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How are your prints coming out with the new IMacs?
- Thread starter lukester
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If you don't get enough replies on this forum you might want to go to the dpreview mac discussion forum since it is largely frequented by photographers.
Here's the link http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/forum.asp?forum=1017
Here's the link http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/forum.asp?forum=1017
No, we are saying you might want to go to a forum with professional photographers. They are the ones who would care more about color accuracy than your typical MR user. They will answer your question much better then MR.
I calibrated my i7 27 inch iMac with Spyder 3. I ensured that my printer driver (R1800 Epson) is the most current and I used Photoshop 8 for processing. My camera is a Canon 40D and, so far, I have only used shots taken with my 24-70L and 100-400L lenses. My photos have matched what I see on the screen.
The largest that I have printed is 8.5x11 inches.
The largest that I have printed is 8.5x11 inches.
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So you don't notice that they seem a tad sharper, more contrasty looking on the screen when compared with the actual print?
I have been using my laptop 6 bit color and it's been hit and miss so anything has to be better.
I am thinking of adding a nec 2490 for my laptop or if I can get enough assurance I will go for the Imac.27" , one with no problems would be nice.
I have the posted picture set as my desktop. The desktop and the 8.5x11 are pretty close. What gamma setting are you using on your printer? I use 2.2, color determined by Photoshop and adobe 98 color setting for printer and camera. Also, I use a premium paper. I agree with a poster above, go back to dpreview and their printer forum. There is a lot of information that is not iMac specific that you need to understand. Good luck.
I have some more thoughts on your question. First, is your laptop a matte screen? Are you running Snow Leopard? Have you calibrated your screen with something better than the apple on computer calibration software? Do you have a quality Photo printer--not a run of the mill all-in-one?
Printing is the synergism of all of the above. I often think that printing is Black Magic instead of technology. I have had at least 7 different printers and have hated all of them. My new iMac is the first computer that I have used that has given me truly acceptable prints. I am blown away with the screen in comparison to Dells, Eizos, etc. It does not have a yellow cast and it does not flicker. I do not have glare because I use the computer in a place and manner that does not reflect light. I will never own a matte screen again.
Printing is the synergism of all of the above. I often think that printing is Black Magic instead of technology. I have had at least 7 different printers and have hated all of them. My new iMac is the first computer that I have used that has given me truly acceptable prints. I am blown away with the screen in comparison to Dells, Eizos, etc. It does not have a yellow cast and it does not flicker. I do not have glare because I use the computer in a place and manner that does not reflect light. I will never own a matte screen again.
It's good to hear you are having good results.
I think you miss where I am coming from.
I shoot weddings and edit@1200 images per. I provide High end albums in my packages and they get printed by a custom Lab and they use sRGB color space. I have been using my MBP sometimes because I am lazy to hook it up to my Mitusbishi Diamond CRT. I found out that my MBP's screen is only good for 6 bit color, duhh. I didn't know that and I also found out that my CRT's red channel is low, I can't get correct color balance, plus,, plus, get this I just found out that in PS when using my CRT PS was using the profile from my Laptop>>> holy crap, I can't believe all this time I had these things against me.. So anything I get will be 100% better.
So I am mainly paranoid that I may not get the right setup.
I do know that most pros do not like glossy screens.
I am also on the computer for long periods of time and there has been many complaints about eye strain with the glossy screen. Plus I will be editing in PS and zooming in for detail etc. and will be concerned with correct sharpening etc. I wish I could try one out for a week, calibrate it, send some prints out and compare. That's the only way I will know I guess.
I have a Canon i9100 and my iMac, the images on the screen are much more vibrant. I think I need to calibrate the iMac though. The images seem a little washed out when printed. I used to print out from my MBP and dont recall the images looking this washed out. But I was comparing it to my matte MBP screen, so maybe thats the difference?
Im surprised we havent seen any iMac calibration profile threads around here. I wouldnt mind checking out some other profiles.
Im surprised we havent seen any iMac calibration profile threads around here. I wouldnt mind checking out some other profiles.
I took a quick look at some of the threads and most of the threads I saw seemed to be more computer releated Mac questions rather than strictly photography releated.
