How to get prints to look like image on screen

Question

Hi guys,I'm attempting to print a photograph and get the print as close as possible to how it was graded on screen.I have googled but answers either don't apply or are a little too techy for my basic knowledge.The photo is very grey with very subtle colours here and there so any slight difference in cast really shows.I'm using a Canon MX7100 and semi gloss photo paper.I've found the printer series and entered the correct paper. At first try it came out with a heavy magenta cast. Then I set it to 'Let Photoshop handle the colours'Second print is better but I was wondering if there was more I should do. It mentioned turning off printer handling colours, but I didn't find that option.Is there anything else that I can/should tweak?I am using well reviewed 3rd party inks. Should I use official Canon inks? And if so, can I swap between them as I don't want to using use the expensive official inks for everyday use.Thanks

D Fosse · Accepted Answer

This may be a bit technical for a beginner, but you asked the question. This is the answer:

You need to get a good display calibrator, like an x-rite i1 Display Pro.

Next, set your calibration parameters so that monitor white is a visual match to paper white, and monitor black is a visual match to max ink density for that paper.

This is a purely visual match, and the numbers don't matter. Just as a starting point, begin with 120 cd/m² white point luminance, D65 white point color, and black point 0.4 cd/m² (equivalent to 300:1 contrast ratio).

Work from there. Just get a visual match. The values you arrive at depend on your whole working environment, ambient light, print viewing light and so on.

With this established (after trial and error) - what you see is what you get, at least in terms of tonality and contrast. Now is the time to run the rest of the calibration and profiling, to get accurate color reproduction on screen.

Dan_Jacobsen · Answer

Thanks guys.

That all makes sense actually .... it's all about getting the monitor correct to start with, but the investment for a monitor calibrator is beyond us at the moment. I can see that's got to happen at some point though.

Until we can get the monitor correct we'll have to just live with it. I guess even if we send the files off to be printed they won't necessarily match as the monitor's sure to be out.

Can you swap between official and unofficial inks?

Cheers

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