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Printing Off Pics... Monitor Recalibrated Now


redangel
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did they do any correction themselves to the prints before they printed? Opening a couple of the images in PS and using the eyedropper on the white areas in the Collie and Poodle shots, there are no areas that jump out as being out of what you would expect for white range, nor are the CMYK values too much out (most 11 / 10 / 11 or similar, not too much disparity there) so it is definitely at the printing end, not the file end where this colour cast is coming in. I would suggest definitely try somewhere else, as those type of cheap jobs at the places mentioned are more set up for mass production images and are probably like getting films done used to be, a lucky dip on how they are processed - somewhere like the link above you will get a better result.

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Ok I have been looking at my settings having just purchased a Spyder3 express calibrator. For a start my brightness was wayyyyyy to high...ok for my gaming teen but a shocker for photos. And my color temp was a bit off also. Maybe thats why I have been getting eye stress from the screen.

Anyway I used my lil Spyder and well hopefully all is well now. Still getting used to the softer light on the screen.....

Any other input on calibration to share????

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Not on calibration but +1 for why images will sometimes look off at "consumer" type labs - it's all a crapshoot that the people running and maintaining the equipment have any clue what they are doing. And that they aren't applying some "correction" to the files that get printed.

Use a better lab. Digital Works has ALWAYS been spot on for printing for me and are worth the slightly extra...shipping doesn't totally suck and they are super quick usually.

There are lots of other labs around, too.

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Well done getting the Spyder, they are great.

We are plain lucky being only a few minutes' drive from Digital Works, so do the usual order on-line, then can pick up next day in person if in a hurry. Often use Camera House too, (the one in Croydon, Victoria) their calibration is also good for us. They'll also do a quick turnaround for on-line orders, as well as good counter service.

One of the reasons to join a camera club (Photographic Society) is that clubs will generally invite the owners/managers of the better processors to come and give a talk on what happens at their end. It is good to get their points of view and needs explained. And a guided tour of Digital Works is an eye-opener, it is huge and complex and spotless, really impressive.

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One of the reasons to join a camera club (Photographic Society) is that clubs will generally invite the owners/managers of the better processors to come and give a talk on what happens at their end. It is good to get their points of view and needs explained.

That would be cool!

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One of the reasons to join a camera club (Photographic Society) is that clubs will generally invite the owners/managers of the better processors to come and give a talk on what happens at their end. It is good to get their points of view and needs explained.

That would be cool!

Or you just ask them. I stood in a pro print lab for 30 minutes on Friday having a chat to the printer about his metallic paper and the reason why some images look good on it and some look like crap. They will talk if you give them the chance. They like to talk. :thumbsup:

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Hehe, good for those who live near one...my closest pro lab would likely be Perth - 1200kms south of me! Hard to talk to them in person :thumbsup:

BTW - so what was his answer on the metallic prints?

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Hehe, good for those who live near one...my closest pro lab would likely be Perth - 1200kms south of me! Hard to talk to them in person :)

BTW - so what was his answer on the metallic prints?

Images that work best on metallic paper are images with a broad range of contrast, really black blacks and an element of something 'bright' or white within the image. Standard wedding photos, not so good. Huge areas of white or bright just don't work. The bright areas need to be simple highlights and not a large part of the image.

(He has started talking to me lots over the phone too. He helped me out a great deal when I was having calibration issues. :o )

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Metallic is "fun" - I find it a bit trial and error. Digital Works can be a bit strong. Camera House call it "Platinum", not metallic and it seems softer. But they only run it one day a week, so no same-day turnaround. It is great for a palomino or buckskin horses, and for landscapes with Autumn colour or rocky cliffs.

Interesting the fellow's comment with looking for something white in the image. As you said for weddings gowns it is not so good: it is the same with a good skewball or piebald horse - the glow on the dark colour looks great but the white can have an almost yellow glow cast. Not always. But it is a fair cost having metallic or platinum prints done 'on spec',

For macro people, a pin-sharp bee shot is great for big prints in metallic, the black and gold and the wing get the best out of it.

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OK....I have printed off some pics with the new calibration- my daytime colors look just great! However, my night/flash photos still have a yellow cast- yet in lightroom the whites look white, photos look bright/vibrant yet in print quite wrong. The overall print is a dull soft yellow- like the brightness has been halved. Any ideas? I have read online about d/l test pictures for print...and I am considering Digital Works for a test- do they feedback on issues?? I am happy to put the blame on me- but I just want to get these things right. Frustrating is an understatement.

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Hmm, if your images look right on your calibrated monitor, they should print correctly UNLESS the printer/lab you are using is too helpful - many program a "correction" sequence in before they print and that might be screwing things up.

Give DigitalWorks a go - it's not that expensive for a few test prints and it should you a good base line. Give them a ring and talk to them, too.

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