Printer Manages Colour (PMC)

The Single Case of the Epson SC-P800 Printer
and Epson Ultra Premium Presentation Luster Paper (UPPL)
This note owes its existence to challenging statements from Bob David (Bob Rosinsky) on the LuLa Forum, to which some members took vigorous exception, about the merits of PMC for this specific combination of printer and paper. While one can always take sides in a debate based on general impressions, I decided that a more rigorous approach to the question may be warranted. I always like going back to “first principles” when challenged and do a fact check. So this is just that.
In comparing PMC with application-based ICC colour management (ACC), what am I looking for? Most importantly, I’m concerned about the accuracy of hue and tone rendition between the image file and the print, gamut volume, maximum Black, and smoothness of tone gradations where they should be smooth.
I’ve already demonstrated (in “Printing Can be Fun and Easy”) that tone ramps can reproduce smoothly whether with PMC ...