Please help! Photos not printing properly on Epson 3880

rosied · Jan 30, 2015

I've tried everything but for some reason (probably on my end) i cannot get my printer to colour match my photos. I'm printing through Lightroom 5, I've calibrated my LaCie 324 monitor with a Spyder4Pro, I've watched Robert Rodriguez Jr tutorials and read his book. I'm following everything step by step and still it's off. I even contacted Epson though all they told me was to get Photoshop and print through there. I know it's my fault so what am i doing wrong?

I am using Red River Ultra Satin 4.0 and Epson Premium Luster. I've printed most on RR's with their ICC profile but my blues were too blue and i was getting red and purple tones in the sky even though it was supposed to be white (?). I tried letting the printer colour manage and the printer colour management was way closer than RR's ICC's. Then i tried Epson paper with their ICC profile and it was over exposed and skin tones were off.

Sorry if i'm not explaining myself properly, I'm new to this and could just use a little help, anything would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Hugowolf · Jan 30, 2015

I think you need to try and isolate the problem. I would start by printing one of any number of standard printer evaluation test images, such as this one from Outback Photo: http://www.outbackphoto.com/printinginsights/pi049/essay.html

Print it unedited, using the workflow and printing app you intend to use for your own images.

Brian A

l_d_allan · Jan 30, 2015

Hugowolf said:
I think you need to try and isolate the problem.

Agree.

And to the OP ... welcome to DPR forums. Please expand your profile with Location and Gear-List. "Help us help you".

Hugowolf said:
I would start by printing one of any number of standard printer evaluation test images, such as this one from Outback Photo: http://www.outbackphoto.com/printinginsights/pi049/essay.html

Print it unedited, using the workflow and printing app you intend to use for your own images.

Before that, I'd do a nozzle check. Don't proceed if it isn't good as new, but rather get that resolved.

Then check if Settings are ok ... here's a helpful link to Red River info:
http://www.redrivercatalog.com/profiles/how-to-use-icc-color-printer-profiles.html

Do both the Epson paper and RR paper have the same problem(s) ?

In general, it is best to resolve problems with OEM ink and OEM paper.

I infer that with your high end Epson 3880, you have significant printing experience, and probably success with simpler printers. Or not?

bobh121 · Jan 30, 2015

rosied said:
I've tried everything but for some reason (probably on my end) i cannot get my printer to colour match my photos. I'm printing through Lightroom 5, I've calibrated my LaCie 324 monitor with a Spyder4Pro, I've watched Robert Rodriguez Jr tutorials and read his book. I'm following everything step by step and still it's off. I even contacted Epson though all they told me was to get Photoshop and print through there. I know it's my fault so what am i doing wrong?

I am using Red River Ultra Satin 4.0 and Epson Premium Luster. I've printed most on RR's with their ICC profile but my blues were too blue and i was getting red and purple tones in the sky even though it was supposed to be white (?). I tried letting the printer colour manage and the printer colour management was way closer than RR's ICC's. Then i tried Epson paper with their ICC profile and it was over exposed and skin tones were off.

Sorry if i'm not explaining myself properly, I'm new to this and could just use a little help, anything would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Like Brian said use a standard test print. Post your operating system and what settings you used to make the test print. If you can post screen captures of you LR and printer setup.

lcubed11 · Jan 30, 2015

rosied said:
I've tried everything but for some reason (probably on my end) i cannot get my printer to colour match my photos. I'm printing through Lightroom 5, I've calibrated my LaCie 324 monitor with a Spyder4Pro, I've watched Robert Rodriguez Jr tutorials and read his book. I'm following everything step by step and still it's off. I even contacted Epson though all they told me was to get Photoshop and print through there. I know it's my fault so what am i doing wrong?

I am using Red River Ultra Satin 4.0 and Epson Premium Luster. I've printed most on RR's with their ICC profile but my blues were too blue and i was getting red and purple tones in the sky even though it was supposed to be white (?). I tried letting the printer colour manage and the printer colour management was way closer than RR's ICC's. Then i tried Epson paper with their ICC profile and it was over exposed and skin tones were off.

Sorry if i'm not explaining myself properly, I'm new to this and could just use a little help, anything would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

what version of the spyder4pro software are you using?

after doing an OS update a few weeks ago, my screen and prints were no longer matching after doing a screen recalibration with my spyderpro

turns out that the spyder software wasn't detecting updates properly and i was 5 versions behind. downloading the latest version fixed my screen and print matching issues.

RGBCMYK · Feb 1, 2015

I personally love printing out of LR5 but what OS are you printing out of. This is information that is necessary to help.

PaulinDE · Feb 1, 2015

rosied said:
I've tried everything but for some reason (probably on my end) i cannot get my printer to colour match my photos. I'm printing through Lightroom 5, I've calibrated my LaCie 324 monitor with a Spyder4Pro, I've watched Robert Rodriguez Jr tutorials and read his book. I'm following everything step by step and still it's off. I even contacted Epson though all they told me was to get Photoshop and print through there. I know it's my fault so what am i doing wrong?

