Missing most of printer icc profiles in cs5

I installed cs5. I have been using many printer profiles in the past. CS5 shows only few, up to Hartman icc paper profiles for my rpinter , but all others are not show in the pull down list. Even if they are in the ...win32/spool/driver/color directory as they have been before...Any suggestions?

I had all these profiles show in my previous photoshop releases and I used them for printing. After I installed CS4, they had a bug with
profiles - I think they messed up permissions in the color folder where icc profiles live. After I upgraded to CS5 , I noticed that some of my profiles are shown in the pull down menu and meny others are not. I had custom proofs set up - and that still works , even for
profiles that are not actually shown in the pull down menu! But, I can't select them for further proofing or printing - which
is very upsetting. Adobe's customer support line has one hour wait. which is really unacceptable - for the money they charge
for their products they need to communicate via e-mail or have faster responses.

Similar Messages

Color management screen/print & ICC Profiles

Hi,
I'm an amateur photographer and Lightroom 5 user. I shoot RAW with a Nikon D7000 and use Xrite Colorchecker passport to create camera profiles To calibrate my monitor I use Xrite i1 Display Pro (D65, 2.20 Gamma, 80 lumens brightness).
I have had great success displaying slideshows of my photos on a panasonic plasma 50". The problem I am having is printing pictures. I export to jpg using Adobe RGB and take my photos to the local Costco but the pictures come out darker and the colors are slightly off. When comparing prints to the Colorchecker passport the color difference is evident. Printing with Costco has been a hit and miss regardless of location.
I would like to set up my own printer to print photos. I have an Epson Stylus CX7450 and Epson Glossy Photo Paper (SO41141). Where can I get the ICC profiles for the printer and paper combination? I am looking for some advice and solutions to help improve my workflow and quality print output .
thank you,
john

Although ICC profiles for the Epson professional (Stylus Pro) printers are readily downloadable from the Epson web site, I don't think Epson creates ICC profiles for the all-in-ones, probably because they are considered to be more like general office equipment. You'd have to find some profiles online that others have created, or make your own with a printer profiling device.
As for Costco, you might get better prints by using profiles made for the printer at your local Costco. These may be available from Dry Creek Photo. Note that for the profiles to work properly you have to follow the directions on the site for communicating with the Costco photo print department so that they set their printer to account for the fact that you've exported to a specific profile.

Printing ICC Profile Targets

Can you use Aperture to print printer profile targets without any colour management. Maybe I'm missing something but I cannot see how this can be done. If this has already been answered can you point me in the right direction cannot find anything myself. Thanks.

Can you use Aperture to print printer profile targets without any colour management. Maybe I'm missing something but I cannot see how this can be done. If this has already been answered can you point me in the right direction cannot find anything myself. Thanks.

Printing in CS5 using ICC profiles.

How do I use downloaded ICC paper profiles in CS5 when printing?
I have downloaded some ICC profiles for Inkpress papers.
They are in my download folder, but when I open CS5 I can't use the Inkpress profiles.
Message was edited by: brianpmccallion

here are the settings i use
PRINTER ICC PROFILE IS ENTERED HERE:
MEDIA TYPE is the type of paper closest to what your're using (not a ICC profile):
Epson Color Manage OFF:

ICC Profiles and PSE3.0 - How to Needed?

I recently bought a monitor calibrator, and I am quite satisfied that what I see on the monitor is the way I should be seeing it. I've printed a few prints with my Canon Pixma 4000, and the prints are almost exactly the same as what I see on the monitor. So, as far as using my printer, I am pretty satisfied with the workflow/color management.
As a test, I sent a photo to Adorama, and I chose to use no ICC profile or color correction. I just picked up the print from them, and it is noticeably different from my other prints and the monitor. Basically, it appears to be darker, which of course renders the colors slightly different shades and the saturation different than what I started with. It is a nice print, but not true to my original.
So, I assume the missing ingredient was the ICC Profiles I could have downloaded from them; a different one for each of their paper choices. Please help me understand when I embed this profile in my workflow, and how it works. Can I do this at all in PSE 3.0?
Does it get embeded early in the process, in which case what I see on the screen is different than if I didn't use a profile; or, is it embeded in the end of the process, and only used as a set of instructions for their printer?
I think I'm oh so close to understanding this process.

