Printer Driver Settings

Below are some typical print driver settings that work well with Profile Prism for the purpose of developing and using printer ICC profiles. To set driver settings prior to printing, click "File", "Printer Setup" in your photo printing application. Then select your printer and click "Properties" for that printer. Set the driver settings as follows:

IMPORTANT: Remember that you are setting your print driver so that it performs the same way all the time, so the settings below should be used for printing the original printer target and the exact same settings should also be used when utilizing your profile afterward! It is also advisable to perform a nozzle check prior to any profiling to ensure that all printhead nozzles are functioning properly (no clogs exist).

NOTE: While the settings below apply to a large sample of printer models for each manufacturer at the date of this publication, some drivers may have slight variations. When variations exist, follow the settings below as closely as possible.

Epson Printers

Epson printer: option 1 (sRGB or color controls)

• On the "Paper" tab, make sure you have the proper paper size selected. Also ensure that "Printable Area" is set to "Standard".
• On the "Main" tab, select the proper "Media Type" for the paper you are using.
• Still on the "Main" tab, click "Custom" in the "Mode" group and click the "Advanced" button when it appears.
• Under "Print Quality" select the highest DPI listed.
• Under "Halftoning", select "High Quality Halftoning".
• Check the "Microweave" box.
• Uncheck the "High speed" box.
• Under "Color Management", click "sRGB" if that option is available or "Color Controls" if sRGB is not an option.
• If a "Gamma" setting is visible (when using "Color Controls" mode), set it to 1.8.
• Under "Mode", select "Automatic".
• Make certain that all sliders are set at zero position (center) if using "Color Controls" mode.
• Click "OK" on all windows to accept the settings.

Epson printer: option 2 (NCA)

Note: Epson printer output varies greatly when the driver is set to "no color adjustment" and is highly dependent on the "media type" selected and the paper used. Some printers, papers, and media selections cause the output to be extremely dark and can even cause large sections of the shadows to appear black, truncating the usable range from the full 0-255 range down to 64-255 or less. The "no color adjustment" mode should therefore be reserved for users who are having trouble with option 1 above and are using high end scanners that have a high dynamic range and can read deep into the shadows. IMPORTANT: If you choose to profile your Epson printer in "no color adjustment" mode, we recommend printing the brighter "printer-target-bright.tif" target instead of the usual "printer-target-40.tif" and making the corresponding selection under "Printer Target" on the Profile Prism main window before creating the profile.

• On the "Paper" tab, make sure you have the proper paper size selected. Also ensure that "Printable Area" is set to "Standard".
• On the "Main" tab, select the proper "Media Type" for the paper you are using.
• Still on the "Main" tab, click "Custom" in the "Mode" group and click the "Advanced" button when it appears.
• Under "Print Quality" select the DPI that you plan to use for your prints.
• Under "Halftoning", select "High Quality Halftoning".
• Check the "Microweave" box (unless it is grayed out).
• Uncheck/check the "High speed" box based on your preference.
• Under "Color Management", click "No Color Adjustment".
• Click "OK" on all windows to accept the settings.

Canon Printers

• On the "Page Setup" tab, make sure you have the proper paper size selected. It is also important to have "Borderless Printing" turned off.
• On the "Effects" tab, ensure that all effects are turned off (all boxes unchecked).
• On the "Main" tab, select the proper "Media Type" for the paper you are using.
• Still on the "Main" tab, under "Print Quality", click "Custom" and then the "Set" button.
• Slide the "Quality" slider as far right as possible toward the "Fine" setting: usually a setting of 1.
• Under "Halftoning", select "Diffusion" on the right. Click "OK" to save.
• Back on the "Main" tab, under "Color Adjustment", click "Manual" and then click the "Set" button.
• Make sure all sliders are at zero position (center).
• Uncheck the "Enable ICM" box.
• Under "Print Type", drop down and select "None".
• Under "Brightness", select "Normal". Click "OK" to save.
• Back on the "Main" tab, make sure "Grayscale Printing" is not checked.
• Click "OK" on all windows to accept the settings.

All other printers

• Check all setup tabs and ensure that any and all references to "ICM" are unchecked.
• Turn off any features that are labeled "automatic" or "enhance".
• Set all color controls to zero position (center).
• Set all quality related options to the quality that you plan to use for your prints.
• Click "OK" on all windows to accept the settings.