What to do with the ICC output file?

NN177224UL

• 9. Mai 2011 15:18

Hi

I have what seems a Newbie question, but when using Capture One 6.2 for Mac, I am ready to process a bunch of pictures and to send them to my digital foto lab.

So far all the labs I have used did some automatic color correction to the uploaded digital pictures.

Now I found a lab where you can turn off this automatic color correction most of the labs here do.
They also included an ICC-File of their printing system.

Now I am not really sure what to do with this ICC file in Capture One.

How and where should this be used?

Thanks in advance of any insight into this subject.

Cheers, Mike

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  Permanently deleted user

  • 9. Mai 2011 18:45

  welll.....you could use it as an option for an output file.
  
  I wouldn't, as that would be the only purpose that file would then be used for is to send to that lab for print on the profiled device, as ICC profiles are device specific... if they have two printers, somethings gotta give, probably your output quality.
  
  Instead, I'd use COne to output to a standard space such as sRGB which can be used for the web, and safely sent to most labs (as can A1998 most of the time, but that color space will look flat and desaturated if viewed by a browser/program that is not profile aware)....if you want to test the profile the lab sent you...simply convert the profile in a color aware imaging program like Photoshop....just make sure that file only goes to the lab that uses it.
  
  I would not want a lab to correct the files I send them AFA density, color, etc....but I want one that will take a file in a standard color space profile such as sRGB or A1998 and modify for the printer....that's typically done in the front end software for the printer and should result in the best output.....

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  Paul Steunebrink

  • 9. Mai 2011 20:25

  Hi,
  
  The worst thing one can happen it that you get two contradicting pieces of advise. 😂
  Here goes...
  
  The ICC profile from the lab's printer gives you the exact definition of the printer's color space. In combination with NOT correcting your color you'll be able to predict your output with high accuracy (assuming you have a proper calibration monitor).
  
  You copy the ICC profile file to one of the Library/ColorSync/Profiles folders (either your personal or the system's folder). Next, in Capture One, Process Recipes, you select that profile in the ICC Profile setting.
  
  Additional suggestions:
  I suggest that you mark your output files for this purpose with an suffix which you can do with the Output Naming tool, also on the Output tool tab. ("Image Name - Job Name" for example).
  Another aspect is that you size your image to 240 or 300 dpi (ask your lab) and a particular size in inches or cm in the Scale field. Capture One will do the up or downsizing for you.
  These suggestions are optional, not mandatory, for your workflow.

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  Permanently deleted user

  • 9. Mai 2011 21:48

  not conflicting at all....Paul is telling you the correct way to do the output with the file.
  
  I wouldn't do it because my work is sent "hands off" to different labs with many devices and also repurposed for the web. I also print to an inhouse Epson wide format using an ICC profile for each media type I use. Converting to profile from a standard color space gives me as good a result as outputting files using the printing profile for all those purposes...that's my experience FWIW.....and if the results were visably better, I would change my workflow. I test frequently, and they aren't.
  
  ...but of course the best way is the way that works for you.

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  NN177224UL

  • 10. Mai 2011 20:41

  Thank you very much for those very detailed feedbacks. I think I learned already a lot about color workflow and ICC profiles.
  
  I imported the ICC as described and it was very interesting to see in the proofing, that the contrast of the photos was reduced.
  
  Also, there were bigger areas of exposer warnings than before (with the sRGB profile).
  
  I guess this is normal?
  
  Do you always address these exposure warnings and try to reduce them.
  
  Anyhow, I ordered some prints now from the Photo Lab to check the consistency with my monitor.
  I am very curious how this will look.
  
  Cheers, Michael

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