Steven,
Most photo labs are set up to process sRGB images, NOT Adobe RGB images. In
fact, most commercial printers either do not read embedded profiles or
ignore them.
If you are going to send an image to a commercial printer without using the
labs custom icc profiles you should be working in sRGB and send them an
sRGB image. If you do want to use the labs custom icc profiles, you must
have software that can convert the image to the selected profile. Elements
cannot do that.
I'm going to give you a link to Dry Creek Photo
(http://www.drycreekphoto.com/icc/using_printer_profiles.htm) that has some
pointers for using custom profiles with commercial labs. Especially read
the info at the bottom under "Example color managed editing and printing
workflow". They also have pointers to some utilities that can do the
conversion.
Dry Creek Photo creates custom profiles for commercial printers and, in
fact, lists Adorama in their profile database. Here's the entry:
a.. "Adorama Pro-Lab Inc.: 42 West 18th St., New York, NY 10011 Phone:
888-216-6400
a.. Store info: Noritsu 34-Pro, Kodak papers.
b.. Royal Glossy paper profile, June 26, 2006
c.. Endura Lustre paper profile, June 26, 2006
d.. Royal Matte paper profile, June 26, 2006
e.. Mac OS 9 format version (both profiles) See usage note.
f.. Note: This printer uses our enhanced accuracy custom profiles.
g.. Note: Adorama has multiple printers. Specify that your profiled
prints run on the Noritsu 34-Pro.
h.. For more information, please contact Adorama Pro-Lab "
Using custom profiles or not using them and using just sRGB should only make
subtle differences. Gross changes would suggest that you have something
wrong in your settings and/or calibration. You have a calibration device,
which is good, but what are your Elements color settings? While you can
never get a perfect match between monitor and print, you should be able to
get a reasonable and consistant match. It's also possible that Adorama is
doing something that's affecting the print. If you are sending an sRGB
image that views ok on your system using something other than Elements and
it comes back from Adorama significantly different, it could be on their
side.
Bob

Photoshop CS6 - Printing ICC Targets?

So now that Adobe has completely eliminated the possibility of printing icc profile targets through Photoshop CS6 (cant do null transform anymore), how do you suggest we print ICC profile targets without color management? Yes, I'm aware of the ACPU, but that utility causes all kinds of issues with scaling and sizing the targets incorrectly. Are you planning on fixing the ACPU to work on the current operating systems?

Why are you using absolute colorimetric? Are you trying to proof printing on a paper that is much more yellow than what you are printing on?
If you are not trying to proof printing on another paper, use Relative Colorimetric.

ICC profiles missing in Print dialogue

Couldnt find anything on this matter. Ill keep it simpe:
Seems the print dialouge in PS CS6 isnt calling on the colorsync folder for ICC profiles.
However, soft proofing does call on these profiles. Any thoughts why I am not able to use ICC profiles in print mode?
Reference attached images.
Profiles loaded:
Profiled Not Loaded:

Chris,
Thanks for the input. In CS5, my soft proofing settings would typically
mirror my printer profiles. I would be able to load my profiles from the
print area in CS5 simply by placing them in the colorsync folder in my mac.
The files to be printed are an RGB file to be sent to an RGB printer (epson
9880). The issue is my paper profiles are not loading in the print dialoge.
Im curious to know if CS6 is calling on this folder or if the profiles need
to be loaded somewhere else.