The professional labs I've used usually supply either a monitor profile, a card that can be scanned or a link to a color file. I calibrate the monitor manually with a color card. Epson recently released new drivers and icc profiles for my Epson Stylus Photo 2200 and SL. My prints at first were darker than what I wanted using CS2 until I got the settings correct. The print dialog was a little different than what was in Leopard. Now they are perfect. I also tried elements 8 and the prints were again perfect.
It seems to always require seveal test prints before I get it right. This was true on windows machines as well.I took a quick look at some of the threads and most of the threads I saw seemed to be more computer releated Mac questions rather than strictly photography releated.
The professional labs I've used usually supply either a monitor profile, a card that can be scanned or a link to a color file. I calibrate the monitor manually with a color card. Epson recently released new drivers and icc profiles for my Epson Stylus Photo 2200 and SL. My prints at first were darker than what I wanted using CS2 until I got the settings correct. The print dialog was a little different than what was in Leopard. Now they are perfect. I also tried elements 8 and the prints were again perfect.
You really need a good monitor calibrator. I have a eye1 D2 which works very well.
I am concerned about the same issue, and this link might make me buy a 27" rather than a Mac Pro + 22" monitor .. Aparently the prints are coming out well -
http://luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=38983
In addition, apparently ColorEyes software, bundled w/ a Spyder 3 ( Pro? Elite?), is the preferred iMac calibration tool according to Shutterbug Magazine's editor, who tests these monitors and calibrators for print quality. He has disliked Mac displays in the past, but that was before he tried coloreyes and before the better adjustability of the new 27".
Note that Shutterbug suggests Luminance of 90, not 120, to get matching prints. Screen too bright = prints too dark...
Let us know if you try it
http://luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=38983
In addition, apparently ColorEyes software, bundled w/ a Spyder 3 ( Pro? Elite?), is the preferred iMac calibration tool according to Shutterbug Magazine's editor, who tests these monitors and calibrators for print quality. He has disliked Mac displays in the past, but that was before he tried coloreyes and before the better adjustability of the new 27".
Note that Shutterbug suggests Luminance of 90, not 120, to get matching prints. Screen too bright = prints too dark...
Let us know if you try it
I have my i7 calibrated with Spyder3 Pro. They prints come out very well matched to the screen. For something very color critical, I stick to the top third of the screen. I don't do weddings, so most is not that color critical. My business is mainly wildlife prints, greeting cards, and some freelance pet photography. I always, in my work flow have two settings for sharpness. One for deploying on screen and one for printing. Aperture helps by letting me pick a sharpness setting for printing in the print job setup. I have always done it this way, one any screen, especially the do CRT.
iMac calibration
hi guys!
I own a 24" iMac aluminium bought on July 2009, I'm considering to start a color managed workflow for my photos.
I'm not a photographer; I read that my iMac model has the too high minimum brightness problem so it's difficult to calibrate it (I know of the software Shade or to use a specific calibrator).
A friend of mine has the 27" model and also the Spyder 3.
I ask you: does the calibration must be done without the glass to obtain accurate results or even with the glass the process can be done?
This is the question I've not found a clear answer to in many forums.
What product you suggest to use with my 24" iMac between ColorMunki, Spyder 3 Elite, EyeOne Pro etc...?
Because iMacs needs hardware+software calibration, I know also someone use basicColor software to achieve better results than bundled software, so what calibrator is compatible with this software among the above listed?
Thank you if you can help me.
hi guys!
I own a 24" iMac aluminium bought on July 2009, I'm considering to start a color managed workflow for my photos.
I'm not a photographer; I read that my iMac model has the too high minimum brightness problem so it's difficult to calibrate it (I know of the software Shade or to use a specific calibrator).
A friend of mine has the 27" model and also the Spyder 3.
I ask you: does the calibration must be done without the glass to obtain accurate results or even with the glass the process can be done?
This is the question I've not found a clear answer to in many forums.
What product you suggest to use with my 24" iMac between ColorMunki, Spyder 3 Elite, EyeOne Pro etc...?
Because iMacs needs hardware+software calibration, I know also someone use basicColor software to achieve better results than bundled software, so what calibrator is compatible with this software among the above listed?
Thank you if you can help me.