Monitor calibration and printing...

[Naz]

Hi all,

Its been a long time since I actually printed any of my photos, so I'm going to make an effort to print a lot more.

I've just received 200 prints from snapfish and they are reasonably good, the quality is "ok" and the colours are more or less right, there is one issue though, some of them are quite a lot darker than what I am seeing on my monitor.

I suppose there are two reasons for this:
1.) My monitor is not calibrated
2.) I assume that as monitors are back lit and so any picture displayed on a screen will always be somewhat brighter than its printed equivalent (??)

Basically I'm after any advice at all, as to how to get the very best out of my prints. I assume I need to begin with a calibrated monitor, Is the Spyder 3 express any good? (Can't find the difference between this and the pro version).

Also what processing tips do you all have for printing, do you do anything different when processing for printing as opposed to the web? Do you install colour profiles for the printers or paper that you will be using? Where do you order your prints from etc.

Any advice welcome!

Thanks!

 

[kimaldis]

I use a spyder 3 for calibration, what can I say, it works. You can get close without gadgets though, here's a good place to start:

http://epaperpress.com/monitorcal/index.html

 

[ChrisH]

I use a Spyder pro3 for my monitor and a Spyder print for guess what, yup you got it my printer.

It gets things as near as damn it.

Your right about the transmisive and reflective though, it's more noticable with glossy paper than with matt.

Best money I ever spent after wasting gallons of ink and paper trying to get things to look right.

I now waste one sheet of paper and a little ink printing a calibration chart to scan, otherwise everything is pretty much bang on.

 

[Naz]

I've just ordered a spyder 3 so I'll give it a go and then redo a few of the prints to compare.