The very first things to print with your new photo printer. Avoiding basic printer setup problems

Keith Cooper looks at the very first prints he makes on any new photo printer (Epson, Canon or any other make), and why this step is a vital check that things are working correctly. The simple test prints that show your printer workflow and print software is configured correctly and any paper icc profiles are being properly applied.

The free test images and Keith's detailed printer reviews and articles about printers and printing are at:

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[paulbk]

Thanks, Keith. Great job. -- I'm an experienced amateur, both photos and printing. Digital since 2003. I shoot Canon 1DX Mark III, Print using Canon Pro-1000. I enjoy your work and vids. Everyone needs reminding. (fyi.. I'm 72 yrs old. Retired power plant engineer. Live: USA, New England, Connecticut.)

[ugrandolini]

Hey Keith, your channel is way so informative, thank you so much for sharing! Its about a couple of years that, everyone and then, I get back to your channel as I was looking to somehow educate myself for the day I was able to buy a printer. Finally I recently sold an old stereo and converted its value in a P900! Will keep looking at your great material, thank you again!

[cumberlandroadart]

Have a printer on the way and your videos are VERY helpful. The No fuss style of presentation makes using the printer less intimidating. Thank you!

[barryschneider]

Hey Keith,

Thank you so much for your videos jam-packed with instruction & tips. I’m in the US and believe you’ll really get me on my way to printing quality images. But, I’m a newbie, just getting out of the gate—an amateur photog with a keen eye who only takes photos with the highest-end iPhone models, has a Macbook Pro 15” 2018, and doesn’t have/use Photoshop or LightRoom (but willing to learn). Originally focused on the Canon 200 vs 300, I waited nearly a year to get the Epson ET-8550 because I liked its small apartment-friendly size, tanks ($) and ability to get up to 13x19 & panoramas). [If I ever need to produce a larger image, I’ll at least know how good the image can print at a smaller scale.].

My current goal is to create artful prints to adorn the bare walls of my apartment. In particular, I have two image types I want to feature in as glamorous a way as possible: 1) color photos of my Tourtoise Shell Tabby (Tourby) Cat which have great color, texture, sheen & composition. (I think of the two, this type will be easier to achieve satisfaction), and 2) Interior Shots of Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia cathedral, caught at sunset with glorious colors of diffused light pouring in through the stained glass. (On first efforts on glossy, the print version lost the luminous quality that is displayed by the backlit iPhone or Mac).

Per this video, and the one about various papers, I just purchased the Epson Signature Worth Sample Pack 8..5 x 11 to run test prints (I’ll save learning about their Legacy papers for another day) and I’m wondering about my next steps:

1) Do I first need a separately callibrated monitor for better matching of screen & printer color/quality?
2) Must your test images be printed 13x19 (as in your videos) or are they equally helpful printed on 8.5x11 (ame as my Sampler Kit)?
3) How would you recommend I go about manifesting a more luminous quality of light in my cathedral interior prints? Learn Photoshop or LightRoom? Use Epson’s included software? Apple Photos? Try a metal paper?

In the meantime, I’ll head over to the links/articles on test print images.

Thanks in advance,
Barry Schneider

[uwemobil]

Thank you for your explanation. I learned a lot from your videos and articles on your website regarding printing, printers, papers, colour management and what to focus on.

I recently purchased an Canon IX6850, certainly at the lower end of consumer printers but I expect a nice quality.

I was to buy a pro-200, my favorite printer would be a pro-1000, but do I really need them? Despite the fact that they are more expensive.

Further I am now provided with different Canon papers (Luster, Gloss and Pro Platinum) from A6 to A3+ and some original ink packages.


Printer*s still packed - I am so excited to start.

So, what did I learn after reading your articles and watching your very helpful videos with your by the way - very pleasant presentation:

Use original inks and papers.
Concider the higher price of original ink as a part of the cost of ownership.
Lower the monitor brightness.
After unboxing and installing the printer print out a test image.
Use printer/paper-profiles or ICC-profiles.
Do not compare the print directly with the picture on screen.
Do not expect an exact copy of the picture you see on the monitor and what you get on the print.

From other sources I learned not to print out - after edditing test images - on the bigger papers but smaller papers, it would be a waste of paper and ink.

As you ask for suggestions: You have mentioned already so much in your videos and articels and have a great and long lasting expertise, your website has so much information but may be the process of preservation and presentation of larger prints (A4- A3- A3+-A2) could be of interest:

I was wondering during the last days how I can collect and preserve prints and with what kind/type of folder for example can I watch the prints.
The space on the wall is limited.
There is the small photo album, ok.
But how can I collect larger prints and present them.
I did not find an appropriate solution yet.

[noxerone]

highly appreciated! thank you for these videos!