Photoshop CS5 Print Printing problem: print count and print to ICC profile

Since Adobe still haven't acknowledge the printing issue with CS5, I start this thread to report my own problems.
Problem 1:
print copy count is not working. The first print is always one print regardless how many copies you set in the dialog window. The next print will actually print the copies set in the previous print job.
This is a well documented problem, and until today no fix. I am not too worried about this problem because I can always print one copy each time to get job done, until the day Adobe acknowledge and fix the problem.
Problem 2:
when I let the Photoshop manage color and print to a custome ICC profile (generated by Spyer3Print), Photoshop RANDOMLY decides to print a light colored magenta cast picture. It's like Photoshop has used the wrong ICC. Now every time I print a 13x19, I have to pray. Because this thing is so random, I can't even reproduce the problem consistantly.
here's the information about my system:
Windows 7 Ultimate 64Bit (not a fresh system) with 8GB RAM. Printer drivers installed: Canon Pro9000II, Canon MP600, Epson 1400.
I experience problem 2 after I installed CS5 with Epson 1400 printer, but not too frequent. Later on I installed drivers for Epson R1800, Epson R2400, and I mainly print with R2400. All the printer drivers, software updates are the lastest available.
I was a software developer. I wrote windows application before. I am pretty sure the problem is with CS5 based on my knowledge. If I wrote an Windows application that crashs Windows or another party's appliction, I certainly would not blame Microsoft or another party for not writing a bulletproof system. I would try to find a workaround in my own application. That's just my take. Adobe may have different mind set. They are still pointing finger to MS and Epson.

I don't condone the problems, but a workaround I've recently read about for the copy count problem is to do the following, in order:
1. Set the copy count you want.
2. Click the Print Settings... button to enter the printer driver setup dialog.
3. [OK] out.
4. Print
This is reported to get the proper copy count into the print driver and make it "stick". I just tried it and it seems to work.
Keep in mind you may want to go through this again after printing to get the copy count to default back to 1 for the next print.
-Noel

Is printing with ICC profile usable in CS5 and Mac Intel ?

Hi all,
I have an Epson Stylus Color 2100 (2200 in USA) which works perfectly in CS3 with a Power Mac G5. I have an iMac (Mac OS 10.6.4) and can't print with my Epson : everything get out greenish when I try to let Photoshop manage color. If I the printer manage color it's ok but since I work with a ColorMunki.... I would prefer to work with my profiles ! Has anyone any ideas ? Thanks for your help.

Just for your info : there is no solution to my problem (greenish prints) it is a CS5 running SnowLeopard and Epson driver problem.
I have not seen this issue with the new Epson drivers for the 9600, except when I did not completely remove old drivers.
For details (and a workaround -not a solution-) you can see Adobe Tech. Note: No color management option missing when printing in Photoshop CS5 http://kb2.abobe.com/cps/834/cpsid_83497.html and for more details you can read in the Luminous Landscape Forums the topics about that ( http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/solving.shtml
and http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=43352.0
By far I am not the only one with this problem. I have to wait for the promised Adobe printer Module (which will be available in Adobe Tech Labs someday).
I have tried to install CS3 on SnowLeopard but with no printing difference hence I will have to print with my G5 and CS3....
I found that with SL that it was best to use sRGB as the assigned profile in the workaround, but this did not produce as good a profile as printing a no CM target with InDesign to create the profile.
By far I am not the only one with this problem. I have to wait for the promised Adobe printer Module (which will be available in Adobe Tech Labs someday).
Removing "No Color Management" from CS5 was just a really dumb move by Adobe just because some Epson drivers were not written correctly. O' and by the way Adobe then releases the new version of Elements with "No Color Management" as an option. So is Adobe going to update CS5 and include the "No Color Management" option? Must be some reason after all this time they have not released the much promised application to print unmanaged targets.
I have tried to install CS3 on SnowLeopard but with no printing difference hence I will have to print with my G5 and CS3....
CS3 was one strange beast when it came to printing. Seems it had elements of both Apple printing paths and depending on what OS version you are using you will get different results. I have no trust what so ever printing from CS3. Now CS4 on the other hand prints just fine, and even prints the "No Color Management" option just fine with correct drivers, and that includes the 8.19 driver for the 9600.

