Photos on Screen and Printer Difference

[baranne]

Hi all,

Would like to get some advise on this: Why is it that the photos that I see on my screen brighter than the ones that I printed out? Is this the norm or depends on my printer? Or do I need to calibrate my monitor/printer?

[hwchoy]

yes you need to calibrate everything in order to have things coming out looking the same, within limits of the technologies involved. e.g. screen and printer have differing gamut and technically cannot never produce the same FULL-RANGE of colours even if they are properly calibrated.

that's why printing photos at home is largely a practical myth.

[baranne]

How would you go about calibrating? Should I calibrate the printer to the screen or the other way round? Is there any software required for these?

that's why printing photos at home is largely a practical myth.

Ya I was disappointed when the results of the printout does not match what I see on the screen. It does not bring out the best of the picture.

[hwchoy]

you need equipment to do proper calibration, especially for printers. I calibrate my monitors that I process my fish pix, using the Eye-One Display (http://www.gretagmacbeth.com/product...match_software) while Benny uses the Spyder. These stuff don't come cheap, the ones for calibrating printers and scanners are even more expensive.

Also you would calibrate to a standard colour profile, rather than one equipment to another.

check out http://www.gretagmacbeth.com/ everything you wanted to know about colour profiling but were afraid to ask

[baranne]

you need equipment to do proper calibration, especially for printers. I calibrate my monitors that I process my fish pix, using the Eye-One Display (http://www.gretagmacbeth.com/product...match_software) while Benny uses the Spyder. These stuff don't come cheap, the ones for calibrating printers and scanners are even more expensive.

Also you would calibrate to a standard colour profile, rather than one equipment to another.

check out http://www.gretagmacbeth.com/ everything you wanted to know about colour profiling but were afraid to ask

Hmm... sounds very professional... not sure if I am up to that level yet... hopefully in time to come...

Ok, will check out the URL... thanks!

Oh, and you make me sound like a teenager trying to ask about the birds and the bees... (I am sure I have passed that stage... )

[hwchoy]

Oh, and you make me sound like a teenager trying to ask about the birds and the bees... (I am sure I have passed that stage... )

no I'm just trying to lure you into buying an Eye-One Photo solution pack, so I can topang an upgrade (I only have Eye-One Display)

[brianclaw]

There's a colour difference because your monitor displays colour in Red, Green and Blue, while a printer prints in Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black(K). You can calibrate it, but it ill never be 100% accurate.

[baranne]

no I'm just trying to lure you into buying an Eye-One Photo solution pack, so I can topang an upgrade (I only have Eye-One Display)

There's a colour difference because your monitor displays colour in Red, Green and Blue, while a printer prints in Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black(K). You can calibrate it, but it ill never be 100% accurate.

If I am just looking for a easy way to make it similar (not 100%, say 75%), is there one?

Since currently the biggest problem that I am facing right now is that the printout seems to be much darker than on-screen, can I just turn down the brightness of my LCD as a quick fix?

[brianclaw]

A quick fix would be to get a print out of those 4 colours(CMYK) and to calibrate your monitor by eye but, depending on your surrounding lights, the way your colours look on screen can change as well... Colour settings are pretty annoying to adjust. I like turning my contrast all the way up and adjusting just the brightness of my screen.