Screen Color vs Print Color

[Wolverine]

Hi guys, I seem to have a calibration problem with my monitor. Somehow, the print outs get seem to be yellower (warmer) than what I see on the screen.

I am not sure on how to correct the color so that I can print what I see. Can anyone help?

 

[dbh]

Hi guys, I seem to have a calibration problem with my monitor. Somehow, the print outs get seem to be yellower (warmer) than what I see on the screen.

I am not sure on how to correct the color so that I can print what I see. Can anyone help?

I use Color Plus by ColorVision
http://www.colorvision.com/profis/profis_view.jsp?id=281

 

[Charlie99]

Adobe Gamma is a simple program to help you setup your monitor. You may already have it on your system. Just open up the Control Panel and see if Adobe Gamma is there.

I've found that an easy check to see if you are close on colors is to simply print out a Macbeth Color Chart. (Just Google on "macbeth color chart" to get lots of image)

I printed out a Macbeth Color Chart file at several different 1 hour photo processors. They came out nearly identical. I then modified my printer and monitor adjustments/profiles to match the appearance of the commercial prints.

This method isn't very sophisticated, but it gets you into the right ballpark.

Charlie

p.s. At first, I tried matching my printer and monitor, but then it turned out that neither matched what came back from photo processors ...... so then I went back and used the commercial prints as the standard.

 

[Sideband]

You can print out a picture then adjust your monitor color settings to match the picture. It should be adjustable through the controls on the front of your monitor.
Joe

 

[RonFrank]

is the apostrophe!!

Color space is difficult... Manufactures want us all to believe that they best way to get prints is to just stick an image on the computer, and hit print, and it's magic.

The reality is that EVERY device works in it's OWN colorspace. This means that the monitor, printer, and camera image ALL reside in a different colorspace. To make it even worst, EVERY paper and Ink combination is different, so just getting the monitor in sync with the image is not enough.

So what to do... most printers come with *profiles*. Less expensive printers likely have just a few, like glossy photo, matte photo, glossy inkjet. The first thing you should check is to make sure that you are using the appropriate paper with the right profile. Many paper manufactures provide profiles with their paper (more expensive stuff).

Adobe Gamma is worthwhile assuming you have it. While it will NOT profile your monitor like a more better, and more expensive solution, it WILL help.

Another thing to do is to determine what the printer manufacture recommends that you use for a final color space with sending an image to print. I'd *GUESS* that most recommend RGB, but it would not surprise me to discover that a number use CYMK.

If you really want to get serious about this, more research is in order as color space and profiling devices, ink, and paper can get down and dirty. Spyder makes a very good and inexpensive monitor profiling product I think called SypderVision. However that only get's one part way there. Monaco makes a MUCH more complete (and expensive) product that will profile the monitor, printer, scanners, etc...

To give you an idea of how serious this all is, professional labs have profiling hardware and software that runs in the 5k range, and they profile their hardware weekly.

Good Luck, and sorry this is sooo long, but it's NOT a basic subject by any streach.

Ron

Hi guys, I seem to have a calibration problem with my monitor. Somehow, the print outs get seem to be yellower (warmer) than what I see on the screen.

I am not sure on how to correct the color so that I can print what I see. Can anyone help?

 

[Wolverine]

I know what u mean. I guess the cheapest way is to use an commercial standard print and try to match the monitor and printer to it. I tried using Adobe Gamma but the monitor just looks wierd after that. What is worse is that the monitor is LCD, so even the angle at which I look at it makes a huge difference.

I will try using the color chart method and will post the results here. I don't really want to spend a lot on the calibration, but I would like to see my prints (from the photo processors) to look like what I see on the screens.

 

[Dee]

Tim...I have the same problems. Despite using the ColorPlus Spyder to calibrate my monitor, I've never been able to get my printer to print what I see. With the cost of a good photo printer and the cost of the inks and special paper, it just isn't worth it to me to print my own.

I use ofoto.com for prints. Uploading to their site is fast and easy, choose the size I want and they are here withing the week. Good prices too. I just have to remember to size them properly. The prints look exactly like they do on my monitor.

 

[Wolverine]

Tim...I have the same problems. Despite using the ColorPlus Spyder to calibrate my monitor, I've never been able to get my printer to print what I see. With the cost of a good photo printer and the cost of the inks and special paper, it just isn't worth it to me to print my own.

I use ofoto.com for prints. Uploading to their site is fast and easy, choose the size I want and they are here withing the week. Good prices too. I just have to remember to size them properly. The prints look exactly like they do on my monitor.

Good idea. The photo proccessing guys here in HK don't seem to get the colors right either. I'll give ofoto.com a shot. Keep u posted on outcome.

 

[azcaddman]

You might try this Book on the subject, If you really want to get into the details... there are others also

 

[RonFrank]

Professional labs are the way to go....

Heck, Costco, and Wallmart can do a GREAT job (seeing as how they have a hunderdred thousdands dollars worth of gear in each lab), but you have to imbed the correct printer profile into your images if you expect the best quality.

The digital age has definately opened up a can or worms in the printing department. Labs used to have to calibrate for a handful of films, now the one hour mini labs are not really up to speed due to the fact it's very hard to calibrate for several hundered different digital cameras all with different colorspaces, and sensors.

If Dee get's good results with ofoto, than definately try THAT!!

Good Luck,
Ron

You might try this Book on the subject, If you really want to get into the details... there are others also