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Archive 2015 · Calibration printing iMac 5k retina?

  
 
Beverly Guhl
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Calibration printing iMac 5k retina?


I am thinking of getting an iMac 5k retina 27" There are mixed reviews about the 5k retina. Anyone having issues calibrating it and getting color matching prints? I will be using an Epson 3880. I was wondering about sharpening, too, if you have had trouble figuring how much to sharpen based on the sharp(er) image on screen? We can't print HD. Thanks!


Nov 10, 2015 at 04:09 PM
musclepics
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Calibration printing iMac 5k retina?


Great question


Nov 15, 2015 at 12:41 AM
MayaTlab
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Calibration printing iMac 5k retina?


People with better knowledge than me will respond, but so far my experience is that :

- retina displays are brilliant for checking sharpness, or at least a lot more so than lower resolution displays,
- all displays that can't be hardware calibrated will never be particularly accurate, and nearly all displays bar some Eizo and NEC will have uniformity issues by design (and even the latter ones might have QC issues).

Right now I use a retina Macbook Pro and a low-res Eizo, and I use the two displays depending on what they do best.



Nov 15, 2015 at 04:25 AM
Beverly Guhl
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Calibration printing iMac 5k retina?


Thanks for the response. I am surprised nobody using this monitor has chimed in. It's even hard to find current chatter on the web about this question. For what it's worth I did find these 2 relevant and current discussions, the second even mentions printing with the Epson 3880, so this was very helpful. I would definitely use a second monitor for additional proofing though.

Calibrating iMac Retina 5K 27-inch
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7001150?start=0&tstart=0

27" iMac Retina 5K - The Color Gamut Question - This Week in Photo
http://thisweekinphoto.com/27-imac-retina-5k-color-gamut-question/



Nov 15, 2015 at 01:03 PM
Herderdog
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Calibration printing iMac 5k retina?


Beverly, I am starting to ask the same questions of this set up. I have a small printing business and the old computer is showing its age a bit. My NEC PA271w monitor could also use replacing, although I can still get by with it as a second monitor attached to an iMac. BreathingColor papers has a podcast with Renee Besta where she critiques the iMac 5K for printing. It is #28 in their series of podcasts. http://www.breathingcolor.com/blog/ask-bc/


Nov 15, 2015 at 11:22 PM
Beverly Guhl
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Calibration printing iMac 5k retina?


Thanks!! That podcast (transcript I read) was very helpful. It confirms bits and pieces I'd been picking up on. My initial gut reaction to these monitors was how can you be sure your images are sharp enough when they are hyper sharp on a monitor already? Answer, you can't without either printing first (ugh) or having a second monitor for proofing (matte screen, wider gamut, etc.). While iMac with 5K retina is a great value, as the podcast indicates the 5k retina display is not really for people who do color critical work or who do their own critical printing; for people who just take pics and post them to the web it's great, and it's a great viewing experience, but what you see is not what you'll get in print. Now, I need to figure out if I want to get this but rely on a second monitor for color critical work and proofing or should I just look at a different setup entirely. Adobe needs to start making computers and monitors so they can always be in synch with creative's needs and their own apps... but will they then license them to you monthly? hmmm.



Nov 16, 2015 at 10:28 AM
UA935
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Calibration printing iMac 5k retina?


I have had a 27" 5K iMac for about three weeks now.

This is my first forray into the World of iMacs and was initially hesitant given what I had read regarding retina screens.

I was looking to get a non-retina example but left it too late and Apple upgraded all of the screens to retina.

Having undertaken hours of research on the internet I found out that you can run the screen in a low resolution mode which replicates what you would see on a non-retina screen.

When selecting "scaled" in the display menu hold down the options key and then tick the low resolution modes. I run the monitor at 2560 x 1440 low resolution and the images look exactly as they did on my previous Dell monitor, no issues with judging sharpness.

Just had my first prints done from images edited on the iMac and couldn't be happier with them.

This article may help:

http://forums.macrumors.com/threads/getting-confused-about-resolution-please-help.1905133/



Nov 16, 2015 at 10:42 AM
Beverly Guhl
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Calibration printing iMac 5k retina?


