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steveb71530353
steveb71530353
Participating Frequently
December 1, 2018
Question

settings & print problem

  • December 1, 2018
  • 4 replies
  • 318 views

Hi I am using PS cc and would like to know the best settings for Australia.

Also most of my prints I do through Office works and they always come out darker than my screen. I have tried adjusting my screen but still my screen is too bright compared to the printout.

Is there a setting I can change on PS cc to compensate for this?

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    4 replies

    steveb71530353
    steveb71530353Author
    Participating Frequently
    December 9, 2018

    Thank you all for your helpful replies

    J
    jdanek
    Inspiring
    December 2, 2018

    "..but still my screen is too bright"

    Therein lies the problem.  Try to calibrate your monitor for "print".  That will mean dialing back the "brightness" and "White Point".  Eventhough monitors can be calibrated to match prints, they seldom do.  You can get very close, but you are always working in two different views, monitor = transmissive light; print = reflective light.  Add to that the paper type you are using when you print.  A lot of variables, so you have to have reasonable expectations.

    D Fosse
    Community Expert
    D FosseCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    December 2, 2018

    Yes, but if you set the white and black points carefully, you can get extremely close - more than close enough to use it as a reliable preview.

    It takes a bit of trial and error, and your whole working environment plays a part, right down to the application UI. So it's a purely visual process where no numbers can be given. The aim is to set monitor white so that it is a visual match to paper white. You should, in short, "see" paper on screen.

    Next set the black point/contrast range. This should match max ink density for the paper. Most monitors have a completely unrealistic contrast range. A good inkjet print on high-gloss paper can have a contrast range of maximum 300:1 - and yet monitor manufacturers make a selling point of contrast ranges above 1000:1. That means you're in for a massive disappointment when you see the final print.

    I suspect a black point mismatch is the major cause for the notion that "screen and print can never match". They can.

    davescm
    Community Expert
    davescmCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    December 1, 2018

    The other thing to do is watch the histogram. On an average scene there should be a good spread from left to right. If everything is bunched to the left two thirds with little in the right third your image will come out dark.Dave

    Dave

    JJMack
    Community Expert
    JJMackCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    December 1, 2018

    Most run their displays to bright.  So  Prints tend to be dark because of this.  An easy solution is to add a Brightness and Contrast Adjustment Layer on top and boost the brightness 10 to 20% before printing. After printing delete or turn off that layer so it does not display to bright on you too bright display..

    JJMack
    steveb71530353
    steveb71530353Author
    Participating Frequently
    December 2, 2018

    Thank you for your quick reply

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