Can I create and apply a custom profile for an uncalibrated print shop printer?
Asked 12/16/2021
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A local print center gives inconsistent photo prints. My monitor is calibrated, and I have a calibration device. I was considering this workflow:
- Print a color chart at the print center
- Measure it and create a custom printer profile for that printer/paper setup
- Batch-convert my photos to compensate for that profile
- Send those adjusted files back to the print center for printing
Is there software that can automate step 3 for a batch of images? Or is this the wrong approach?
I’m asking about printers at labs/print centers where I may not control the exact printer, paper, ink, or calibration state.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
4y ago
2 Answers
1
I had written a long answer explaining how to "incorrectly" apply your custom printer profile to images for printing. But I felt it was also necessary to add a note to the end of my answer... then I decided to delete everything except for the note.
**Note that the end result is really no different from using your printer profile for soft-proofing during editing (and converting to/embedding the correct color space during save as normal), which is the correct approach in a fully color managed scheme. You said that soft-proofing would make the edits "eye-calibrated;" well, they are adjusted by eye/to taste either way...
Edit to add: This is how I would do what you want using Photoshop.
- First, create your custom printer profile.
- Then open any image and record an action of: Edit > Convert to Profile (your custom profile) > Edit > Convert to Profile (sRGB). Use whatever conversion preferences you think are best at both conversion stages (I would avoid absolute colorimetric and saturation modes). Name the action something like "Convert for crap printer".
- Close the image (no need to save the edit/conversion if not needed)
- Now open: File > Automate > Batch: Select your action as the one to play (will default to last used/created/edited). Select the folder with the files you want to convert. Optionally set a new output folder with a distinctive name. And rename the files with something distinctive to identify them as broken. Run the batch conversion...
The only reason for applying the second conversion to sRGB is so the printer doesn't have a problem accepting an unknown/bad/wrong color profile (would typically default back to sRGB, or none, which would also be ok assuming you edited them in sRGB). The reason for the new folder and rename is because these files are now no good for anything other than being printed by that crappy printer. If you re-open them the colors will be wrong/off (as if being soft-proofed), and they cannot be re-edited back to original (at least not easily/completely).
Originally by user70370. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user70370
4y ago
0
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You can technically build a custom profile from a test chart and use software such as Photoshop to automate a conversion via an action/batch process. But in practice, this is not the right solution for an uncalibrated print center.
A profile is only valid for a specific, stable printer + ink + paper setup. If the lab changes paper, ink, printer settings, or the machine drifts, your profile is no longer accurate. So your “compensated” files may print differently from one job to the next.
The proper color-managed workflow is:
- calibrate your monitor
- use the printer profile for soft-proofing while editing
- save/export in the lab’s expected color space
- print through a calibrated, consistent workflow
If the print shop is not maintaining a consistent calibrated process, you cannot reliably get consistent results, no matter how you pre-adjust the files. For dependable quality, use your own calibrated printer or a lab that manages printer/media profiles properly.
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