PS CS5 Image Display Differs From Used ICC Profile In Win 7

Hi,
on my Windows 7 Ultimate x64 machine, I just calibrated my Dell SP2309W monitor using an i1DisplayPro and basICColor 5, creating a ICC v2 profile (I am aware of the problems under Windows with ICC v4 profiles).
It created the ICC profile and applied it to be used by Windows. I double checked under COLOR MANAGEMENT that the new ICC profile is being used. Although I can see that the new ICC is being used (desktop appearance changes), there are a few issues I am experiencing:
(1.) Windows Photo Viewer
The thumbnails in Windpows Explorer look fine (they DO use the new ICC profile), when I double click a jpeg and open the image it DOES NOT use the new ICC profile. When I click the PLAY SLIDESHOW button (starting the slideshow) in the opened image in Windows Photo Viewer, the images DO use the new ICC profile.
(2.) Internet Browsers
All current internet browser (Firefox, IE, Safari and Chrome) DO use the new ICC profile and display the image correctly.
(3.) Photoshop CS 5
When I open the same image - that Windows Photo Viewer does not correctly displays (according to the new ICC profile) - in Photoshop CS5, I get the same image display that Windows Photo Viewer gives me (when not thumbnail or not in slideshow mode) - it appears to be the sRGB display.
My color settings in PS CS5 are: North America General Purpose 2 > sRGB IEC 61966-2.1.
When I go to View > Proof Setup > Monitor RGB I get the image display using the new ICC profile.
Why does the image look different in PS than my calibrated monitor should output ?
I was under the impression (please correct me if I am wrong), that the sole purpose for calibrating my monitor was to get a uniform display across (ICC aware) applications. Even when one applies different color spaces to a document in PS, I thought the output on my calibrated screen done by the graphic card should always be according to my calibration and the settings in the ICC profile being used.
What Am I doing wrong or what am I misunderstanding ?
Any help or input is appreciated !
Thanks.
- M

Hello,
A note on monitor calibration: calibrating your monitor will not guarentee that every application will display color correctly, it's more of a step along the pipeline, and for the preview part of a color workflow it's the last step. Here's how color translation follows for an ICC workflow when previewing to a monitor:
Image Color Numbers > Document Tag or Workspace Profile > Monitor Profile
For non-color managed applications, if the original document is or isn't tagged with a color profile it will be translated directly to the monitor profile anyway. This is the equivalent in Photoshop of selecting "Monitor" in soft proofing. Selecting monitor in softproofing will bypass the tagged or workspace profile to translate colors directly through the monitor profile.
For most automatic color managed applications (like Firefox), the image will be translated through the tagged profile and then sent through the monitor profile. If the image is untagged or the profile is unrecognized, the colors get sent directly to the monitor profile.
For Photoshop, a tagged document will have its profile respected and then sent to the monitor. An untagged document will be assigned the workspace profile, which acts like a temporary document profile, and then gets sent to the monitor. This is often why users will notice Photoshop behaves differently from other applications. It's usually a case of the workspace coming into play. By default the workspace profile is set to sRGB. You can change this in Edit > Color Settings.
The purpose of the workspace is originally for printing workflows, as a way of keeping consistant color translations when dealing with both tagged and untagged documents. For web output workflows it can be useful for viewing everything through sRGB, which is typical of the average monitor output (not so with newer wide-gamut monitors, another source of confusion...) combined with the fact that originally most web browsers were not color managed. Hence viewing everything through sRGB is pretty close to what most monitors see and what untagged/unmanaged docs will look like.
Monitor calibration is useful only because it brings your monitor output to a "known state". In traditional workflows the monitor was always a middle-man, a preview device which was useful for getting an idea of what the printed output would look like before you print it. Since print colorspaces are often smaller than display spaces, it's feasible and useful to narrow down the monitor/display space and calibrate it to a known state, so that even if it doesn't totally match the print, you'll get used to its differences/limitations and they'll be consistent so long as the calibration is maintained.
For web output, your final output is often another user's computer monitor, which can have any form of behavior (most standard monitors are pretty close to sRGB, or use sRGB as an operating system workspace (default monitor profile). Wide gamuts behave differently, but I'm not sure if there's a particular ICC space that they closely match, or if different wide-gamuts are even that close to each other in their display color spaces.
Hope this helps!

