Color Management/Correction : Printout is way off from monitor colors.

Report · May 05, 2020

Hello,

Will appreciate your help.

My work setup was changed from a Dell laptop hooked to an Eizo to MacMini hooked to a Eizo Colour Edge CS 240.

Ever since we have switched to the MacMini, my print outs are way off. Think there is some problem with the profiles, I am not able to figure it out......it's driving me crazy!

I calibrated the monitor using Color Navigator 7 w/ Spyder 5 Elite to a brightness of 120 cd/m, white point 5000 K, gamma 2.2, chooisng a target of " Print Proofing" as I failed to get good results with the " Adobe RGB" target.

I think the brightness should be lowered but that is not the only issue.

The print is way off. I printed a target image from 'digitaldog' the skin tones are yellowed. Thinking that it was my eye. I viewed the printout hours after swtiching the monitor off.....even if I am not referencing to anything the skin tones are off.

The printer is Epson Sure Colour P7000.

There is something going wrong with the image to printer transmission. I used Hahnemuhle Ultra Smooth Photo Rag Paper and printed using its ICC profile.

I am sure someone can 'get' it where I am going wrong. Please help, it would be much appreciated.

Thank you very much.

Looking forward to your support.

Report · May 05, 2020

First off, try an Epson paper/Epson profile. It could be that the Hahnemuhle profile is defective, and you need to eliminate variables.

Also a fresh Epson driver.

Generally, you shouldn't calibrate the monitor to any preset, Adobe RGB or otherwise. Just set it to native, full gamut, and then whatever white and black points you prefer. It does not need to match anything. 5000K is awfully yellow, but might work in a dim environment with incandescent light.

Report · May 05, 2020

Thanks a ton!!! Much appreciated 🙏

Should I use 6500K?

But this is all going on in the monitor.

Monitor profiles don't effect the print out ( right?).

Maybe it's the Hahnemuhle profile, nevertheless I had good results in the past using the same profile and paper. Just after I switched over all these issued popped up.

Report · May 06, 2020

I think reinstalling the driver made a difference!

Thanks for that advice!!

Much appreciated!!!

Report · May 05, 2020

D Fosse is right to suggest you test an Epson paper.

Its hard to tell where the problem lies when the issue may be with display calibration OR the printer. or both.

Can you remember how your existing images looked on the old system? Has existing image appearance changed on screen?

Were those the same screen calibration targets you used before?

If the testimage prints with too much yellow in skin tones that’s a clue it’s a printer profile issue for sure. Or the image has been edited since it was downloaded. A printer profile MUST be used wit the recommended media type selected when printing. You're using "Photoshop manages color" and selecting the Hahnemuehle ICC profile, I presume?

A screen calibrated to D65 is quite blue looking to most users. I'd suggest 5800K as a starting print for display white, then iterate that setting to match a GOOD proof or print. DO NOT go chasing what may be an inaccurate print by altering display calibration targets.

120 CD/m is not an unreasonably high luminance target setting - required luminance is very dependent on room light.

TIP, get luminance right [think printing paper white - when the paper is in a print viewing light booth or good daylight] before adjusting white as luminance significantly affects white colour perception.

I suggest you re-download that test image or perhaps try our Adobe RGB image here https://colourmanagement.net/index.php/downloads_listing just to rule out the possibility that it may have been edited. Do skintones look realistic on screen? Does a monochrome image or test wedge look neutral?

Please let us know how it goes

I hope this helps

if so, please "like" my reply and if you're OK now, please mark it as "correct", so that others who have similar issues can see the solution

thanks

neil barstow, colourmanagement.net :: adobe forum volunteer

[please do not use the reply button on a message in the thread, only use the one at the top of the page, to maintain chronological order]

Report · May 06, 2020

Thanks a lot!! NB

I checked up everything. I set up the monitor to 5800 K. Before reading your mail. So I actually made it close to that number! 🙂

Seems quite close.

However, the African baby in the traget photo is far to dark. The rest of image closely matches.

Thank you so much for all the support!

I sincerely appreciate it!!!

It's is very comforting to know that you folk are always there to help for any issues.

Will do a few mores test...& see the outcome.

Yes, I am using " Photoshop manages color"

Report · May 06, 2020

Generally, you calibrate your monitor to match the print, not the other way round. The very simple reason is that the monitor can be adjusted, but you can't change the color and brightness of paper. So that's the reference.

But obviously that depends on a good print profile and a sound printer color management chain in working order.

You set the monitor white point to be a visual match to paper white (as seen in appropriate light). You should "see" paper white on screen. Printing on different papers you can even have associated calibration targets for each paper type.

There are no fixed numbers. If it looks right, it is right. It all depends on the whole working environment. Trust your eyes. My own calibrated white points (I have several) go from 5500K to 6300K.