Calibration, Profiles, & Printing Questions

[cdifoto]

I just bought a new monitor and as far as I can tell I have it calibrated correctly. I downloaded some sample calibration images and all the colors were rendered correctly, with blacks black and whites white.

I have the same profile selected for RSP 2006, Photoshop 7, my monitor, and my Epson R300.

However, printed images are markedly darker and contrastier than what's on my screen. Any ideas why? What am I missing/doing wrong?

Help is greatly appreciated!

[snappa]

Are you using the correct profiles for the Epson inks and paper ? I was going to try Epson paper myself, with a Canon printer, due to cost, but found that there were no profiles available on the Epson web site. Perhaps I did not look hard enough ?
If all else fails speak to UncleDoug.

[cdifoto]

Yeah I only ever use Epson papers. Not sure what you mean by correct profile for the printer though? Can they only use certain profiles?

[Jamey S.]

Don't count on your monitor being calibrated. At least software calibrate the white & black points and your Gamma. Go to http://www.epaperpress.com and follow there Monitor Calibration steps. If you want to get technical when you get to the Adobe Gamma part set each color (RGB) gamma separately instead of doing the gamma as a whole. I have this done on one monitor and the other is hardware calibrated and when I send out for prints this one (the non-hardware calibrated) is within 1-2% accuracy of the hardware one.

Also if you are using Adobe PS, setup your Soft Proofing to use the proper Epson Profile for the paper you are using and use CTRL+Y (I think) to switch between sRGB and the Epson Profile while editing. Great way to make sure the image is properly done for that profile.

[cdifoto]

Don't count on your monitor being calibrated. At least software calibrate the white & black points and your Gamma. Go to http://www.epaperpress.com and follow there Monitor Calibration steps. If you want to get technical when you get to the Adobe Gamma part set each color (RGB) gamma separately instead of doing the gamma as a whole. I have this done on one monitor and the other is hardware calibrated and when I send out for prints this one (the non-hardware calibrated) is within 1-2% accuracy of the hardware one.

Also if you are using Adobe PS, setup your Soft Proofing to use the proper Epson Profile for the paper you are using and use CTRL+Y (I think) to switch between sRGB and the Epson Profile while editing. Great way to make sure the image is properly done for that profile.

I meant I've already gone through the process of calibrating it. I matched it up to a test photo and the colors are rendered nicely, I can see blacks vs whites just fine, etc etc etc.

I finally got the prints to almost identically match the monitor by printing that test image I downloaded and manually adjusting...but now my monitor isn't nearly as bright as it was. Almost seems TOO dark.

[jfrancho]

Sounds like you havent got the black point and luminence calibrated correctly. Wash, rinse repeat with your calibration package. I do about once a week (my monitor, not my hair).

[cdifoto]

Thanks guys. I think I finally got it. Prints are close to the same, brightness is back, etc.


I'm not sure but I believe my problem was relying on the monitor's menu controls too much...rather than the software driven ones...it seems the ones built into the menu of the monitor itself aren't precise enough to let me maintain gamma and still have proper brightness.

Not sure if it makes sense but that's what it seems like.

[jfrancho]

Your monitor profiling program should allow you to calibrate white and black points (brightness and contrast) before going through the usual color swatch gyrations. Whenever it's a 'new monitor' though, my package (Spyder2 PRO) forces a visual calibration first time through, so I always run it at least twice to be sure. I ran into this with my laptop, the display was way too bright the first time through.

[snappa]

Glad you got it fixed. I did not mean a profile for the printer I meant the correct profile for the paper and inks.
I have only used Adobe Gamma to calibrate my monitor but I am getting some very good prints. I also use Ilford, Kodak Ultima and Canon papers with pretty good results. But it is essential to have the correct profiles for these papers.

[cdifoto]

Glad you got it fixed. I did not mean a profile for the printer I meant the correct profile for the paper and inks.
I have only used Adobe Gamma to calibrate my monitor but I am getting some very good prints. I also use Ilford, Kodak Ultima and Canon papers with pretty good results. But it is essential to have the correct profiles for these papers.

I know what you mean now. Selecting the actual paper type. Glossy, Premium Glossy, Lustre, etc.

And the answer to that is yes, I did select the appropriate paper profile. :)