Joe,

The .ICC profile file suffix is simply a reference to the standards organization that provide the foundation for color management, the International Color Consortium. Other than some slight differences in file format structure .ICM is just Microsoft's interpretation of the .ICC profile standard, which was first adopted by Apple in their ColorSync. I suppose the "M" in .ICM stands for Microsoft<S>.

Thanks David for that information. So I guess working with the two file types, there is no difference?

Joe,

Some color management geeks have provided explanations of the difference that were beyond my understanding of the esoteric. But for practical purposes .ICC and .ICM can be used interchangeably. If you work on Windows and use software to generate a color management profile, it will be saved with the .ICM suffix, if you are on an Apple Mac the suffix will be .ICC

Of course whether .ICC or .ICM what is in the file can vary radically in quality - there are good profiles and not so good profiles.

David, Thanks again for your input to my question. Although I have been printing on both an Epson 7600 and 4000 for years now I have not been using profiles to print with up until a few days ago. I am finding after all these years that the prints do look better from the profiles. I visited a freinds studio last week and he told me what he was doing. Which seemed to bend the rules a little but works for him. He prints on his 7600 on Ilford Gallerie Smooth Pearl Paper, using the Epson profile for their Lustre paper. If his print looks a little green, lets say, he makes his monitor look the same (green, with RGB color control on his monitor) as his print and then in Photoshop he color corrects it to look normal. This is the system that I'm using now and it works great. I'm sure someone will suggest that this is a bad system. However it does work.

Joe,

The description you provided of your friend's workflow is "bass awkward", just the opposite of how color management works. A couple of years ago Epson published a booklet they gave away at PMA, and then put a reference on their web site (well hidden) so users could get a copy, the name of the booklet is Color Managed Workflow, and in 30 pages covers how to manage a workflow to obtain exact color matched print results.

But sadly Epson is most concerned about selling printers, ink and paper, and not too concerned if photographers waste a lot making less than ideal prints. Even sadder is the fact it is easier to learn color management and do it correctly, than to try to do digital photography and make prints by the seat of your pants.

David,

It is extremely well hidden. I tried lots of vrs. searches on their site to no avail. Do you have the secret entry key.

Bob

There's good news, and there's bad news. The good news: You can find the workbook on the Epson site by going to the page for the 2200 printer, then clicking on "Documents and Manuals". The bad news: It appears to have been written for Photoshop 7/Elements 2, and for Mac. I have an older version of the workbook which is Windows specific, but still targets PS 7. There are some changes in the color management sequence in CS and CS2 which involve some guesswork in applying Epson's workflow, but it's do-able and well worth the effort. Monitor calibration is a must, though.

I sent email to Epson some time ago, inquiring when they might be updating their workbook for Photoshop CS/CS2, and received a not-very-polite response basically stating that they'll do it when they get it. Apparently, they don't get it.....

I will give it a try. I am a Mac G4 Elements 3 person.

thanks
Bob

Bob,

I have not checked for some months. Very likely they ran out of the booklets and took the offer off their web site.

Bob,

I just finished a how-to article on Digital Camera Raw Workflow which is based on using Photoshop Elements 3 and covers "Profile to Profile" printing. It should be in Shutterbug later this year.

Also, any printing workflow based on Photoshop controlling color does require, as Bill noted, using a calibrated and profiled monitor. That's essential or you are just shooting ducks at midnight, if your computer system doesn't know what you are seeing on your monitor it cannot match it in a print!

I try to cover this topic and keep it up to date, but I have limited space available in the magazine, and I get around to updating my eBook CD Digital Darkroom Resources only about once a year.

It is still there and I have downloaded the .pdf. Now the challenge is to translate to what I do at my Mac and Elements 3. I use a Spyder with Printfix and do my photo work with Elements 3. My small business prefers to invest in Camera and Computer equipment and have not seen the need to upgrade to full blown version of Photoshop. I have added Richard Lynch's tools and a couple of others which makes Elements very close to the full version. I am still under a $120 investment.

Bob