Dark prints Epson 3800

When using Adobe Photoshop CS3 and OS 10.5, I never had trouble producing prints from my Epson 3800 that were a good match to my screen colors. However, since switching to OS 10.6 (I'm now on 10.6.7), I have been having endless problems getting accurate prints. I am using the "Photoshop Manages Colors" option. I have tried loading the latest available Epson drivers, following their specific instructions for Snow Leopard users, and tried suggestions from numerous online forums, but to no avail. All my prints come out with extremely dark darks - it's as though an extra contrast curve has been added before printing.
The only partial fix I've found has been to alter the output transfer function from Photoshop - but this is a very iterative and subjective process, and frankly, it makes me dread having to make a print, instead of enjoying the process.
From all I've read, it seems that between Adobe, Epson, and Apple, someone has dropped the ball on color management under OS 10.6. Can anyone refer me to a fix I may not have tried?
Ray

OK:
http://www.adobe.com/support/contact/
http://forums.adobe.com/community/photoshop

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File disappears from print queue without printing Epson 3800

I'm trying to print from photoshop on my Epson 3800 using the rear feed with art paper. I have printed successfully in the last week. Print job goes to queue, processes, then disappears as if the printer has done the job, printer is silent, no error messages at all. I can run a nozzle check via the computer through the disk utility which tells me it's connected fine. I have tried restarting, updating the driver, removing and then adding it back to my computer's printer list, trying to print different files, resetting the printing system
Running 10.8.5
Epson Printer 3800 Driver version 9.22 (most recent)

Yes I did Eric, but still did not work. I have solved the problem though! I thought I'd post it here to help anyone else that has the same issue... it was not enough for me to update the driver, I actually had to go and completely trash the whole driver, empty the trash and then reinstall it. Working fine now

Panoramic print problem epson 3800

I set up a custom page of 40 x 13 inch, put the cell size in for the picture size i require and set everything else. print preview shows the print as i want it, but when it prints it only does a small portion of the print the wrong way round. Is there something in lightroom i'm missing or is it to do with the printer (epson 3800) setting. paper is fed via sheet feeder, which i had done successfully on 2400 previously.

I rencently have a problem using custom paper size with an Epson 3800 and Lightroom. It may not be the same problem. I was not able to determine or understand if it was an LR or an Epson driver (Mac OS 10.5.6) error.
I use Moab Chinle "square" album (12"x13"). When I was printing this paper size, I got almost always half-printed page. I have tried many things but the last setting I modified solved my problem.
By setting the longest side to the height of the paper in the custom page definition, I do not have half-printed page anymore.
Hope this will help.

Test: Using Crop marks in indesign CS4 with Epson 3800 Mac 10.5.7

Jun 19, 2009 9:35 PM
Crop marks using indesign CS4 with Epson 3800 Mac 10.5.7
My crop marks and pages are printing larger than my document sizes. My paper size is 13x19, so I should have crop marks at the exact corners of the page sizes. But indesign is printing the entire document larger. So my document which is 11x14.75 is now printing 11.25x15.5. All my settings are correct. So, is anyone else using an Epson 3800 with CS4 indesign having issues such as the above? And can I ask (beg) a few of you to do a test print with crop marks and let me know the results?
My workflow has been completely stalled because I can't get my pages to print the right sizes with the crop marks at the right measurements. I'm printing a photo portfolio on the Lumijet double sided paper and "when" it did work awhile back sometime several months ago, the finals looked great. I've already reinstalled both the Epson 3800 driver and the Indesign CS4 software, but the results are still the same.
So, here are my settings:
document size: 11x14.75
in the print panel:
Printer: Epson 3800
Setup: Paper size: Super A3/B13x19, scale 100% width & height, page position Centered
Marks & Bleed: Marks: "Crop Marks" checked. offset: 0, weight: .25, Bleed and Slug: Use Document bleed settings, include slug area. The bleed is 0 for top, bottom, left and right
Color Management: Document profile: Adobe RGB, Options: Indesign handles colors, Printer Profile: (A custom made profile using Xrite for the 3800 with Lumijet paper)
The settings on the Epson 3800
Epson 3800 Printer
Presets (set for the profile mentioned above)
No Color management
Sometimes, on a whim, the printer and indesign cooperate together like good little children should. But not often. And I can not conclude why they are nice to each other sometimes, but given the same detailed data at other times, they fight.
If anyone could run through a similar process using indesign with a photo layout and setting up the printer settings for both the Epson 3800 and in the indesign program and let me know their results, I would value your conclusions very much. You don't even have to waste paper or ink. Finally, after wasting so many pages of paper and of ink. I deleted the photos from the page, and printed it blank with only the crop marks for me to measure if it was coming out right or not.
Thank you for any response. And feel free to call me if you want to vent about Epson 3800's or about Indesign CS4 anytime! I'm up late.... 646 256 8853.
Thaddeus

