printer profiles

[adwb]

I predominantly use xtreme 4.01.5.6 for digital photo manipulation and much prefer it to photo shop especially because of the speed that the processes take and the low memory usage.
however to ensure the printer and the bulk ink and non Epson papers are printed correctly I have to use PS to enable the printing profile supplied for the ink/papers I can't see how you print from Xara and use profiles?
Am I being blind or stupid, or is this feature truly not there?
Alistair

[Soquili]

Hi Alister,

I've never needed to use a printer profile with any application, including Photoshop. Colours are always as I see them on screen.

I'm currently using a Lexmark and an HP printer.

[Gamerprinter]

I have a Canon IP8100 44" wide color inkjet that came with a Photoshop Plugin to do the same thing you explain for Epson, but I print straight from Xara all the time, no problem whatsoever.

I run a pro digital print shop and graphic design studio and though I have access to various profiles - I never use them, or ever needed to.

GP

[adwb]

interesting answers, however given I don't use Epson inks there is a definite shift in tones especially facial when selecting to use the generic Epson profile or using the colour control built in the printer software and between the supplied ink profile and Epsom's profile and my [weekly] profiled screens.
I will wait till i get the new large format printer and ink system and test again.
If I need to save and then print through photo shop so be it, after all I have been doing it for years, I was just trying to simplify the work flow.
From what your experience is the ICC profiles are a waste of time, which makes me wonder why the ink and paper mfg including the printer mfg bother and why the industry leaders graphics mfg like adobe have the facility to select profiles to ensure colour perception is maintained.
Alistair

[Soquili]

Hi Alistair,

Perhaps you have found the real reason most printer inks are so expensive.

Paying for the cost of the ICC profiles which some seem to not need but others rely upon very heavily.

It may be similar to why some people never have an issue (blue screen of death, or having to reboot often) and others seem to have them very often. Just the luck of the draw.

[Gamerprinter]

Well, I have to qualify myself by saying that I do purchase Canon inks, but tend to use a standard non-Canon satin gloss paper for most of my print work (I usually get 200' rolls of Lexmark paper, its cheaper than Canon's version). However, when I have needs for specialty papers, like fine art paper or canvas, I do use Canon specific media. This may be why I have such good luck in color without using ICC color profiles.

GP

[Albacore]

Surely you can set up what profiles you want to use using the printer software supplied. I have large format Canon + Epson A4 and both of these printers can be configured to use what ever profile through the Printer Properties. Also both of these printers can be configured for many different papers and choosing the correct paper setting and profile can take a lot of experimenting so that you can get the best results. I found when I first used Xara with a new printer and with SRGB I got a slight colour shift towards the reds but this was just with photos not vector so you just change you custom profile to allow for this easy. I don't change a thing when I am using my Lexmark 780 laser from Pro 5 it is so easy.