New to Photography, just got my first print...

So I've just received my first print and I'm extremely disappointed with it. I had read up on color management a few weeks before I purchased my Rebel XS and did a 'poor man's' calibration. Apparently it didn't work as I purchased a print at a local shop and it came back extremely washed out. I've read up on 2 color management threads here (and still have a lot of reading to do to fully understand them) and have decided to make the first step in purchasing some calibration hardware / software.

I'm on a tight budget and have been reading up on the Pantone Huey (http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …_Colorimeter.ht​ml#reviews). Most of the reviews say fairly good things about it and as my first calibration device it looks like a pretty solid buy. I was wondering if you guys had some input on how well the device performs or if there is an equally priced substitute of better quality.

If it helps I use Photoshop CS3 and a 15" MacbookPro with a Dell monitor attached as a 2nd screen. I've read that there is some skepticism when using calibration devices on MBPro LCD screens; is this true? If so I'll just use it on my 2nd Dell monitor. Thanks for your input and I'll be doing some more research and updating this post as I obtain more information. All your help is much appreciated.

Edit: A friend has recommended this Spyder to me instead and it looks as though I'm leaning towards this: http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …ation_System.ht​ml#reviews

Assuming you set the color space in the camera menu to sRGB? And that's what your using in CS3?

I believe I set both to adobe rgb. But they are consistent.

What colour space does your print shop require (most use sRGB)?

You want to be using sRGB, especially for prints from a commercial store. I bet that's the problem.

So should I not invest 89 dollars in calibration hardware?

I guess I'm lucky. I've never bother calibrating my screen (LG 19" LCD), and I find my prints from Costco come out looking very close to my monitor. I need to ensure that AUTO-CORRECTION is off when I setup the order, but other than that, I just export full-size sRGB JPGs out of CS3 (now LR2.5 with some "matte paper" output sharpening) and upload them.

I have been online for 11 years and using PS all that time, and I have survived without one.

Try sRGB in the camera and in the CS3 settings first.

Calibration is necessary for reliable results, so don't pass up on that.

From there, you can take steps to wrap up your practices as you read the threads on CM. One thing to check on is the possibility/likelihood that the printers are applying their own processing, which will skewer your results. Ask them if they are and if they can turn it off to avoid these unpleasant surprises. And, try a few prints from various outfits at smaller sizes. Make sure to get an outfit that gives you consistent results over a variety of tones and colors, so you will have happy results when you put in an order for that great 20x30 print!

canonloader wrote in post #9322294
You want to be using sRGB, especially for prints from a commercial store. I bet that's the problem.

Seconded, printing in sRGB from an Adobe RGB file will cause the colours to desturate and will cause the image to look washed out. The sRGB colourspace encompasses about 70% of the Adobe RGB Colour Space.

For general purpose use I'd set everything to sRGB as the chances are that your monitor will be sRGB and will be unable to display the Adobe RGB colour space. Most high-end, wide-gamut monitors only display 95%-96% of Adobe RGB colour space (although some do go higher).

so is it still worth it to invest in calibration equipment if I'm going to limit myself to sRGB?

If you are critical: Yes.
But you might be able to get by without...

Depends on your monitor as well: Some won't be good even when calibrated

Have you used your local print shop before? Are we sure it's a problem with your calibration or is it possible to be a problem with your print shop?

I purchased my calibration kit when I first had a graphic design job go to a commercial printers as I needed to have confidence in what I was giving to them - the first print run was a 5000 off double sided A3 brochure that was to be fully gloss laminated.

In talking to the printers beforehand he said that the biggest problem they had was customers who were unhappy because "this looks nothing like it does on my laptop screen".

This was the push I needed to get myself set up correctly and do the job right.

If all I was doing was printing family snaps at home then I'd probably have just come up with some presets in LR by trial and error that printed out how I liked them and that would have been it.

Colour Management is however IMHO essential when dealing with 3rd party suppliers on a commercial basis. The cost of the calibration kit was less than 1/4 the reprint cost I would have been hit with if that 1st job turned out badly.

Mike787 wrote in post #9322830
so is it still worth it to invest in calibration equipment if I'm going to limit myself to sRGB?

Yes. All but the newest and highest-end monitors are unable to display more than the sRGB gamut anyways.

I have only ever used a Huey to calibrate my screens, prints come off looking very close to my monitor, both from labs and from my own printer. If you intend to use two monitors simultaneously, you need to purchase the Huey Pro to receive dual monitor support.