hit print (2) unclick the box to let Printer manage colour and hit print again, now examine both prints side by side, that will tell you everything you need to know.

Happy Printing..

 

[Smile]

Best option is determined by analysis by testing, usually I give my clients a RGB certification test chart and they print it in various modes, then I select the best scenario and make profile with those setting that a then recorded and saved as printer setting preset.

Spectrophotometer does all the measuring, and math does the rest, there is no user factor here. But in general to make correct ICC profile printer must print rich colors, and printing must be color cast free.

 

[3dogs]

There is no earthly reason why you can’t let the printer manage colour !
Are all photos that bad that they always need some editing, I reckon not..

@TheHat

Humbly beg to differ, and here is why:


OP is talking Printing, not Editing thus colour not content.

OP has a 3800 I believe, an Epson printer and he is refilling with non OEM ink and whatever paper. If he uses printer manages colour the printer assumes a) Epson paper and b) Epson OEM ink.

There are just TWO breeds of Photographer ( not Graphic Artists, another game altogether IMHO) , Photographers and Happy Snappers. Anyone wishing to refute my assertion I offer this in evidence:

Today, or Ever, have any PHOTOGRAPHERS of note shot and either, Wet lab used stock Home Printer formula Developers Fixers etc,then printed on bog standard " Made Somewhere Printer" with a bog standard window glass lens? ( I will out myself here, there is an African Portrait Photographer whose work is in one of the Great American Galleries, he used a TWR, and did his own wet processing, he would only have had access to basic printer and chemicals) so aside of him, just in case you were thinking of citing HIM!!!!
or
Digital equivalent "let printer"manage COLOUR, COLOUR...not editing, COLOUR!

Photographers, step out of the mainstream and into customization even if that is at a really really rudimentary level (because that is all their style requires) . Happy snappers remain within the mainstream, and don't move out by choice...........BOTH have equal weight IMHO neither is better or worse.

BUT switch from Happy Snapper to Photographer and FORGET easy come easy go. OP has at his disposal a FORUM with so MANY posts on Colour Management that a person could compile a 100% user friendly BOOK simply by assembling the posts in some order, no need to look elsewhere! he has a printer that is capable of Gallery quality prints, and good inks to do it with.

So for where I believe the OP is, my answer stands. IMHO he has a choice to make, have his images printed for him at a fraction of his current investment at the local Budget mass Printer or join "US" and GET HIS FINGERS DIRTY

 

[The Hat]

@3dogs you have your opinions and you have air them cordially, but as you say the OP is just trying to print and wants options not opinions and that’s what I taught I was giving him, options !

What’s so wrong with the OP trying both methods himself just to see what the differences are, is experimenting some sort of crime because they have the luxury of a Pro printer, is it not aloud !

I reckon some Photographers build themselves a hide and forget that they can actually come outside without scaring the hell out of everybody to show off their prints..