Newbie Needs Color Management Advice

[johnorzechowski]

Hello Everyone,

Recently installed Silverfast Ai and am new to this board. I reviewed several posts regarding Color Management. I think I'm beginning to "get it".

However, would like to request some feedback if I'm approaching my Silverfast/Photoshop/iMAC right! Here's the configuration...

Scanner: Epson 4990 Photo
Software: Photoshop CS
Platform: iMAC 20" G5

I have calibrated my monitor and created a profile called Spyder2. In Photoshop, I defined the RGB workspace as Adobe RGB 1998. As you may see later, not sure which actual profile this selection correlates to. And, in Silverfast General Options (CMS tab) as follows:

CMS (Color Management):
Input->Internal <ColorSync>Monitor <Automatic> (I open with Photoshop)
Internal->Output <RGB>

CMS (Profiles for ColorSync):
Scanner (Reflective): <EPSON> (Will do IT-8 soon)
Scanner (Transparaent): <EPSON>
Internal: AdobeRGB1998.icc
Gray: <Generic>
Output/Printer: <HP>
Rendering Intent: perceptual

CMS (Embedded ICC profiles):
Embed ICC profile: CHECKED
Profile to embed: AdobeRGB1998.icc


QUESTIONS:

1) Are these the right CMS choices--is there anything that should be changed?

2) Within ColorSync Profiles->Internal, there are 3 AdobeRGB1998.icc profiles and 1 AdobeRGB1998.icm profile listed in the pull-down menu. However, within /Library/Colorsync/Profiles, there is only one AdobeRGB1998.icm profile and within Library/Colorsynch/Profiles/Recommended, just the AdobeRGB1998.icc profile. So, which should I use and how do I clean-up the Silverfast Internal menu selections?

3) Should the profile be embedded--or, when should it NOT be embedded?

4) If I calibrate the scanner with IT8 and use that profile, are there any other settings, with the exception of SCANNER (Reflective), that will need to change?

5) Finally, I have a Gamma-Gradation defined as 1.8 (iMAC 20" monitor recommendation), should the "for HDR output" be checked too even though I'm using only Ai?

I appreciated the help and response....Thank You,

John

[LSI_Muenier]

Dear John,

1) your CMS settings sound perfectly good
2) there are several copies of the Adobe-profile installed on your computer, it doesn't matter which of them you use
3) embedding an ICC profile into your scanned image data informs a possible successive application about the color space your image data live in -- this is very important, so, please embed the profile (as you already do)
4) SilverFast automatically chooses your new scanner-profile in the CMS settings, you do not need to do anything further
5) This depends on how you would like your HDR-Scans (only them, not the 48bit and 24bit scans) to be: containing the gamma or not.

Best regards
Martin

[johnorzechowski]

Thank You--for clarification and with respect to point #2, I have several Adobe icc profiles showing-up in the Silverfast Ai pulldown menu. Some of them don't exist or at least don't show-up in the Color Profiles folder.

What is the best way to remove/clean-up those profiles from the Silverfast Ai menu?

Thanks,
John

[LSI_Muenier]

Dear John,

they must in fact be there. There are several folders (both system and user) that are scanned for ICC profiles. Don't worry about them.

Best regards
Martin