Need help getting started with Color Management

[stallen]

I have been using a Canon i960 printer for quite awhile and I have been using the Easy-Photo Print software that comes bundled with the printer. I've been fairly satisfied, but I still have my most valued photos printed professionally.

I would like to step things up a bit and do all my printing on my own. I have been learing how to use Photoshop CS over the past year and a half or so. I've become fairly good at editing photos.

I would like to get an Epson R800 (I wish they would come out with an updated model, but that's beside the point). I understand that I might have trouble getting "spot on" photos right out of the box with this printer, so I'm trying to learn about colour management. To be honest, I'm not totally getting it. Sounds like you need to calibrate your monitor, you need to make a profile for your scanner and you need to make profiles for each type of paper you plan to use.

Here is what I have...
Monitor: Dell 2005FPW
Scanner: Canon 9950F
Printer: probably soon to be Epsoon R800
Paper: planning to use authentic Epson inks and, to start, Epson papers (mostly Premium Luster, Premium Glossy)
Software: Photoshop CS2

I read photo-i's "Colour Management part one - the basics" under the "Talk Shop" section. This helped some. I watched Vincent's video for calibrating your monitor using the spyder. That was GREAT! I wish I could see a video for making profiles for scanners and printers. AND, how to put them all together and use them in Photoshop CS2.

I think I need more visual. Can anyone recommend a video tutorial for this. Or, maybe a website that discusses this with lots of screenshots. I am hoping that Vincent's DVD's that he is working on will cover this topic in the kind of detail that a noob like myself needs to get started. But I don't know that I can wait until those become available. Any help from anyone would be appreciated!

[Costas L]

Hi stallen

When it comes to colour management its best to take it in easy stages. A lot also depends on your budget in terms of how far you want to take matters.

If you got good prints with the Canon i960 printer then there is no reason why you should not also get good prints with the Epson R800 which comes with software similar to the Canon Easy-Photo Print software.

As far as Colour management goes, monitor calibration has to be the starting point. If you cannot rely on what you see on screen, then you are going to have problems. In terms of the lower cost options, I rate the Gretag Macbeth Eye One Display as probably best value. It can also help you establish the right level of ambient room lighting - more important than you might think. You can also try calibrating via your Graphics card – see below.
http://www.photo-i.co.uk/BB/viewtopic.php?t=183

The Epson profiles for the R800 are pretty good, well worth trying before you consider making your own. If you only plan on using a few papers, then its probably worth getting these done professionally, cost can be quite reasonable. Scanner profiles – you will need one per film you use and generally are only worth considering for slide film.

My 2 penny worth anyway

[Kevgermany]

Your order of priorities is right, as Costas implied.

Don't quite agree with Costas on the scanner profiles - one will do, for a neutral flim like ektachrome. This tends to iron out scanner funnies, while preserving the differences between the films and transferring them into the scans.

You could also consider the profile mechanic screen calibrator www.dl-c.com (which I use). Your dell will definitely benefit from calibration.

Not sure what scanner software you're using, but in the absence of dedicated scanner profiling software such as profile mechanic, Vuescan will do the job, get IT/8 target from Wolf Faust (www.coloraid.de)

[Murray Foote]

Stallen

Just to add to what Costas and Kev have said: Calibrating your monitor with a colorimeter is the important thing, Monaco Optix XR of GMB Eye-One Display 2 are best, Spyder2 is also OK. Then if you use PS CS you can "soft proof" to get a fairly accurate view of what your printed output will look like before you print.

Scanner calibration is optional, useful rather than essential. It will improve the accuracy of the colours of your scan but if your monitor is calibrated you can correct that accurately anyway. Scanner calibration has no effect for scanning negatives.

As Kev says, standard profiles with Epson papers are very good. In this case a custom profile will only make a difference for a minority of images with bright colours that are out of gamut of the standard profiles. If you later come to use third-party papers there may be more of a case for custom profiles.

There is a wealth of info in this thread: http://www.photo-i.co.uk/BB/viewtopic.php?t=84

Regards,
Murray

[stallen]

- Costas, I was happy with my i960/easy-print set-up as a means for printing up snap shots to give away to my family etc. As for my photo's that I want to display in my home or for keeping in an album for archiving... I've never been happy with my current set-up. I've been using mpix.com and they do an excellent job. I just want the satisfaction and convenience of doing it myself. This is becoming my hobby.

Thanks so much for ALL of your tips.

-All, I am convinced that I need to calibrate my monitor. I viewed Vincent's Calibrating your monitor with a Spyder video again. I noticed that you have to adjust the brightness and contrast using the Spyder. I figure that is probably the case with Monaco Optix or any other calibration system as well. I can not adjust the brightness and contrast on my Dell 2005FPW monitor. I have discovered that it's just not an option with this monitor when hooked up with the DVI connection. Is this typical with digital/DVI LCD monitors? I do have the option to adjust RGB (each individually).

In the Adobe Gamma tool, it looks like my brightness and contrast are at the proper levels (even though I can't change them).

So what do you think? I'm willing to buy one of these calibration systems, but I'd hate to think I would have to buy a new monitor. This one is fairly new. Another new monitor is not in my budget. Also, I have the option to switch my monitor to analog cable then MAYBE the brightness and contrast adjustments would be available. I would think, however, that DVI would be superior.

Thanks to all of you for your advice and thanks in advance for any further tips!

[Kevgermany]

stallen, based on my experiences with the Dell 2405fpw

As delivered it's very bright and the colours loko washed out. From memory yours has a lower rated brightness/contrast, so may not apply. On calibration with profile mechanic, I did no adjustments manually, let the calibrator do everything. Results are superb. There's very little control over these monitors, but I do have some control from the on screen menu. Just make sure that if you don't use default settings, you record what you use, otherwise someone fiddling with the monitor (kids?) will blow your calibration.

Also make sure that you kill adobe gamma properly before trying to calibrate.

One small point about the scanner calibration - I found it essential for my microtek, less helpful for my epson. Murray has a 9950, so I'll bow to his knowledge and experience of that scanner.

[Costas L]

I noticed that you have to adjust the brightness and contrast using the Spyder. I figure that is probably the case with Monaco Optix or any other calibration system as well. I can not adjust the brightness and contrast on my Dell 2005FPW monitor. I have discovered that it's just not an option with this monitor when hooked up with the DVI connection. Is this typical with digital/DVI LCD monitors? I do have the option to adjust RGB (each individually).

In the Adobe Gamma tool, it looks like my brightness and contrast are at the proper levels (even though I can't change them).

When I was looking to buy a monitor calibration system, contrast/brightness adjustment was one of the areas that concerned me. The reason I seleted the EyeOne Display was it lets you select a target level of illuniation and the software will set it for you - good for flat screen monitors.
There is a tutorial on the GM site you can download from this page