Thanks, UA935. I'd read about scaling and being able to change the monitor to low res. Some people have asked why buy such a monitor if you're going to use it in low res mode though. I suppose for proofing. Do you do your own prints or have them printed somewhere? I have eye issues now anyway so the added detail of the retina would be advantageous for me; just need to be sure the prints match the screen. So much to ponder buying a new machine. Thanks again!


Nov 16, 2015 at 11:10 AM
MayaTlab
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Calibration printing iMac 5k retina?


Beverly Guhl wrote:
My initial gut reaction to these monitors was how can you be sure your images are sharp enough when they are hyper sharp on a monitor already? Answer, you can't without either printing first (ugh) or having a second monitor for proofing (matte screen, wider gamut, etc.).


I have the exact opposite opinion.
Of course pixels aren't, by nature, a perfect match for inkjet dots or chromogenic processes, but I find that retina screens' ppi specifications tend to bring what I see on screen a lot closer to usual print resolutions than screens with a lower pixel density.

BTW, have you thought about purchasing an Eizo or NEC 4K display ? This way you get both a high density ppi specification (particularly on smaller 4K displays), and decent uniformity, colour reproduction and hardware calibration.




Nov 16, 2015 at 11:22 AM
UA935
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Calibration printing iMac 5k retina?


Beverly Guhl wrote:
=Do you do your own prints or have them printed somewhere? =quote]

Hi Beverly,

I have my prints done by labs, don't own a printer myself.

Had a 2016 calendar made up by a lab and the colours match what I am getting on screen.




Nov 16, 2015 at 11:28 AM
Herderdog
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Calibration printing iMac 5k retina?


The options are not many for me. I either need to go MacPro—which is extremely expensive-overpriced really! Or.. I get a high end iMac and keep my NEC monitor for color reference. How much different the two different visual sources will output just is a guessing game right now, unless someone out there is doing it and chimes in. Color is extremely important to my work as I do a lot of reproduction work for artists and my NEC monitor has been superb in that department.


Nov 16, 2015 at 12:05 PM
Beverly Guhl
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Calibration printing iMac 5k retina?


I'm coming from a 5 y.o. Mac Pro with a 26" Apple LED Cinema Display. I've been able to calibrate and get accurate color matching with my prints. I would probably keep this display as a second monitor. I've photographed artist's work and been able to color match and print to their satisfaction. I've never tried a Eizo or NEC monitor, but I know calibration is what seems to matter most for me. That said, with my eye condition I have to use this display at 1600x1000 which is truer to 1:1 viewing anyway, though not exact.

I looked at my images on my website in the Apple store on the 5k retina and the colors looked true, but they looked much sharper than they do on my monitor at home. And my prints don't look as sharp as they do on my Apple monitor, so I know for me the difference with the 5k would take some getting used to and I would not be comfortable without a second monitor for proofing.

Thanks for all the great input everyone!



Nov 16, 2015 at 12:35 PM
Khun Hans
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Calibration printing iMac 5k retina?


I would not buy again this computer. Got it delivered 2 weeks ago and it did not work properly from the beginning. It ended up yesterday with freezing completely and rebooting about 10 times a day. Today I brought the whole Apple crap back to the Apple service with the comment ' we look into it' and you get it back in probably 2 weeks.


Nov 25, 2015 at 06:44 AM
Beverly Guhl
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Calibration printing iMac 5k retina?


Khun Hans wrote:
I would not buy again this computer. Got it delivered 2 weeks ago and it did not work properly from the beginning. It ended up yesterday with freezing completely and rebooting about 10 times a day. Today I brought the whole Apple crap back to the Apple service with the comment ' we look into it' and you get it back in probably 2 weeks.


Oh my. I just ordered mine last week and it will be here in a few days. I know some people love the thing, hopefully I will be one of them. I bought mine from a reseller who also repairs Macs, so maybe that will be of great help if I need it. Goo luck with yours, Hans.



Nov 25, 2015 at 08:19 AM
Khun Hans
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Calibration printing iMac 5k retina?


Look at this video. It is all about Canon printer but they have these pre sets which matches the sRGB setting of a good monitor. Just download Canon's PRO MODE software.
It is probably not good enough for all professional uses but makes printing easy with matching colors from monitor and printer as close as possible.