I specified the paper size as strictly 13x19, no boarderless, no retain size. Same problem. I also did as you suggested below. The pdf document does remain true to the document. As a pdf doc. I changed the color mgmt to Adobe rgb 1998. It looks okay, but not as lively as I get when printing correctly with my color mgmt working and in sync.
Your final question about simply using photoshop. Well... I might go back to it and give up on Indesign if this is the case that it won't simply crop my documents to the sizes that I input them to be cropped as. But, I am using Indesign so that I can create a page layout that I can't do in Photoshop. My folio is about 25 or more pages with double page spreads. I am printing on a two-sided Lumijet paper and my folio was custom designed to be cut out at 11x14.75. If and when it is printed correctly, I am printing on both sides of the paper and trimming it to exact size.
It sounds as if you have exhausted the potential problems and don't have a clear explanation for why the doc isn't printing correctly in Indesign either with the color mgmt. or the document sizes. I'll try one more print using a different color profile similar enough to get at minimum, an okay print. If it doesn't print at least okay, then it isn't most likely my profile..... Okay done. Crazy. The color is inaccurate, but for some reason or another, the document size printed correctly. It measured exactly 11x14.75. What I have done during this period of time is:
First) I did as you suggested and turned the Print to Adobe PDF 9 and created a print there. I measured it and it did measure correctly. I didn't love the color, but... at least it is measuring correctly.
Second) I turned the Printer back to Epson 3800 (I'm beginning to think that this simple gesture was what caused the printer to print correctly) I didn't change any settings, but I did make sure that they were set correctly as before. The paper size was set to 13x19. When I make sure this setting is right in the "printer" dialogue for the Epson 3800, and then switch back to ID, the printer dialogue in Id changes to "Define by Printer." But I changed nothing, other than the profile to an older one that I used before. The color is still inaccurate, but at least for two prints just now back to back, the measurements were correct. What to do? Lol.
Thanks again for all of your time spent trying to resolve this issue.
Sincerely,
Thaddeus

Crop marks using indesign CS4 with Epson 3800 Mac 10.5.7

My crop marks and pages are printing larger than my document sizes. My paper size is 13x19, so I should have crop marks at the exact corners of the page sizes. But indesign is printing the entire document larger. So my document which is 11x14.75 is now printing 11.25x15.5. All my settings are correct. So, is anyone else using an Epson 3800 with CS4 indesign having issues such as the above? And can I ask (beg) a few of you to do a test print with crop marks and let me know the results?
My workflow has been completely stalled because I can't get my pages to print the right sizes with the crop marks at the right measurements. I'm printing a photo portfolio on the Lumijet double sided paper and "when" it did work awhile back sometime several months ago, the finals looked great. I've already reinstalled both the Epson 3800 driver and the Indesign CS4 software, but the results are still the same.
So, here are my settings:
document size: 11x14.75
in the print panel:
Printer: Epson 3800
Setup: Paper size: Super A3/B13x19, scale 100% width & height, page position Centered
Marks & Bleed: Marks: "Crop Marks" checked. offset: 0, weight: .25, Bleed and Slug: Use Document bleed settings, include slug area. The bleed is 0 for top, bottom, left and right
Color Management: Document profile: Adobe RGB, Options: Indesign handles colors, Printer Profile: (A custom made profile using Xrite for the 3800 with Lumijet paper)
The settings on the Epson 3800
Epson 3800 Printer
Presets (set for the profile mentioned above)
No Color management
Sometimes, on a whim, the printer and indesign cooperate together like good little children should. But not often. And I can not conclude why they are nice to each other sometimes, but given the same detailed data at other times, they fight.
If anyone could run through a similar process using indesign with a photo layout and setting up the printer settings for both the Epson 3800 and in the indesign program and let me know their results, I would value your conclusions very much. You don't even have to waste paper or ink. Finally, after wasting so many pages of paper and of ink. I deleted the photos from the page, and printed it blank with only the crop marks for me to measure if it was coming out right or not.
Thank you for any response. And feel free to call me if you want to vent about Epson 3800's or about Indesign CS4 anytime! I'm up late.... 646 256 8853.
Thaddeus

You need the InDesign forum.

CS5 and Epson 3800. Prints Too Dark.

I've seen old posts about this, but nothing recent with this configuration of software and OS:
After years of printing successfully with my Epson 3800 from a PC, I recently switched to a Mac (Mac OS X 10.6). I am using Photoshop CS 5.
Despite many iterations of monitor calibration trying different settings, my prints are consistently about 2 stops too dark. I'm very vexed.
What is the latest information about this and how do I resolve this?
Thank you.

