Macbook Pro calibration and DSCL

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trican

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Daniel
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Hi all,

I'm using a new Macbook Pro with the Retina display and Lightroom for editing. And I'd like to get photos printed from DSCL. I've used them before with an uncalibrated or possibly badly calibrated display and I've been really happy with the results (perhaps some prints come back fractionally dark). But I thought its probably about time that I give colour calibration more consideration before sending images to DSCL. What is the recommended process? DO they provide a colour profile that I use with Lightroom?

Any pointers or advice would be greatly appreciated!

thanks!
 
DSCL have paper profiles.

http://www.dscolourlabs.co.uk/tech_support.cfm

You probably need to buy a calibration device for an accurate display of their prints.

Someone will be along shortly to pimp such devices as I think they are very similar and won't matter a jot which one I recommend.
 
thanks for the info and the links - thats a lot clearer now, except the suggestion about the sample print
 
they send you a sample print (some test images) and you can compare it to the digital copy on your screen, see how close your screen is to their printer and paper :)
 
monitorcalweb.jpg
 
yep
 
So I've read through the colour profile help on the DSCL site. Calibrated the screen and downloaded the ICC profiles and put them in the relevant place on my Macbook. I've edited my images as pre normal within Lightroom and checked the soft proofing option within the develop module to see that things look similar. Then when I exported the images instead of using the regular sRGB profile I used the supplied DSCL matte profile. Hopefully this is right?

When I look at the exported images in the Apple Preview program, the colours look like they are completely incorrect - I think its ignoring the embedded ICC profile? When I look at the images in another generic image viewer, the thumbnail preview also seems to show weird colours but when the image is opened, it displays absolutely fine.

Before I upload images and submit an order to DSCL does all the steps I've outlined above seem reasonable?
 
I have a question along the same lines.

We've just started using Loxley colour labs and we use a Macbook (laptop) for all our image editing.

We ordered some calibration test prints but having never calibrated a monitor before (for standard prints i've never had to!) we're a little bit in the dark as to how to do it...

Does anyone have any "for dummies" tips that we could use?
 
hayesphotography said:
I have a question along the same lines.

We've just started using Loxley colour labs and we use a Macbook (laptop) for all our image editing.

We ordered some calibration test prints but having never calibrated a monitor before (for standard prints i've never had to!) we're a little bit in the dark as to how to do it...

Does anyone have any "for dummies" tips that we could use?
Click to expand...

Pick a calibrator.

Buy it

Install software and follow instructions

Yoy tube video about icc profiles(for cs4 but will help you)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnxo0Ffp3KQ

Simples:)
 
trican said:
So I've read through the colour profile help on the DSCL site. Calibrated the screen and downloaded the ICC profiles and put them in the relevant place on my Macbook. I've edited my images as pre normal within Lightroom and checked the soft proofing option within the develop module to see that things look similar. Then when I exported the images instead of using the regular sRGB profile I used the supplied DSCL matte profile. Hopefully this is right?

When I look at the exported images in the Apple Preview program, the colours look like they are completely incorrect - I think its ignoring the embedded ICC profile? When I look at the images in another generic image viewer, the thumbnail preview also seems to show weird colours but when the image is opened, it displays absolutely fine.

Before I upload images and submit an order to DSCL does all the steps I've outlined above seem reasonable?
Click to expand...

Sorry for being slow on the response but you are doing everything correct as far as I can tell.

The only thing I don't know about is the Mac and how it displays your images, I don't know if a Mac will read the embedded profile.
 
trican said:
So I've read through the colour profile help on the DSCL site. Calibrated the screen and downloaded the ICC profiles and put them in the relevant place on my Macbook. I've edited my images as pre normal within Lightroom and checked the soft proofing option within the develop module to see that things look similar. Then when I exported the images instead of using the regular sRGB profile I used the supplied DSCL matte profile. Hopefully this is right?

When I look at the exported images in the Apple Preview program, the colours look like they are completely incorrect - I think its ignoring the embedded ICC profile? When I look at the images in another generic image viewer, the thumbnail preview also seems to show weird colours but when the image is opened, it displays absolutely fine.

Before I upload images and submit an order to DSCL does all the steps I've outlined above seem reasonable?
Click to expand...

Did you use the soft proofing option in preview?
 
@craikeybaby - I didn't use the soft proofing option within Preview. I did use it within Lightroom, but just to check if there was much difference for the output print. There is also an option to make a proof copy in Lightroom - I played around with this as well for some custom print edits (e.g. boosting contrast since the paper profile output seemed a bit lacking, etc). But again I'm not aure if this is the correct workflow.
 
Last edited:
My understanding is that if you want to see the image with the profile applied in Preview you need to enable soft proofing.

That was my workflow before soft proofing was added to Lightroom.
 
thanks Craikeybaby - I wasn't even aware Preview supported soft proofing. I'll have to check it out
 
this is great reading as I am trying to order from DSCL. I have watched the you tube, downloaded the paper profile that I want and dropped it in the colour sync/profiles folder.

What I cannot work out how to do is preview it in their profile?

Anyone help?

I am using Aperture by the way
 
Longimanus said:
this is great reading as I am trying to order from DSCL. I have watched the you tube, downloaded the paper profile that I want and dropped it in the colour sync/profiles folder.

What I cannot work out how to do is preview it in their profile?

Anyone help?

I am using Aperture by the way
Click to expand...

Use Preview.
 
Sorry, I don't quite understand.

Do you mean preview as in pressing 'p'?
 
The preview app that comes with OS X. You'll need to export the file as you would for sending it to DSCL, then open it in preview.
 
I seem to now have it working in Aperture with the DSCL profile.

Am I correct in thinking that I now adjust my print back to how I want it to look using this view?
 
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