Calibrating printer and monitor? I know it's important to calibrate my computer monitor. I'm looking to purchase either Spyder or Colormunki. I print my own prints on a Canon Pro 100.

Dunatic

I know it's important to calibrate my computer monitor. I'm looking to purchase either Spyder or Colormunki. I print my own prints on a Canon Pro 100. In my reading, it appears I may need a calibration tool for my printer too. Since my main concern is that the pictures printed look like what I see on screen. So is it advisable to purchase a combined monitor and printing unit? They are quite expensive and if so, any comments on which brand is the preferred? Any input is appreciated. Cheryl

cjc2 Loc: Hellertown PA

For me anyway, I have only ever calibrated my monitors. I've used mostly Epson printers over the years and currently use a P800. Provided you use the correct and specific icc profile for the paper, ink set and printer, things should be fine. Personally I use ONLY Red River Paper and I use their profiles religiously without any issues. I also ONLY use Epson OEM ink. It is also important to make sure that color management is not done by BOTH your software AND the printer as that will seriously muck things up! I suppose if I was printing artwork, or needed exact color matches, that printer calibration might be useful. Bill B is the expert of all things printed, so hopefully he will chime in here sometime. Best of luck.

PeterBergh

cjc2 wrote:

For me anyway, I have only ever calibrated my moni... (show quote)

I second that. I use a Canon Pro-10. It is very important not to have software and printer do color management; I use Canon paper (I get it free when I buy Canon ink from Canon) and let the printer handle color management. Thus, I have never calibrated my printer, but I calibrate my displays about once a month.

Npt Bob Loc: Newport, RI

Related question
I just purchased a Spyder to calibrate my laptop monitor however I noticed that the saturation of colors varies with the angle of the screen. So am I correct that I need to view a photo with my head at as close to parallel with the screen to get a correct rendition of what the print will look like?

cjc2 Loc: Hellertown PA

Npt Bob wrote:

Related question
I just purchased a Spyder to calibrate my laptop monitor however I noticed that the saturation of colors varies with the angle of the screen. So am I correct that I need to view a photo with my head at as close to parallel with the screen to get a correct rendition of what the print will look like?

That is correct.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

I’ll add to what others said...
Making your own profile for a paper/ink/printer combination is usually only marginally better than using the profile from the paper manufacturer that they made for your printer model.
I only calibrate my monitor and download profiles for the third party papers I use. They’re good enough for my needs.
If I were a museum technician or high end service bureau technician making archival prints for sale, I would make my own profiles, but ONLY in those cases where the stock profiles don’t appear to be accurate.
As for brand, if your monitor requires something special, get what they specify. Otherwise, get either brand. I’ve had good results with DataColor Spyder5Pro and X-Rite i1 Display and ColorMunki. The important thing is to use one!

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Npt Bob wrote:

I just purchased a Spyder to calibrate my laptop monitor however I noticed that the saturation of colors varies with the angle of the screen. So am I correct that I need to view a photo with my head at as close to parallel with the screen to get a correct rendition of what the print will look like?

Yes, and if it’s a laptop, don’t expect greatness. Get an external monitor and calibrate/profile that, too. At home or office, use the external monitor for color adjustment and the laptop for palettes.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

cjc2 wrote:

For me anyway, I have only ever calibrated my moni... (show quote)

Thanks, Chris! Spot on advice.

Npt Bob Loc: Newport, RI

Thanks all, as usual great support from all on UHH.

cjc2 Loc: Hellertown PA

Npt Bob wrote:

Thanks all, as usual great support from all on UHH.

Someone from Newport RI. I have relatives there and I went to HS in Portsmouth. Lovely town! Please share some current photos.

Npt Bob Loc: Newport, RI

Wow! I grew up and went to college in Philadelphia and have family there and in kutztown. Now you have challenged me to take some local photos that are not focused on the grandchildren 😱

Dunatic

Thank you for your reply.

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

Bill Burkholder is our resident printer guru. His word is gold. I completely agree with everything he states.
P.S. - To my knowledge, there is NO method to 'calibrate' a printer. It is set by the manufacturer, and never changes.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Nikonian72 wrote:

Bill Burkholder is our resident printer guru. His word is gold. I completely agree with everything he states.
P.S. - To my knowledge, there is NO method to 'calibrate' a printer. It is set by the manufacturer, and never changes.

Thanks!
Inkjet printers cannot be calibrated by users. That’s a factory technician job. Users can buy profiling kits to custom profile the paper/ink/printer they use, although that usually isn’t much better than using the right paper vendor supplied profile.

Photo labs may use mini-lab printers that include RA4 processors. The processor must be calibrated on a daily basis. The printer may need adjustment for each new emulsion batch of photo paper.
Some older silver halide printers use light valve technology to modulate the output of a quartz halogen lamp. Those, and their processors, must be calibrated (processor First).