Matching Monitor to Print
 

I have an EPSON 2400 for a few months and my frustration it that I am still unable to match the montor's image to the final pirnt. The pritn usually comes too dark. I have tried to compensate by making the image brighter by increasing the brightness, the exposure, etc. After this changes, the print comes brighter but other image qualitiies suffer. I did buy a Spyder 2 Pro to calibrate the monitor, set the printer to the ICC of the paper as well as setting the printer correctly as per Photoshop CS2 instructions.

I appreciate assistance. Thank you,

Jose

Re: Matching Monitor to Print
 

Sounds like a case of the dog chasing his own tail. You don't match your monitor to your prints. You calibrate your monitor to a standard (using your Spyder) and calibrate your printer to a standard (using ICC profiles specific for your printer and your paper). With that properly set, your prints will still appear darker because of the method of viewing. When you view a monitor, the light is transmitted from behind the image. When you view a print, the image is viewed using reflected light. There will always be some variance, however, it should be within an acceptable range.

You didn't specify your monitor type/make, but I would look at your calibration of your monitor first. I don't use a Spyder, so I'm not familiar with the actual steps of that unit. If you'll state whether you have an LCD or CRT, perhaps someone with the Spyder can answer specific issues, or I could help in a more generic manner. For instance, I'm using a LCD monitor and I set my white point to Native, then calibrate my monitor's brightness based on my room's ambient light level. Following calibration, I then profile the monitor based on that calibration and do not touch the brightness level until next time I calibrate. (Your steps will differ from mine since I use a Monaco Optix XR).

I have heard that the printer profiles supplied by Epson are fairly good (assuming you're using Epson papers and ink), but they're generic based on "average" printer. I had printer profiles made specifically for MY printer for each of the printer papers that I use by Cathy's Profiles and then use those profiles to control the print output. Ensure that your printer is set so that it doesn't provide any correction so that it doesn't override what Photoshop is telling it to print.

Prior to printing, set your proof colors to the printer profile. That should be reasonably close to what will be printed, barring differences resulting from light source.

I'm a little concerned by your comment about compensating by making the image brighter by increasing brightness. The brightness/contrast adjustment is one of those adjustments that I'd like to see removed from Adobe's lineup. The end results of using it are typically exactly as you describe ... at the expense of image quality. But you shouldn't be "compensating" and this is the area that we need to address.

These are pretty basic suggestions and you may have already taken the above steps. I certainly was not trying to minimize what you already have done or know. May I suggest that we address the issues in smaller increments than on a macro level. First, let's get your monitor properly calibrated and profiled and then we can go on from there.

Re: Matching Monitor to Print
 

O'Henry touched on something that bugged me. How did you do your Brightness & Exposure adjustment? Did you use the Epson printer driver to do it? If not, I would. I don't have an Epson (I got a Canon), and inside the Printer Driver there are adjustments for each color "channel" and for the Intensity of the image also. I would "tweak" any adjusters like this in the driver.

If you are off "quite a bit", I'd say you got bigger issues and should go back to square one and start over with the whole setup.

And by the way, I use software called QImage for all my home printing functions. It handles all the up and down sizing, and I can save multiple "settings" in it whcih include paper size and print driver settings. It handles monitor and printer profiles too.

Re: Matching Monitor to Print
 

MrPickles, I'll have to disagree with you on that point. You either have the printer control the output or the software (Photoshop, QImage, or any color aware program), not both. If you want the printer to control the output, you turn off software color management and then you have to go through the trial and error process of tweaking the adjustments in your printer controls until you get something you like (and hope it works next time). If you use printer profiles that are calibrated to work with the printer and the paper combination, you do not want to be making any adjustments to the printer and you want all of the printer adjustments turned OFF so that the software controls the output. Having the printer override the ICC profiles used by the software is counter productive. One or the other, not both.

I do agree that if there are significant differences, then there is a bigger issue that needs to be addressed. I believe it's either a monitor calibration issue or a conflict between the printer profile used and the printer driver trying to control the output. (At least, I think Jose is using a printer profile and CS2 to manage color rather than the printer itself).

I've also just started using QImage and like the flexibility it offers. It is a color aware program so I can use the same profiles that I use when printing from Photoshop.

Re: Matching Monitor to Print
 

I do use CS2 to manage the printiing and the set paper profile to the Epson paper that I use. The Epson color management is turned off so that CS2 does all the work. I do have a Sony CRT CPD-G520P that is calibrated mothly; I just calibrated it again before I emailed this question.

The compensations (brightness/exposure) I used for the images were an act of desperation to make the images brighter; not a routine practice. When I do this, the images in the printer are lighter but other parameters suffer.

I tried to calibrate the monitor with the standard Adobe subjective method and did not work, so I bought the Spyder. And yes, I tried to match the prints to the monitor, just experimenting the other way to see what gives. I suppose my next step is to buy a Colorvison PrintFiX but I am hesitant since I though the Spyder would solve the problems.

I have followed Scott Kelby's CS2 book as a guide to set the printer which is basically the same as the CS2 recommendations.

Re: Matching Monitor to Print
 

I don't mind if you disagree, but with my driver, with ICM turned on, you can adjust the Intensity. I do not know why it is this way, but even with ICM on and anything else set to the "default", there IS a difference between the print and the monitor. The difference I see is almost always in the Intensity (brightness/darkness) of the print.

Re: Matching Monitor to Print
 

Sounds like you're doing things correctly. I have some files somewhere that I'll try to locate and send your way. Maybe one of those will have the answer.

edit...sent a zip file of several .pdf files to your email

Re: Matching Monitor to Print
 

Well...the zip file was too large to transfer via email, so I uploaded them to this address....feel free to download them http://www.never3putt.com/photos/files/

The information is from various sites and authors

Re: Matching Monitor to Print
 

One other thing that might be causing problems. Make sure Adobe Gamma is removed from your startup folder. It will conflict with any other profiles, regardless. When you install Photoshop (or upgrade), Adobe Gamma is automatically put in your startup folder.

Re: Matching Monitor to Print
 

I will absorb the info received and will apply. Will get back with results...

Thanks a lot.

Jose

Re: Matching Monitor to Print
 

Your suggestions resolved 90 % of my challange printing with the EPSON 2400. I read the info;suggestions that o'henry and Mr. Pickles send. One of my major oversights was that the paper ICC that I had previously selected for a specific Epson paper was unintentionally changed. I has saved the setting and for some unknow reason these were not saved and I assumed they were. I will keep sharpening my printing skills. If found this site quiet heplful: http://www.normankoren.com/index.html

Thanks again! But I may be back with more questions...

Jose

Re: Matching Monitor to Print
 

Hi,

I just posted almost the same issue, did not see yours until after I put mine out here. Did you ever resolve your issue, if so please let me know the answer.

Thanks.

Re: Matching Monitor to Print
 

Yes, I am hitting about 95 % great prints now; however there are still certain images that take a bit of tweaking particularly those with areas of great contrast. 8)