but then again it doesn't make any sense that I get a perfect print
from the profile, and a terrible soft proof...
[]
You can usually expect some desaturation when
converting/softproofing from the larger source RGB gamut to the smaller gamut
of your printer, but this should also be reflected in your proof. I would be
hesitant to blame i1Match as I have just used this same workflow on a few
workstations (with an Epson 4000) and the softproofs are very accurate.
Since you mention you used the “proof
color” option (aka command-Y), that leads me to believe that you might be
softproofing your default CMYK working space rather than the RGB profile you
created? Maybe not, but check this by selecting View->Proof Setup->Custom,
then choose your profile and rendering intent and see if you are still getting
the desaturation you describe.
If you were already doing this correctly,
you can check the device-PCS part of the profile this way…
Create a profile using i1Match as you did
before ensuring that you save the measurement data as a text file
Open the TC9.18 in Photoshop
Assign your profile (Image Mode->Assign
Profile)
Convert to Lab (Image Mode->Convert to
Profile->Lab Color) using absolute colorimetric
Compare the lab values you get in
Photoshop to that of the text file*, should be very close.
*To get Lab from your text file, you’ll
need to download ProfileMaker 5 from www.gretagmacbeth.com
and use the MeasureTool module to it (can be done in demo mode) as i1match
saves the measurement data as spectral.
If your results are good, than your
profile is handing off accurate Lab to the monitor profile.
Michael Eddington
North American Color, Inc.
www.nac-mi.com