How to set up Print Specs and Profiles in CS5 Suite

I am no color management expert but I do want to get my printer to print the same colors as my monitor displays in PSD, AI and InD applications.
My Intel iMac and Cinema Display running OS10.5.8 are both color calibrated with Spyder 3 Elite to achieve correct color reproduction.
After days of searching and testing, this is my solution which I offer to help those new to CS5.
1. Start: PHOTOSHOP:
     Set colour settings (Edit>Color Settings) as follows:
          RGB - Adobe RGB 1998
          CMYK - US Web Coated (SWOP) v2 (This setting does not effect printer).
          Leave Grey and Spot as default 20%
     Color Management Policys:
          RGB, CMYK, Gray; all set to Preserve embedded Profiles
     Conversions Options:
          Engine - Adobe ACE
          Intent - Relative colourimetric ( my choice for AI artwork. Choose Perceptual for photos in PSD).
     Go to Save, give profile a name, and note the Conversion intent so you can create another profile for Perceptual and PSD.
     (I called mine Epson R2400 and noted the Relative Colorimetric intent).
     Finally, Go to Settings at the top of the Color Settings dialogue and select the color profile you have just named and saved. Click OK
2. Go to Bridge>Edit>Creative Suite Color Settings. Find your saved profile and select it and click Apply.
     Now AI and ID have the same colour preferences.
     Users without Bridge will have to set these items in Color Settings for each Adobe application.
3.   Photoshop>File>Print: Color Management
          Color Handling - Photoshop Manages Color
          Printer Profile - Choose the ICC Profile to suite your printer and paper stock. I used Epson canned ICC SPR2400 Premium Glossy with great results.
          Rendering Intent - Relative Colorimetric for artwork or Perceptual for photos.
4. At top of Print dialogue box, select Printer (Epson Stylus Photo 2400 in my case).
     Below, Click and open Print Settings;
     Layout - select Paper Size and number of pages (copies). Layout is one of several items in a drop down menu.
     Open the next drop down item, Color Matching. Check that he two options, Color Sync and Epson should be grayed out.
     Move to Print Settings.
          Media Type - depends on your paper. (mine is Photo Quality InkJet).
          Color - select Color or Black
          Color Settings - OFF, This turns off color management in Epson Driver leaving Photoshop in charge!
          Mode - I chose Advanced to get fine quality print. Automatic OK for general use.
      Click Save. Click Print and you should get a print matching your Monitor.
ILLUSTRATOR CS5
Bridge will ensure that Color Settings match Photoshop as 1. above. If you don’t have Bridge Go to Edit>Color Settings and specify the same as      Photoshop. Note Settings, at top of Color settings dialogue box requires the profile you created in Photoshop.
     Go to File >Print. There are 3 steps to check.
     In the window at left are headings General, Marks and Bleed, Output, Graphics, Color Management, Advanced and Summary.
     These are self explanatory. If you do not use Bridge, check Color Management as below:
1. Printer: your printer. Color Handling: Let Illustrator determine colors. Printer Profile: select your monitor RGB icc profile.
   Unlike Photoshop, do NOT use printer/paper ICC. Rendering intent: to suit your image.
2. Bottom left of Print dialogue box is Page Setup. Set your size etc.
3. Bottom Left is Printer. MOST IMPORTANT. Here are the similar setting options as PSD 4 above which require different handling.
     Select Layout, go down to Color Matching>select COLORSYNC not Epson. This ensures Apple ColorSync does color conversion.
     Profile - Automatic should appear with name of your preferred Printer/paper ICC below. ( be careful here as I have found AI sometimes finds the wrong      paper icc. Close Print and start again).
     Move down list to Print Settings - Basic:
          Page Set up - Standard; Media type - Your choice, (Photo Quality InkJet for me).
          Color - Color
          Color Settings OFF to ensure Epson printer driver does not try to manage color.
          Mode - Advanced if you want fine quality print. Automatic is OK for general use.
4. Click Print to close Printer dialogue box. Click Print to close the Print dialogue box and you should get a print to match your on screen image.
INDESIGN and General Comments.
Always select your Printer first as settings vary according to printer type.
InDesign Print set up is very similar to AI. Select Color Management at left and the Printer, Printer Profile and Rendering Intent require identical settings.
Go to bottom left, Page Setup. Specify Printer and paper size. Select Printer and the settings required are the same as AI.
If you switch between these apps there is considerable danger that the different Profile choices will trip you up. Photoshop color management requires the Printer/paper ICC, AI and InDesign require Monitor ICC. My primary error was to select my professionally scanned printer/paper ICC profile which resulted in weird colours on AI and ID. The clue that led me to choose my Monitor ICC profile instead was the ColorSync option in Color matching in AI. I hope you will find printing runs a lot smoother for you and I heartily invite better informed users than I, can add to, or qualify this post.
May the Force be with you!

