wideangle
02-04-2009, 12:24pm
OK here I go again about colour reproduction on screen and in print......It seems that no matter how well a screen is calibrated (hardware or software) that the image is still going to look different in terms of its contrast etc (as well as screens having backlight/prints don't relect light etc), because every screen is going to have different output as a result of its hardware etc. I have 2 screens, one a 22" screen which is very vibrant, and a notebook screen which now when looking at my images on the notebook the images are more flat.
The issue I feel is not so much colour difference, as I am happy with reproduction from computer to prints (look similar) but its more to do with the degree of colour saturation that is perceived from screen to screen. My 22" shows greens and reds very vibrant so I have had to learn to compensate my PP in order to achieve print results that are good. This often means that the colours on screen look 'very toned' but a little less so in print, but still acceptable.
I used to PP images on my less saturated notebook and found the prints to come out too contrasty etc. Since working more on the 22" I have found that I am having to undertake less adjustments in order to get a print.
I suppose what it boils down to is getting used to hardware that one works with and constantly tweaking the results in order to get it as close as possible as to how you want it. I have watched shows where people are doing prints to put them in a professional gallery and the amount of times they do test prints etc to get the results, is phenomenal.
I checked out some Mac screens (which are IPS panels - top of range) and although the reproduction was very very nice (no breakup in grey tones etc) the images on the screen on less saturated. I have also read that because of the technology this is one of the 'downsides' - the images appear less saturated, but in return you get a better representation of colours (ie 170 degree viewing angles etc).
So I think that calibration can only go so far in getting prints looking right in terms of colour casts etc. When it comes to actually getting the vibrancy etc of an image correct, then I think in large part this has to be done by trial and error, as each monitor is going to be different in terms of the way it renders tones etc.
The issue I feel is not so much colour difference, as I am happy with reproduction from computer to prints (look similar) but its more to do with the degree of colour saturation that is perceived from screen to screen. My 22" shows greens and reds very vibrant so I have had to learn to compensate my PP in order to achieve print results that are good. This often means that the colours on screen look 'very toned' but a little less so in print, but still acceptable.
I used to PP images on my less saturated notebook and found the prints to come out too contrasty etc. Since working more on the 22" I have found that I am having to undertake less adjustments in order to get a print.
I suppose what it boils down to is getting used to hardware that one works with and constantly tweaking the results in order to get it as close as possible as to how you want it. I have watched shows where people are doing prints to put them in a professional gallery and the amount of times they do test prints etc to get the results, is phenomenal.
I checked out some Mac screens (which are IPS panels - top of range) and although the reproduction was very very nice (no breakup in grey tones etc) the images on the screen on less saturated. I have also read that because of the technology this is one of the 'downsides' - the images appear less saturated, but in return you get a better representation of colours (ie 170 degree viewing angles etc).
So I think that calibration can only go so far in getting prints looking right in terms of colour casts etc. When it comes to actually getting the vibrancy etc of an image correct, then I think in large part this has to be done by trial and error, as each monitor is going to be different in terms of the way it renders tones etc.