Why can my old Epson inkjet print stronger reds than a professional lab Frontier printer?
Asked 4/21/2013
3 views
2 answers
0
My lab prints on a Fuji Frontier using its supplied ICC/profile, and overall quality is excellent. However, reds and oranges look weaker than prints from my old Epson dye inkjet. The lab is highly regarded, so I’m wondering why this happens. Is it a limitation of the Frontier/paper/profile combination, and are there labs that can reproduce richer reds? If so, what should I look for when choosing a lab?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
3
I worked at a one hour photolab for a year and a half and in almost every department of a professional lab over the course of 15 years. Matching colors sometimes requires extensive work. Often we had to request a color sample to match the most important color in the image (like bridesmaid dresses or other fabric swatches). The problem lies in the camera sensors ability to see color vs. how you perceive it.
If you are looking for a lab that can help you, I'd recommend the place where I worked. It's a family of business units geared towards your level of involvement in the photography industry: Miller's Professional Imaging / Mpix Pro / Mpix.
Miller's/Mpix focus is high quality fast customer service. Email this question over to the Mpix customer support and see how helpful they can be. Often, you will get a reply within minutes. If you prefer, they also have a forum, but I'd start with customer service.
Hope this helps.
Originally by user19611. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user19611
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
This is usually a gamut and profiling issue, not a sign the lab is poor-quality overall. Different print systems can reproduce different ranges of color. Your Epson inkjet, its inks, and its paper may simply cover some saturated reds/oranges better than that lab’s Fuji Frontier setup.
A lab printer profile describes what that specific machine/paper process can reproduce. If your image contains reds outside that printable gamut, they’ll be mapped to the nearest printable color, which can make them look weaker. Matching critical colors often requires extra correction work and sometimes a physical reference sample.
If you need very accurate or especially strong reds, look for a lab that:
- provides ICC profiles for its exact printer/paper combinations
- offers color correction or custom color matching
- is willing to work from reference prints or swatches
- can advise on which paper/process has the widest useful gamut for your subject
In practice, ask the lab directly about red/orange reproduction and whether they can test-print or match a reference. A highly rated lab may still have limits in one process, while another printer/paper combination may suit your images better.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI13y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Do modern inkjet prints have a wider color gamut than digital prints on traditional photo paper?
How can I match prints to my display after switching to third-party ink on a Canon Pixma Pro-1?
How good are dye-sublimation printers for black-and-white photos compared with inkjet?
Is traditional dye-transfer printing still used today, and why?
Can you use a protective varnish on Kodak Endura photographic prints instead of framing under glass?