Owner`s manual

Page 2, Data Sheet 4020, rev: Saturday, October 06, 2007
As a photographer, you are mostly concerned with the RGB method of output… unless, of course you are also providing
files to clients who need to have the images offset printed (CMYK output). Of course, you may also be interested in
printing black & white pictures. That will involve the use of the ―Grayscale‖ mode.
These instructions are strictly for calibrating in the RGB mode. We will also provide instructions for printing in
“Grayscale‖ mode. If you need to be able to output in CMYK mode, contact us at ColorBAT, or contact Adobe.
Almost all desktop ink jet, dye sublimation, and color laser printers require that Photoshop send to them a file that is in
RGB mode for color printing. Do NOT attempt to send a file that is in CMYK mode for color printing. While the printer
will certainly ―work‖ with CMYK files, it will not, and can not, work well. You will not get good color quality from a
CMYK file. CMYK files are for lithographers (offset ink printing).
If you need to print a B&W photo, the story is a little different. Some, older, printer drivers (especially the early Epson
drivers) would not allow the printer to deliver ―photo-quality‖ in the ―monochrome‖ or grayscale mode. In order to get
photo-quality, you HAD to operate the printer in its color mode. With those printers, you had to send an RGB file to the
printer, even though the RGB file contained a B&W picture.
With most of the newer ink jet printers you can set the driver settings to deliver photo-quality in the monochrome
(grayscale) mode. This allows you to convert your B&W image to ―grayscale‖ in Photoshop and send the grayscale file to
the printer.
If you have a choice, it is best to send a grayscale file to the printer if you want a B&W picture. Just be sure that your
printer driver is capable of delivering photo-quality in its grayscale mode.
If you are working with one of the older printers that can only deliver photo-quality printing in its color mode, then when
you send a RGB file of a B&W picture to the printer, you will have to be extremely careful to have the printer/monitor
calibrated very accurately. Otherwise, the B&W picture will be printed with a subtle color cast… frequently a green cast.
About Paper and Ink
After you have installed the most recent printer driver, it will be ―set‖ to its default settings. Be sure that you re-set it for
photo-quality printing (usually NOT a default setting), and have selected the correct paper setting for the type of paper
that you are using (also, usually NOT a default setting).
If you are printing with an ink jet printer, you should be printing on ―glossy‖, ―photo-quality‖ paper. Such paper is
offered by many companies. At ColorBAT we are currently using paper from a company called Red River Paper
Company. They are located on the web at: www.redriverpaper.com. Alternately, you can contact them at: PO Box
560145, Dallas, TX 75356-0145, 1-888-248-8774. They make a special paper that is ―acid free‖, water-proof and
available in glossy, matte and luster. It also comes in several different weights, and is available in all the standard sheet
sizes as well as 100’ rolls. For example, we buy 8.5 x 11 sheets for use in our Epson R200 printers and we buy 13” x 100’
rolls for use in our Epson 2200 printer.
Of course, there are other companies that make paper also. We feel that if the paper is acid-free and water-proof those
features will go a long way toward helping to achieve the longest possible life of the inks that are used. Then, in order to
obtain the greatest possible life, we heat-laminate our prints before giving them to clients.
Epson offers a special material for ink jet printers called ―Epson Ink Jet Canvas Cloth”, S041132. It is available in rolls
measuring 16.5 inches x 9.84 feet (420mm x 3 meters). It can be used in most of the Epson ink jet printers. Such ―canvas‖
material is also available from many other companies that sell ink jet paper, including Red River Paper Company.
If you are printing with a dye sublimation printer, you MUST use the special, dye sub, paper that is made for your printer.
All testing and calibration MUST be done with the type of paper that you intend to use for your best photo-quality output.
The characteristics of the paper vary dramatically and can have a great impact on the quality of the finished image. Do
NOT attempt to do the trial & error testing described below with ―cheap‖ paper and then switch to the ―good stuff‖ for the
final output. It just doesn’t work!