Calibrating New Monitor

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

<denis@boisclair.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message news:1123230928.116110.269200@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>
> I have just bought a new monitor - ViewSonic P97f+ (19" CRT) - and
> have been calibrating it using Viewsonic's Colormatch software. I
> checked the screen display of the calibration print provided by
> Photobox and the match was good , although the color bars were somewhat
> paler at the light end in the screen version.
> Before ordering a large number of prints (from Photobox - here in the
> UK ) I sent a sample order to see how the prints turned out. I was
> pleased
>
> with the results although when I compared the prints with the
> corresponding screen images the prints were more saturated and
> contrasty - which I considered an unexpected improvement!
>
> It looks as though I need to match the monitor to the prints rather
> than the other way around!
>
> I am using a Nvdia Ge Force graphics card (latest driver FX5200) and
> have the following settings:-
>
> Colour Quality 32 bit
> 96 dpi
> Colour Profile RGB 1998
> Screen Refresh Rate 75 hz
>
> It looks as though I need to match the monitor to the prints rather
> than the other way around!
>
> I must admit I am now confused as to what to do next to match the
> monitor display to prints: any advice will be appreciated.

You'll never get an exact match between the two, since prints
work by reflected light while monitors work by eminated light.
They're two entirely different technologies. E.g. you'll never
get the same level of saturation on a monitor as on a print.

All you're looking to accomplish with calibration software is
to match color tone, and gamut as much as possible.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

denis@boisclair.freeserve.co.uk wrote:

> I am using a Nvdia Ge Force graphics card (latest driver FX5200) and
> have the following settings:-
>
> Colour Quality 32 bit
> 96 dpi
> Colour Profile RGB 1998
> Screen Refresh Rate 75 hz
>
> It looks as though I need to match the monitor to the prints rather
> than the other way around!
>
> I must admit I am now confused as to what to do next to match the
> monitor display to prints: any advice will be appreciated.
>

The problem with doing what you propose is that the labs run their
printers on Auto everything and colours will vary. Only the very top of
the most expensive range of monitors will produce the colour density of
a print and even this is at the expense of contrast range.

The best you can hope for is to die in your sleep - no, that's a song!
The best you can hope for is to see all the detail and correct colours
on your screen.

--
Douglas,
Never trust a Photographer with a guide dog!

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Presuming your post is serious then you just do not understand the meaning,
purpose and method of monitor calibration and color management as nothing
you wrote has much to do with useful monitor calibration or color
management.
Photobox, whoever they are, is conning you into thinking there is some kind
of accurate color matching involved in the process you describe.
Monitor calibration along with color managed printing at first can seem
overwhelming but the basics are not that hard to grasp. There is much real
information available on many web sites and from many books. The Adobe web
site and the xrite photo site (maker of Monaco calibrating devices) are good
places to start.
Whether or not to pursue this information depends on how much it means to
you to get the best print quality from your photo images.
The purpose of calibration is to measure the colors and light/dark ranges
you see on your monitor so that your color managed imaging program and your
printer's driver can aree on what is green and how dark or light green
should be within the limits (gamut) of the printer's ability to reproduce
color and light/dark.
The process is not foolproof but radically improves the reliability of color
printing.
If you do not print your own in a color managed environment then whatever
mass market printer does your printing does not know (and really does not
care) what you saw on your monitor.
It is very easy to take an image file and print it using optimization
algorithms that will please the non-discerning eye: these algorithms are
built into every imaging software program and most printer drivers that are
on the market.
Many, if not most, amateur photographers do not really have experience
evaluating optimized image quality and printing. These are qualities that
are independent of the content of the image.
Until imaging programs like Photoshop became available along with high
quality inkjet photoprinting complex darkroom techniques were simply out of
the reach of the vast majority of even advanced amateur photographers.
If you want the best print quality then you have to begin learning how to
manipulate your images in a photoprogram (Photoshop Elements is likely all
you will ever need) and the basics of color managed printing. If you do not
optimize the image first you will never get near to the print you want. And
you have to buy a monitor calibrating device.
Otherwise just send your image files to Photobox or whoever and accept what
comes back. This has been the model for photofinishing for more than 100
years now.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

denis@boisclair.freeserve.co.uk wrote:

>
> I have just bought a new monitor - ViewSonic P97f+ (19" CRT) - and
> have been calibrating it using Viewsonic's Colormatch software. I
> checked the screen display of the calibration print provided by
> Photobox and the match was good , although the color bars were somewhat
> paler at the light end in the screen version.
> Before ordering a large number of prints (from Photobox - here in the
> UK ) I sent a sample order to see how the prints turned out. I was
> pleased
>


Unless you specifically told them "No corrections!" you have no idea if this
file was adjusted by them or their software before printing.

I sugest you read "Color confidence" By Tim Grey. It explains digital color
management well and is less than $10 used at amazon.com.
--

Stacey