Hello!
The expert on 3800 is Eric Chan, one of the Camera Raw Senior Engineers : (scroll down after the Photo) http://people.csail.mit.edu/ericchan/
Message was edited by: Pierre Courtejoie -Typo

Prints too dark on Mac )S 10.6 with Epson 3800

All prints are too dark with Photoshop 6 using Epson 3800 on IMac OS 10.6 ; Help?

what workflow
are you using 16-bit options in the print menus (don't)
this has been covered here and on the web many times...
http://www.gballard.net/photoshop/epson/cs6/

PS 6 & epson 3800 prints too dark

All prints are TOO Dark with PS 6 on Epson 3800 (using 27" IMac OS10.6) no matter what I have tried; HELP

I can print ok from Microsoft Word
Screen has been calibrated with Spyder
How do I fix this?
Thanks
Sidney S. Horowitz
Sent from my iPhone

CS4 and Epson 11880 dark prints

I read about some issues with dark prints and CS4. I am able to print correctly to an Epson 9800 and 3800 but the 11880 prints dark when using CS4 (color or b&w). I use OS X 10.5.5 and have the latest drivers and firmware. Is this the same issue others are having? Any ideas for a fix?
Settings:
Photoshop dialog = Photoshop manages color
Epson driver = No color management
Print = dark output
P.S. The soft proof on the screen looks like it should (similar to CS3 soft proof) but the print does not match the soft proof, like I said too dark.
Thanks in advance for any help or info...
Jeff

Here we go again.
The first thing I would do is try the ColorSync workaround to determined if double profiling is going on here.
You could also try convert to profile (paper/printer) and then choose Printer Manages Color in the PS dialog and then turn off CM in the driver. See if it makes any difference.

Dark prints using CS5 & Epson R2400 ongoing problem, now new PC and magenta cast

Have tried every combination of set up in trying to solve problem. Had One Eye (now defunct lamp) various experts etc etc but compensated for dark prints by having screen lightened to bizarre point. Now having a new PC am faced with massive magenta cast. I really don't want to buy a new printer but have had the dark print problem since I got it. Have spoken to Adobe and Epson at length but eventually washed their hands. I feel it is something to do within the computer set up or Photoshop - don't think its printer problem. All drivers updated regularly. Thought it could be monitor problem but don't really think this is the case.
Any ideas welcome as I think I have tried everything. Use Windows 7.
Am retired and not very technically minded! Serious amateur photographer.

I have an Epson 1280 printer, and I have the same problem with prints. Part of the problem are the different color profiles in the monitor and the printer. The other problem to deal with is the type of photo paper used. While looking at web sites, I found that the ICC Color Profiles for the printer are on the install disc and are not automatically installed. One of the links describes which folder to install the profiles on both Mac & Windows computers.
As station_two wrote, calibrate your monitor first.
Below is a link about calibrating.
http://dpexperience.com/2009/12/18/calibrating-your-monitor-to-your-printer/
The next link is for printer tips
http://www.normankoren.com/printers.html#Printer_tips
And some more here
http://www.digitaldog.net/tips/
I do not have an exact answer for you because I have not figured it out myself, but here is what I have been doing on my prints. I might recommend that you work on a copy of the original.
In the Layer floating window, create a New Adjustment Layer by clicking on the half black/half white circle, and choose Hue/Saturation or Color Balance or Selective Color. Because the prints come out too red, you want to increase the green sliders, which is the opposite of red, and/or decrease the red. (Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Color Balance) is another way to do it.
Under the menu item Image>Adjust Levels. Move the center triangle at the bottom to lighten the mid-range, or use the center dialog box and change it to 1.20 or 1.30, for example.
Now press Print with Preview (but you really are not going to print).
When the dialog box comes up, make sure the Print Space: dropdown is set to Epson Paper or whatever you are using.
I have been using Relative Colorimetric. Press Print. Another dialog box will come up. At the bottom will be a button for Preview, which will generate a preview of what the photo will look like if printed.
Keep going back to the original and double click on the Adjustment Layer and adjusting it until the Print Preview looks ok.
Be sure when you actually print that the paper and color settings in the Epson dialog box match your settings in Photoshop. There is a dropdown that has Print Settings or Color. Often they don't match unless you print several photos in a row. I have found printing at the lower settings (less than 360 dpi) also messes up the color.
It is not an excellent solution, but until I can figure out more, I am in the same boat as you.
I'd suggest saving the lightening and color adjustments as two different Actions.

