p.2 #1 · Still getting bad color / print density from whcc labs
I was getting dark prints from WHCC. My monitor is now at 43% brightness and it matches pretty accurately the prints from WHCC and Bay Photo. I believe most people have their monitors way too bright to match prints.
p.2 #2 · Still getting bad color / print density from whcc labs
I think you're right zaitz but whcc told me that adjusting the brightness is not the correct way to adjust for dark prints. at any rate, I have test and reference prints coming from several other labs so I'll find out soon enough.
p.2 #3 · Still getting bad color / print density from whcc labs
"I think you're right zaitz but whcc told me that adjusting the brightness is not the correct way to adjust for dark prints. at any rate, I have test and reference prints coming from several other labs so I'll find out soon enough. "
Well, it is if your monitor is too bright, but you don't just turn down the brightness, you have to calibrate to a targeted luminance - something like 120 cd/m2. The exact number depends on the hardware you're using and the ambient light in your editing room, which is why I've been asking you for that information. The higher the level of ambient light, the brighter your screen has to be to look right. Then there's a bit of trial and error to fine tune to get the most accurate display.
p.2 #5 · Still getting bad color / print density from whcc labs
and I recalibrated for evening, no ambient light. Monitor is still much brighter than the prints and soft proofing for the whcc prints shows a brighter image than the spyder4 generated profile, yet the prints are darker.
p.2 #6 · Still getting bad color / print density from whcc labs
Well, 90 cd/m2 is great, but you should have at least a minimal amount of ambient and not completely dark. I would also think about using 6500K as your white point instead of 5000K. With 90 cd/m2, you really shouldn't be having dark print issues due to a too bright screen, but it's also possible that the Spyder either is inaccurate or not generating a great monitor profile. All of the independent testing shows the new X-Rite to be the best bang for the buck, and it's only $250. I'm not saying your Spyder is bad, but I have seen more of those be off than any others. Does that software let you set an accurate black point as well?
p.2 #7 · Still getting bad color / print density from whcc labs
I didn't see anything about setting a black point. I was just using the automated calibration. Not sure if there is another workflow through the software that gives you more control.
I'm hesitant to randomly start throwing hardware at the problem. When I get my other lab prints back, if they show the same symptom as the whcc prints, then I'll start swapping hardware out.
p.2 #8 · Still getting bad color / print density from whcc labs
One of the things I always do wherever I am outputting, whenever possible, is to output a known file - which in my case is a highly modified version of the PhotoDisc test file, with several of my own images, including black and white and color in addition to a set of gray steps that are more finely spaces in both the top and bottom of the luminosity spectrum. Because I've printed the same basic image hundreds of times across a wide variety of printer and proofing systems, I have a pretty good idea when something is off, even a little bit. If I suspect any sort of problems, I immediately print out that target and compare it to previous prints. For instance, there was a problem last year printing a show for another photographer where the prints suddenly seemed darker than usual, but because of the nature of the work, I wasn't thinking it was a big deal. Turns out that I had just upgraded from Leopard to Snow Leopard and printing from CS3, which up until that time was the best way to print, was all of a sudden broken and printing about 3/4 of a stop dark. Moving to CS5/6 solved that but created other problems.
p.2 #10 · Still getting bad color / print density from whcc labs
Did you get your print issues resolved?
I've been trying on and off to get prints to match my monitor for a few years, and have the same issues with dark prints. I've tried 5 labs, and am the happiest with WHCC, but still have problems with many images being way too dark, and anything predominately red/magenta is just way off on color. Other colors seem pretty close.
I'm stumped, and hoping maybe you figured something out that might help me.
I have the luminance on my monitor calibrated at 60 cd/m2 using an i1d2, 6500K and gama 2.2. and I'm still seeing prints much darker than my monitor. I can't go much lower on my monitor either. The brightness is set to 4 out of 100.
p.2 #11 · Still getting bad color / print density from whcc labs
Even in a cave 60 cd/m2 is too low. What calibrator are you using that is giving you that figure? It's more than possible that your numbers are not what they seem, with different instruments giving vastly different readings for the same light. And what monitor are you using as well? All the variables mentioned in this thread apply to anyone trying for a good screen to print match. It really is not that hard to do as long as you follow all the steps and eliminate as many variables as you can.
p.2 #12 · Still getting bad color / print density from whcc labs
I'm using an x-rite i one display 2 on a Dell 2007FP S-IPS monitor. I agree that this really shouldn't be that difficult. But I just can't get good consistent results. Some prints come out pretty good. Others are really dark and colors are off. I just recently printed about 12 different images at WHCC. maybe half look good enough, but still darker than I wanted. These were all the ones that are already pretty bright images. The other half came out too dark, and all started already fairly dark. And some had colors way off (mainly reds/magentas)
I've had to force the brightness of my screen down to 60 cd/m2 in hopes of actually getting the prints to not be too dark. when I had the monitor calibrated to 120 cd/m2, the brightness difference was ridiculous. I'm pretty sure the number is accurate. My brightness on the monitor is turned down to 5 out of 100.
Now I'm trying to prepare for my first art show in 3.5 weeks, and I have to carefully pick through my images to find ones that I can count on getting a good print of. That means nothing too dim or red/magenta. So forget about sunsets/sunrises... No colorful big framed prints to grab people's attention as they walk by, unless I can figure this out really soon.
