Monitor Calibration: The color on my computer and the printed results don't look the same. Do I need to calibrate my computer monitor? Can anyone help. The printed results appear...

capt2575 Loc: New York City

The color on my computer and the printed results don't look the same. Do I need to calibrate my computer monitor? Can anyone help. The printed results appear darker.

flyguy Loc: Las Cruces, New Mexico

capt2575 wrote:

The color on my computer and the printed results don't look the same. Do I need to calibrate my computer monitor? Can anyone help. The printed results appear darker.

Absolutely --- when you get darker prints like that, it is because your display is set too high in luminance and it needs to be set at about half of the oem's default setting.

Super bright monitors are a big problem with Apple computers (which I have) and I use the X-rite color munki to profile and calibrate my display and it will also profile the printer paper combination as well.

geclevel Loc: Springville, Utah

I second what flyguy states. I have an Apple and use the Color Munki which produces excellent results. If you print at Costco you can download their color profile and get good results. But I do recommend a monitor calibrator.

capt2575 Loc: New York City

Thank you. I thought something was wrong with the computer or printer. Now I'll just drop a hint :-D to the Misses.

bobfitz Loc: Kendall-Miami, Florida

Go to youtube and type monitor calibration in the search line. You will find many tutorial videos about calibrating your monitor as well as information about different products that will do this for you. They come at differing price points but most do a fine job. However you get the info, it does need to be done for color accuracy. These products not only calibrate the monitor but take the ambient room light into consideration as well. Happy hunting.

portcragin Loc: Kirkland, WA

Color Munki is an excellent product. You can calibrate your monitor as well as your printer. A little spendy but it works well.

good shooting

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

flyguy wrote:

Absolutely --- when you get darker prints like that, it is because your display is set too high in luminance and it needs to be set at about half of the oem's default setting.

Super bright monitors are a big problem with Apple computers (which I have) and I use the X-rite color munki to profile and calibrate my display and it will also profile the printer paper combination as well.

I've never calibrated my monitor and probably never will, but what adjustments do you make to the monitor, based on the Color Munki?

BobHartung Loc: Bettendorf, IA

geclevel wrote:

I second what flyguy states. I have an Apple and use the Color Munki which produces excellent results. If you print at Costco you can download their color profile and get good results. But I do recommend a monitor calibrator.

Additionally, keep the ambient light in your room at a fairly low level when working on photos. Make sure there is no light coming over your shoulder as the reflections will alter the apparent contrast and brightness of the image. I work with the back of my monitor toward the center of the room, and I have a 60 watt daylight CFL lamp on the opposite side of the room giving a little "backlight". We use this technique all the time in Radiology, to relieve eye strain and control the apparent contrast of the diagnostic images now that everything is digital .

Also, be sure to calibrate your monitor with the same lighting that you are using for image evaluation and processing!

HTH

portcragin Loc: Kirkland, WA

The color munki take into account ambient light when you start the calibration process.
My issues were inconsistency of photos. After switching to a color monitoring device (Color Munki) my photos are very consistent. I use to do my own printing. Today I use mostly Costco for my printing. That includes fairly sizable prints. I can get very repeatable results using this method.
(JerryC)
You asked what changes I make and all I can tell you is that Color Munki reads my monitor and makes the necessary changes. Check out Color Munki on "You Tube" I think that would explain the process better then I can. Your thoughts?

Good Shooting

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

portcragin wrote:

The color munki take into account ambient light wh... (show quote)

Ah, I see. So it's like a trained Munki. I knows what to do, and it does it. Amazing. Thanks for referring me to YouTube. I'll take a look.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

jerryc41 wrote:

I've never calibrated my monitor and probably never will, but what adjustments do you make to the monitor, based on the Color Munki?

When using the Color Munki, it may ask you to reduce the brightness of your monitor or reduce your contrast. It will sometimes do this if it can't adjust it automatically via it's own calibration magic. When it does this, it pops up a little meter that you view and as you adjust your monitor settings you see the meter change until the meter is centered at the correct brightness.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

jeep_daddy wrote:

When using the Color Munki, it may ask you to reduce the brightness of your monitor or reduce your contrast. It will sometimes do this if it can't adjust it automatically via it's own calibration magic. When it does this, it pops up a little meter that you view and as you adjust your monitor settings you see the meter change until the meter is centered at the correct brightness.

I looked at YouTube, and I was surprised that the Munki could control the monitor.

BobHartung Loc: Bettendorf, IA

jerryc41 wrote:

I looked at YouTube, and I was surprised that the Munki could control the monitor.

Color Munki and the I1Pro2 are both good products than will write look up tables for the monitor and the printer. However, I find it much easier to use the specific paper profile provided by the manufacturer.

I've had good results with both products.