Nov 25, 2015 at 08:07 PM
howardm4
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Calibration printing iMac 5k retina?


why would you want to force (and match) sRGB? It's a small limited lowest-common-denominator colorspace that a decent monitor and most printers can easily exceed these days.


Nov 25, 2015 at 10:50 PM
Ipanematom
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Calibration printing iMac 5k retina?


Beverly, I recommend that you contact Joe Brady (www.joebradyphotography.com). His email is [email protected]. Joe is a professional photographer who is well-versed in calibrating monitors, printers, projectors, etc., and he has calibrated iMacs My experience is that when I've sent Joe and e-mail he has responded in a timely fashion.


Dec 02, 2015 at 04:59 PM
Jeffrey
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Calibration printing iMac 5k retina?


I believe that in all cases, a good printer of the type that many of us use to print fine art images is always of a higher resolution than any monitor. That's why you need to view a portion of your image at 100% to evaluate sharpness and spot fixing/cloning. And why a good print is always better to look at than any image scaled to fit in a monitor. The 5K retinas simply get you a bit closer to your printer and that can not be a bad thing.


Dec 03, 2015 at 07:29 PM
jbush
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Calibration printing iMac 5k retina?


Beverly Guhl wrote:
Oh my. I just ordered mine last week and it will be here in a few days. I know some people love the thing, hopefully I will be one of them. I bought mine from a reseller who also repairs Macs, so maybe that will be of great help if I need it. Goo luck with yours, Hans.


Hi Beverly,

I came across this thread because I am about to replace my 7 year old MB Pro and Cinema Display. I am considering the 27" iMac Retina 5K, but calibration is a major concern (I also happen to print with an Epson 3880). So, can you provide a short epilogue? Are you happy with your purchase and, most importantly, are you able to match your prints to what you see on your monitor?

Thanks very much for any feedback.

Regards,
Jon



Apr 04, 2016 at 01:02 PM
Beverly Guhl
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Calibration printing iMac 5k retina?


jbush wrote:
Hi Beverly,

I came across this thread because I am about to replace my 7 year old MB Pro and Cinema Display. I am considering the 27" iMac Retina 5K, but calibration is a major concern (I also happen to print with an Epson 3880). So, can you provide a short epilogue? Are you happy with your purchase and, most importantly, are you able to match your prints to what you see on your monitor?

Thanks very much for any feedback.

Regards,
Jon


Jon...

I've had my iMac 5k Retina up and running since early January 2016. I got a slight deal on mine; it was a loaner, used 4 months, came with 3 years of AppleCare--which is a good thing, too because it's not working well. Apple just replaced the motherboard on it and it's still acting weird, so they say it's most likely a software conflict and I should install everything instead of migrate. UGH. So upset. Anyway, aside from that I calibrated mine using what I already had which is the Spyder4 and since I still have my MacPro with AppleCinema display still set up next to this one it has been interesting comparing the color between the two, calibrated monitors. I am NOT using the 5k resolution though; it's a joke for me; all the icons in the doc shrink down so tiny they're useless (and I'm sure I could enlarge them but no thanks. As is things already preview smaller; for example I have to view my 720pixels tall web images at 2x in Lightroom or they look like they are about 400pixels high at most. COLOR: The iMac 5K tends to display more red, and the oranges are pretty intense; there's just more saturation which I find annoying for skin tones especially, but I noticed this happening when I was using my MacPro where everything looked great until I saw my files on my iPhone or iPad all saturated. I have not yet printed directly from the iMac to my 3880 because my printer is still hooked up to my MacPro, so I just use Dropbox to transfer files to access from the MacPro and print from there. The prints look fine even doing it that way. They match somewhere between my MacPro and my iMac (my MacPro is warmer), and since my color printing isn't super critical (I do a lot of headshots), it's within a terrific and narrow range I find to be accurate, or accurate enough. I am picky though, so if it were off hardly at all I'd be upset!!! I need to hook up directly to my iMac and test it that way, just haven't done it yet due to all the problem with the iMac and it having had to go into the AppleStore for eval and then repair, and may again.

Let me know if this helps or if I can answer any other questions. I will update again when I do a direct hookup. Just be prepared for things being more red (skin) and orange. Someone else said I'd get better results with the XRite device, which is more expensive, but calibrates better than the Spyder4.

Good luck!



Apr 04, 2016 at 06:56 PM
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