I am using Red River Ultra Satin 4.0 and Epson Premium Luster. I've printed most on RR's with their ICC profile but my blues were too blue and i was getting red and purple tones in the sky even though it was supposed to be white (?). I tried letting the printer colour manage and the printer colour management was way closer than RR's ICC's. Then i tried Epson paper with their ICC profile and it was over exposed and skin tones were off.

Sorry if i'm not explaining myself properly, I'm new to this and could just use a little help, anything would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

I print fine on the 3880 using the same paper and settings you show for LR5 using RR profiles from both LR and Photoshop. Do find the advice to get Photoshop do to your printing rather strange! My preference is to print from LR, lot easier with many format options. Suggest you take Hugowolf's suggestion to help isolate your problem.

Paul

rosied · Feb 2, 2015

Profiles are good, (i've been emailing back and forth with RR just to make sure).

Both papers and profiles have problems. I did print with the Printer Color Management on and that was the closest it's been but the color was still off, photo was dull.I used the Epson profile and paper to do the test image and it's noticeably off, particularly the yellows and reds.

I have the latest version of the Spyder4Pro software (double checked)

I'm on OSX 10.8.5 - LR 5

Here are a few screenshots and a quick pic of the test image and nozzle check.

b77e1bba552b4a9d8bbb47781647f354.jpg.png

f30d39a3da58418cab5fbc3eb7e20903.jpg.png

Where should i go from here?

And i just want to say thank you so much for all your replies and help, i really appreciate it!

PaulinDE · Feb 2, 2015

Just a quick thought looking at your two test pages. Do you have print adjustment checked?

Paul

rosied · Feb 2, 2015

No it's off, greyed out.

I checked the ICC profiles in ColorSync and there were no Epson profiles. So i redownloaded and installed the Epson 9.33 Driver.

I then copy and pasted the Epson 3880 ICC profiles into ColorSync and reprinted the evaluation test image. It looks better but the reds and blues look off.

But even if that was the problem (the correct epson icc profiles weren't installed) why would that effect my properly installed Red River ICC Profiles? Right?

Howard Moftich · Feb 2, 2015

no, Print Adj. is NOT checked.

Have you tried using softproofing ?

You may want to ........

remove the printer (via SystemPrefs -> Printer)

then remove the driver.........

via Finder, navigate to /Library/Printers and trash the EPSON folder. then reboot. then re-download the appropriate driver pkg from Epson (v9.33? maybe 9.17) and re-instantiate the printer and try again.

Turn OFF borderless printing. it makes a mess inside the printer if used a lot.

rosied · Feb 2, 2015

Ya i was soft proofing before and it was still not working.

Will try uninstalling and reinstalling the driver

Thanks!

rosied · Feb 2, 2015

How bad is printing borderless?

Hugowolf · Feb 3, 2015

rosied said:
How bad is printing borderless?

It is generally not a good idea. The overspray ink is not collected by any waste system, it is simply caught by absorbent pads either side of the print. They will eventually become saturated and you will end up with ink catching on the edges of the paper.

It is ok once in a while, but it is much better to print larger and trim down.

Brian A

rosied · Feb 3, 2015

So if i want to print 11x14 which paper size should i get?

Any tips for trimming?

Thanks!

Howard Moftich · Feb 3, 2015

well, obviously something bigger than 8.5x11

RedRiver makes many of their papers available in 11x14 so you may want to take a look first.......

11x14 Photo Paper

Shop 11x14 Photo Papers in Different Styles. Just One of the Great Options from Red River Paper. Superior Products & Service Since 1997.

www.redrivercatalog.com

If you go down the trimmer route, the names to look at are Dahle and Rotatrim (but be prepared for sticker shock)

bobh121 · Feb 3, 2015

rosied said:
How bad is printing borderless?

Is there a reason the prints need to be borderless? If there going to be framed or matted you will never see the border.

Howard Moftich · Feb 3, 2015

borderless tends to look kind of amateurish or straight from the processor at CVS or other drug store (that's just my opinion, YMMV)

Hugowolf · Feb 3, 2015

rosied said:
So if i want to print 11x14 which paper size should i get?

The usual reason that the print needs to be a certain size is to fit a frame or mat. If you have 11" x 14 " frames, then the frame rebate will cover the border edge. If you have a mat with a 11 x 14" window, then you need a sheet larger than 11" x 14" anyhow, because some of it needs to be under that mat.

Otherwise, you can print on 11" x 14" and trim to 10.75" x 13.75".

11" x 14" is unfortunately a 'standard' frame size, although very little paper comes in that size. B&H, for exmple has 131 papers in 11" x 17" (a much better aspect ratio for most camera sensors), and only 36 in 11" x 14".

rosied said:
Any tips for trimming?

Howard already answered that one.

Brian A

rosied · Feb 3, 2015

No not really.

I'm printing 11x14 borderless for my portfolio and 12x18 on 13x19 paper for everything else.

So i should be printing 11x14 on 11x17 and trim the rest? Or should i be printing my 11x14 on a larger size?

And wow, trimmers aren't cheap. Is it a bad idea to cut with an exacto knife and a good ruler?

Please help! Photos not printing properly on Epson 3880

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