Regarding print brightness at output. The Settings of monitor calibration determine white point and black point. At the time you run Spyder 3 or whatever your monitor calibrator is, the software sets a white point of your choosing. current iMacs are far too bright and prints resulting from unmodified Mac monitors will appear too dark because of the excessive screen brightness. My iMac at lowest reading is 139 candelas. To get prints which match the screen I specify 80 candelas. The Spyder software also reads ambient light in the room and makes a calculation which effects the white and black points registered for both viewing and printing. Since paper reflects a light level according to lighting conditions, we each view prints in different conditions according to illumination source. This effects also effects screen viewing so conditions determine what we see.
In simple terms, ambient light reading also modifies the software calculations for colour output. If it is too high, prints are pale, too low and prints are too dark. If the Monitor calibration has been done properly there should be no problem. The point here is to make certain your calibration process is accurate. Personally I have calibrated in a dark room at night-time and I have calibrated In a shaded room at midday. Hugely different conditions. Under both circumstances I have found the calibration has resulted in good prints. So I suspect it is user white point settings or calibration error which results in prints being too dark or too light. I understand the data used by the calibration software applies to the ambient light reading to the monitor for reading conditions and uses other color gamut data for the printing process. So printing error must surely originate with the user.
I welcome comment from more experienced people in this matter.
Cheers,

Missing ICC Profile

Where do I locate missing ICC profile? Printer will not print photo without it.

You simply reinstall your printer driver. Other than that that could be permissions issues where the profile is not accessible. Still, most printers wil lhappily print without profiles, so I'm certain your printer will, too. you have some reading up to do on your printer settings and color management...
Mylenium

Cs5.5 - OSX 10.7 CMYK ICC Profile not visible?

Hi
Hoping someone can help here.
IT department have installed a new Macpro into our prepress/design area using OSX 10.7 Lion with CS5.5 and now we are not able to use/see any of the custom CMYK ICC profile we use for printers - laser or epson wide format inkjet on any of the CS5 apps. Prior to the new mac we had no issues as we were using 10.6.8 and CS4. I have read through many forums and release notes regarding issues with Lion and CS5 but haven't found any reference to Custom ICC Profile issues.
The ICC profile we urgently need is for our Epson 7800 using custom stock for proofing - specifically supplied for our color management to output to Forgra39 standard.
Had a specialist come in and he's baffled as well.
Any help with this would be MOST appreciated.
Thanks Mike

The ICC profiles are not visible to Applications as Output profiles i.e. Printer profiles. We have double checked the paths and they are correct and the profiles are installed. but they do not show up in Indesign, illustrator etc as a printer profile... In fact no cmyk profiles (even those supplied from Adobe i.e fogra39.icc) show up. When we open up colorsync we can see them but when we try any application to output to a cmyk print (laser or inkjet) the cmyk profiles are not visible.
any help much appreciated in advance
cheers Mike

Can't see the installed icc profiles for my paper in print module

I have downloaded and installed the icc profiles for my favourite Canson and Crane Museo papers on my new Macbook Pro but they don't show up in the options box in the LR 4 print module. Is there another step I have missed? Thanks in advance.

Where did you install the profiles? They should go into
Library/Colorsync/Profiles in your home folder or at the root level of your
hard disk. If you put it in that folder in your home folder, they show up
in user, if you put them in the root Library folder, they show up in
"Computer" in Colorsync utility