Adobe Reader 10.1.3 Will Not Print on Epson 3800

I know it says printing problems solved, but today I wanted to print some tax forms and the dialog got as far as showing the file loading into the printer after accepting the Preview. Then it stopped. So at least for the Epson 3800 on Win 7, it won't work. However, it did print on an Epson Workforce printer on XP SP3. Both computers have the latest update.
One difference: with the 3800, I get asked if I want to save it and I have to say yes. The save is another file this time the extension is .prn which nobody can read. Or print.
I have the latest driver on the 3800, and it works in CS6 fine and also Open Office.

Followup:
I checked out another form and got the following notification:
After clicking OK, I also cannot print. In fact, I can find no Acrobat file that will print. It sure looks like it's the printing capabilities that are no longer enabled!

Color printing shift in Epson 3800 & InDesign CS5

Somebody please help!
I wrote about this once before and have been looking for a thread to help me figure out why I am having so much trouble printing from my Epson 3800, since I upgraded to CS5. The issue is specific to InDesign and Acrobat. I have the identical settings from CS4, but when I print, the colors look faded. I have tried exporting the files to PDF (for high quality print) and then printing from Acrobat and I get the same result.
the two things that are different are the Mac OSX (Snow Leopard, used to be Leopard) and CS5. All other setting are exactly the same.
If I open the pdf in photoshop, this isn't a problem, so what has happened?
I would be so grateful to hear from anybody experiencing this problem.
Thanks so much!
sharon

In and of itself, synching settings in bridge won't have an effect on output, and won't affect existing docs unless your policy settings are to convert to the working space or you do it manually (neither of which are necessarily a good idea in all situations). Nor do we have any indication that this is a profile mismatch problem.
Without a lot more information about working profiles, whether they're already synchronized, driver settings, whether transparency is involved, and the patch levels of both ID and OS X I hesitiate to speculate on where the problem might be. There have been a lot of problems with printing from CS5 on OS X 10.6, but most seem to be worked around by exporting to PDF, which seems not to be the case here, so a lot more information would be beneficial.

Photoshop, Epson 7880 and Dark Prints

I use Photoshop exclusively for printing to my Epson 7880. Recently upgraded to Snow Leopard ( 10.6.6 ) which has resulted in my 7880 prints being too dark. Printed beautifully under 10.5x. Looking for discussions on possible solutions or approaches. Anybody out there in the same boat? I have the latest drivers - at least according to Epson - and would be happy to upgrade to CS5 ( currently CS3 ) but only if there is good evidence it would help. Sorta desperate here, have orders unfulfilled.
24" 2.8 Ghz iMac, OS 10.6.6, Psd. 10.0.1

I have the Epson 7880 setup under 10.6.6 and Photoshop 12.0.2 and it seems to be working under this "Photoshop Manages Colors" Off (no color management) work flow:
http://www.gballard.net/photoshop/epson/cs5/
You may aso want to review Adobe's spin on the Dark print issue
http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/875/cpsid_87512.html
but it was also written for CS5...

When using printer Epson R1900 with Aperture 3 and if I mistakenly choose the wrong paper such as, epson's luster instead of glossy, does that change the exposure? Like make it too dark one or two stops!

When using printer Epson R1900 with Aperture 3 and if I mistakenly choose the wrong paper such as, epson's luster instead of glossy, does that change the exposure? Like make it too dark one or two stops!

Hi,
If you choose the incorrect settings for printing, yes - the print quality will be affected.
Different papers absorb the ink differently, so you can end up with prints that are too light, too dark, or have a colour cast if you make incorrect choices in your Aperture or printer settings.

Problem printing with Epson 3800 and Photoshop CS5

I came across a problem trying to print with my Epson 3800 in Photoshop CS5. I recently upgraded to Photoshop CS 5 (and Lightroom 3). I tried to print using my Epson 3800 with CS5 but could not adjust Print Settings, Color Mamagement, Paper Configuration, Expand Border because those options are unavailable and there is a line crossing through them. I get a message that says "The bundle 'Print Setting' could not be loaded because it does not contain a version for the current architecture". It then says to contact the creator listed here for the latest version: PrintSetting version 3.57, Copyright SEIKO EPSON CRP 2001-2006. I can print through Photoshop CS4 as usual, but CS5 is a problem. I haven't tried printing though Lightroom 3 yet, and have not typically used Lightroom to print, but I wonder if that will be a problem too?
Any help will be appreciated.

If you run CS5 or LR as a 32bit application you will have all these option available to you. You can then save these options as presets that can then be applied when you are running the applications in 64bit mode even if you can not access them individually.
Also you might want to check Epson's download site especially the European site to see if there are newer drivers or updates for your printer. The newest drivers for other printers like the 7600/9600 support application running in 64bit mode.
Doyle

Dark prints Epson 3800

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