[mr.t]

Very informative 👍 ! So what you are saying is that one should download the test image an run it trough the printer as such, using the ICC-profile for the paper in use, is that correct !?

However, you don't really go in detail about the print-settings, but I assume that part is in the second video (and I'm going to look for that one now).

[emilycross]

Very timely as I am hoping to set up my new pro-300 today. Am wondering whether b+w mode on printers will include toning I may have added, such as sepia. Great, no nonsense practical videos, much appreciated.

[billyyoung]

Thanks yet again Keith.
My Epson ET-8550 Printer has arrived,
I'm awaiting some Epson Papers to arrive before I attempt to test Print a couple of your charts.

I've been going through a great amount of your Youtube Videos, and the Northlight Website,
So much info to digest and get my feeble brain around,

I've borrowed an X-Rite i1Profiler from a friend,
and calibrated my LG 32UN500 Monitor,
using the 465 patches setting
and i'm getting used to the much better imagery on the screen

The Printer was Commissioned with the Inks, and the Setup completed,
and I test printed a Duplex Text Document.


but a couple of things are confusing me,

1:
In Photoshop if I choose to let "Printer Manages Colors"
I get a warning about "ColorSync"

[jwoodman]

Terrific video. Still left tearing my hair because the manual for my newly purchased XP15000 doesn't say a word about ICC profiles, and the profile download section on the Epson website doesn't mention the printer. Would the profiles for any of the printers that are listed be of any use? I print from Lightroom - all of the profiles for my old Canon Pro10 are still there, but no Epson profiles are showing. Thanks for listening!

[breyton]

What are you looking for in the test prints to determine if your printer is working correctly? Should you be looking at clarity, sharpness, etc, or color.. and what if one of these parameters does not look correct...? What would you investigate? Would you re-run the alignment program of the printer or something else? I get what you are saying by first making test prints on a reference picture to evaluate the printer performance, but what are you looking specifically to determine if the printer is working correctly and what should you do next if you think there is an issue?

[larsj]

Thank you so much for the very informative videos and even better articles. I have a new Pro 200 waiting to be set up (have the pro 100 installed) and have a question regarding using USB or WIFI, do I have to pick one or could booth be active, and in if so is wifi ok to use? My Pro 100 is set. up with USB but like to be able to print using other devices if it is reliable.

[francescobutano]

Great video! Lot of information. I’ve followed your advice and printed two copies of the test image from Outback Photo on Hahnemuhle Baryta FB paper with my epson p800. The two copies were printed with the canned profile and recommended media setting (premium luster); one with relative rendering (black point compensation on) and the other with perceptual. The prints look globally fine except for two things. In both images I don’t see any tonal difference in the dark patches with value below 8. Furthermore only in the perceptual one there is a very slight warm cast on the grayscale gradient. In a situation like this, assuming that I don’t have a spectrophotometer and can’t build a custom profile or make any measurements, is there something do you suggest to do or is it an acceptable result?

[dtozzi]

I just got an Epson P 900. I have calibrated my monitor. I have printed a test image on Epson paper with the ICC profile. The flesh tone has an orange/reddish cast to it. Detail is fine. What do I do now? I love your videos as the are straightforward and incredible practical. How should I proceed?

[rlk]

Would you recommend that when printing a test image that one select managed by printer rather than using an icc profile? If the image is printed using an icc profile and the result is less than optimal how would one know whether the problem is the printer or the profile?

[KennedyDaniels]

Hi, I remember in a previous video you said you had made some ICC's for the Epson 15000 and you would send them out per request.
What would be the process for that?
I have the xp-15000 would love to expand the available colour profiles I have available.
Thanks in advance and for your helpful videos!

[doyleb]

Hi Keith, enjoying watching your videos. I’m thinking about buying a Canon Prograf 1000 however I’m concerned that it’s a bit long in the tooth now, 6 years or so old and they’ve not updated the firmware since 2019. Have you heard of an imminent replacement? I have a Canon Pro-1 just now having owned it from not long after it’s release, ink is getting harder to get at the usual £21/cartridge. I get good results using Permajet papers as long as they aren’t matt papers, even with custom profiles. If I use Canon matt it’s fine. My friend and I did a test with his 100s with identical settings using PJ papers, his was fine mine hopeless. One paper manufacturer informed me off the record last year that Canon stopped supporting the Pro-1 relatively soon after its release and that basically it’s not the best printer. I’m not sure if the 1000 was a replacement for the Pro-1 (A2 v A3+ aside obviously) but the 10s and the 100s have now effectively been replaced by the 300 and 200. So I’m wondering if Canon will fill the gap between the 1000 and the 300 with a 12 ink A3+ printer. With only £300 between rrp’s I’m not sure they will, though they may increase the price of the 1000 replacement to fit a new Pro-1 in between. Be good to get your thoughts.