iMac 21.5 screen color different from print out

[Elphie]

Hi To All,

I am just new to this forum and just want to get some advice as I have wasted a lot of 4x6 glossy paper just to get the right print out color wise from my printer.

1. I am using Aperture3 as my Photo Application
2. Printer is a Canon MG6270

My output is always a little bit dark specially the skin it would be a great help if you could advice me the correct setup for both my iMac 21.5 and Canon MG6270 specially the colorsynch setup on the printer.

Thanks in advance for your advice/help on this..

Larry

 

[Doug b]

This is an old dog of an issue with iMacs. The blunt and simple truth is that iMac monitors are a real pain in the rear when it comes to editing photos. Professionals don't usually use iMac's for proofing or editing for the reason that they're very difficult to calibrate properly. But this is exactly what you've got to do, or try to do anyway.

Here's an blog article that will explain a bit, and I do recommend you search further for other articles that deal with "calibrating an iMac". It's not a very black and white issue, in that you're not only dealing with the monitor, but also a printer, color spaces for these things and their profiles. Lot's of ways to go about calibration, but you have to find the right way for your equipment.

Be sure to read the comments made in that blog article too... especially the last one. Some good info there.

Doug

 

[Elphie]

Hi Doug,

Thanks for your time in helping me but I don't where is the blog you are talking do I just have to search the google search for it or you have the URL for the said blog.. Thanks again..

Larry

 

[chappers]

It's not true that iMacs are difficult to calibrate. You can calibrate and iMac screen as you can any other monitor provided you have the correct tools. I have been using both Mac and PC driven monitors for over 20 years and have been able to calibrate them without too much problem.

I currently own a 27" iMac which is calibrated and provides good screen to print match.

Straight out of the box the Imac monitor is far to bright. Not unusual in the wold of PC's either. To correctly calibrate the monitor you need a calibration tool and software. Devices such as the Spyder3 and Pantone Huey will do this for you. They are not cheap but if you need a calibrated screenthey are essential. Initially you could simply drop the brightness level. You can do this within Sys Prefs. Try moving the slider to approximately half way.

Depending on what software you are using setting up the printer can vary. Initially I would leave the printer to control the colour and see how well it works with the screen brightness reduced.

 

[Remko]

Hi Elphie,

Unfortunatley Mac screens are not that suitable for serious photography for several reasons.
What you need to do first is have your screen calibrated. You can buy a Color Munki or a Spyder3 from Datacolor. I would advise the Spyder as - as far as I know - it deals best with the way too high luminance settings on Mac screens. (one of the reasons your print is a bit darker than what you see on your screen).

The problems with Mac screens are that they are only able to show a limited range of colors. The color space of sRGB - the smallest color space we know off - is not met. If you are shooting JPEGs with the sRGB color space seleted, you won't have too much of an problem.

And yes Mac screens are difficult to calibrate, as the luminance is way too high. Apple choose this partly to overcome the reflectance issue with the glossy screens.
Due to the screens being glossy, your photos appear different on your screen than they are in reality (they are shown more contrasty than they are in reality). What you can do, after calibrating your screen, is making a small print.
Even better is if you have an app that is able to soft proof: using the ICC profile that you use for your printer-paper-ink combo, the photo on your screen is simulated. But ...... the color gamut / color space of a Mac screen is limited in the colors that can be shown, so do not expect too much if you are shooting other than JEPGs with the SRG color space.

BTW: I am in the process of buying an iMac myself, but I have a screen dedicated for photography (an LaCie 526) and will use my iMac screen as a secondary monitor.

Cheers,
Remko

 

[Dysfunction]

Well, for what it's worth. Every printer I use (mpix, bay photo, etc) uses sRGB anyway (Bay does use Adobe RGB as well however). So, if I'm outputting to a file for RA-4 processing it's written with an sRGB based ICC file anyway. Color match has been a non-issue as long as everything's calibrated and soft proofed.

Of course, I don't have an iMac at any rate... but it's just a point of reference. Basically, if you're outputting to an ICC that uses sRGB viewing on an sRGB monitor's no big deal in my opinion.

 

[Remko]

Hi Mike,

I totally agree with you. Maybe I was not clear enough, but that was what I tried to make clear when stating that if you shoot JPEG with the s RGB color space you won't have too much of a problem.

With RAW (or shooting JPEG with the aRGB color space) it is a totally different situation of course.

Cheers,
Remko

 

[Dysfunction]

yea, but I shoot raw

It's all about the output path in the end anyway (and this is the especially important bit that needs to be understood in any color management workflow, your work needs to match your output. There's no use softproofing in a color space you're not outputting to etc). Especially since, by nature, RAW files don't have any embedded color space.


btw, I'm not disagreeing that aRGB (or for that matter prophoto) isn't a wider, potentially more accurate color space. It's just all in understanding any working limitations you have so that you can use them to your advantage.. and man, color management (especially white balance) is a whole lot easier in the digital age than it was when you had to carefully consider film choice and balance with filters or gels

 

[Remko]

So true

There is so much to say about color mngt, and I did not want to go into too much detail.
I assumed, looking to the question of the OP, that he was shooting JPEG anyway.

Cheers,
Remko

 

[Doug b]

Bret Edge Photography » The iMac Calibration Conundrum

Not sure of why my link didn't post, I'll have to look for it again, sorry. And color space is only half of the issue. Most photo labs do use sRGB because that's what the masses are working with. So unless specified as Pro Color space, it will likely be sRGB. The real issue is that of being able to tune the luminance and contrast with said calibration tools.

This is something the end user has no control over unless special software is used which will take over the video card and make the changes from there. It's also an matter of the user making sure that editing is done in the same exact light every time, and that the iMac's screen is not getting hit with direct sunlight.

Doug

P.S. It doesn't matter if you shoot raw or jpg. It's not like you're printing directly from the RAW file anyway. You're either exporting to Jpg or at worst, using Tiff.

 

[Elphie]

To All,

I do really appreciate all the efforts you have given and enjoy all the inputs as I am learning a lot from it.

Cheers,

Elphie