Possible solution for problems printing with ICC profiles - esp. R2400

(N.B. This is long because I've decided to go in to details about the background of the problem etc.. Also note that whilst my experience is with the Epson R2400, anyone with problems printing using ICC profiles in Aperture may find this post helpful, as will be explained further down the post.)
Ok, here's the situation. I've been an Aperture user for over a year, and an R2400 owner for half a year. In that time I have done a huge amount of experimenting, but I've never managed to get Aperture to work perfectly with Epson's 'premium' R2400 ICC profiles - the ones you can download from their site which are better than the ones provided 'in the box'. This hasn't been too big a deal because, in fact, the R2400 does a rather good job just set to 'System Managed' in Aperture and 'Epson Vivid' with a gamma of 1.8 in the printer driver. Nevertheless, it really annoyed me that something that should work wasn't, which is why I've spent a lot of time trying to figure out what's going on. Having said that, I have come across a method which will give you pretty good prints out of your Epson R2400 using the premium profiles in Aperture - it's not perfect, but it's the best you're going to get if you want to use those profiles in Aperture. I understand the words 'it's not perfect' aren't what photography experts would probably want to hear, however, I have seen a few anguished posts from R2400 owners in here before, so I think some people may find it useful.
The whole reason why Aperture is hopeless at using the R2400's premium profiles is because - unusually - their default rendering intent is set to 'relative colorimetric' rather than 'perceptual'. You might say 'but that's good - it means you get more accurate colours!', and if you do, you're right... however, there's a snag. To get an image to reproduce well using Epson's premium profiles and relative colorimetric rendering, you really need to use black point compensation. This is where the trouble lies: Aperture's black point compensation is diabolical to the point of being unusable when used with relative colorimetric rendering - I feel I need to be awarded compensation every time I've ever tempted to use the setting. So because BPC in Aperture is unusable, that effectively makes the premium profiles unusable too, because Aperture always uses the default rendering intent specified in the profile.
The solution? Use perceptual rendering instead. Ok, so you can't change the rendering intent in Aperture, which makes that sound a tad difficult. However, as I said in the above paragraph, Aperture always obeys the default rendering intent specified in the profile... so you can see where we're going with this: we need to change the ICC profiles' default rendering intent from 'relative colorimetric' to 'perceptual'. I did some digging around and found one or two expensive pieces of software that could do that... but then I found that, lo and behold, the Mac OS has a command-line utility which can do the job for us, for precisely £0.00. It's called SIPS or 'Scriptable Image Processing System', and you can find out some information about it here: http://developer.apple.com/technotes/tn/tn2035.html#TNTAG58 For those who don't like reading technical jargon however, here's what you need to do to convert a profile's rendering intent. First go to terminal, then type in the following command:
sips -s renderingIntent perceptual
Do not press 'enter' yet. Instead, add a space after 'perceptual', find the ICC profile you want to modify, and click and drag it into the terminal window. You should then find that your command looks something like this:
sips -s renderingIntent perceptual /Users/yourname/folder/RandomProfile.ICC
At which point you can then press 'enter', and the command will execute, giving you an ICC profile which will now make Aperture use perceptual rendering.
There is just one further thing to be aware of after doing this: for some crazy reason, you then need to turn on BPC in Aperture for the prints to come out as good as possible. Black point compensation shouldn't make any difference when using perceptual rendering as the idea of perceptual is that it takes account of things like that anyway, however, in Aperture BPC does make a difference, so remember to turn it on to get a half decent print. In general, I find that prints made using this setup come out pretty well; they almost perfectly match prints made using the profiles with a perceptual intent in Photoshop Elements, except for the fact that Aperture blocks up the shadows a bit more than Photoshop. However, if you can live with that, you might find this is quite a workable solution.
Now, I said near the beginning of this post that all the above can apply to other printers too. Most printer profiles have 'perceptual' set as their default rendering intent, in which case everything I've just said won't be of much help. However, If you are reading this because you're having problems with ICC profiles in Aperture, but you don't use an Epson R2400, find your problematic ICC profile, double-click on it, and take a look at the window that opens: specifically, at the 'Rendering Intent' the window mentions. If it doesn't say 'Perceptual' then it may well be worth trying the steps I've outlined in this post to set it to perceptual, to see if doing so produces an improvement when using the profile in Aperture.
Finally, just one note of caution: if you decide to try out the steps I've detailed above on a paid-for custom-made profile, please back your profile up before messing with it. I haven't experienced any problems when using SIPS to change a profile's rendering intent, but I obviously can't guarantee that it won't do something weird and corrupt your expensive custom-made profile.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask, although (contrary to any impression I may give) I am not a colour-management expert; I'm just someone who doesn't give up when they have a problem that should be solvable.
Thomas
Mac Pro 2.0GHz with 30" ACD; 15" MacBook Pro 2.0GHz Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Thomas
Wow - thanks for such a comprehensive post.
I have Aperture and a 2400 so this information is exceptionally useful to me.
Again - thanks for caring and sharing
Brian

Missing most of printer icc profiles in cs5

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