Luminous Landscape Forum
Raw & Post Processing, Printing => Adobe Lightroom Q&A => Topic started by: Kevin Sholder on July 27, 2013, 05:21:10 pm
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I've been printing from Lightroom 4 / 5 since earlier this year when I got an Epson R3000 printer. My screen, camera and printer are all profiled using the X-Rite Passport / ColorMunki. My problem is that my color prints look nice based on what is on the screen and the custom profile for the printer, but my B/W images always need some adjustment for brightness in the print module, as much as +40.
What can I do differently or better so that I don't have this kind of difference when I go print?
Thanks,
Kevin
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Since I originally posted this I've gone back to do some more testing and finding that all prints need +40 or +50 in brightness to look good and match my display, not just the B/W as I indicated above. So what kind of adjustment do I need to make and where do I begin.
Sorry for the confusion!!
Kevin
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Since I originally posted this I've gone back to do some more testing and finding that all prints need +40 or +50 in brightness to look good and match my display, not just the B/W as I indicated above. So what kind of adjustment do I need to make and where do I begin.
Sorry for the confusion!!
Kevin
You may be the rare person who actually needs to increase the luminance value when you profile your monitor!
What is the current value?
Rand
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Kevin
Have you read this http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/why_are_my_prints_too_dark.shtml (http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/why_are_my_prints_too_dark.shtml) ?
Cheers
Tim
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Like you, I use an Epson R3000 printer which I find to be absolutely superb for black and white.
For colour prints, I use profiles produced by the ColorMunki for each paper type that I frequently use. That works well.
For black and white prints, however, I found that using ColorMunki profiles (or, indeed, the profiles supplied by paper manufacturers) was either unnecessary or, in some cases, counter-productive.
What I have found is that using both types of paper that I routinely use for black and white printing - Fotospeed Platinum Baryta and Ilford Gold Mono Silk - I get absolutely fabulous prints using Epson's own Advanced B&W setting.
Set Lightroom to allow the printer to manage the printing, open Page Setup, in the Print Setup window click on Properties, set paper type to Epson Premium Luster (sic), Color to Advanced B&W Photo, Print Quality to Max Quality and Mode to Neutral.
Bob's your uncle.
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You may be the rare person who actually needs to increase the luminance value when you profile your monitor!
What is the current value?
Rand
Actually he would need to DECREASE the monitor luminance. If the picture looks right on the screen but the print is too dark that means the screen is adding to much brightness to the file. Adjusting the LR brightness control so the print looks right will make the screen look too bright. Once the print looks right, he needs to reduce the monitor brightness control so the screen matches the print. Of course, the caveat is he needs to be looking at the print under appropriate illumination as well, illumination similar to that where the print will normally be viewed in its final use. Printing just right but viewing it under dim illumination will make it appear darker than it really is.
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Actually he would need to DECREASE the monitor luminance. If the picture looks right on the screen but the print is too dark that means the screen is adding to much brightness to the file. Adding the brightness so the print looks right will make the screen look too bright. Once the print looks right, he needs to reduce the monitor brightness control so the screen matches the print. f course, the caveat is he needs to be looking at the print under appropriate illumination as well. Printing just right but viewing it under dim illumination will make it appear darker than it really is.
You're absolutely correct. I misread how he stated his results. Apologies to the OP. The cited link above will help. What you're experiencing is a very common problem.
Rand
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All,
Thank you for the replies, I'm in the process of reading through the article mentioned herein, as well as all of your helpful hints!! So I need to finish the article and do some modifications, once complete, I should have better matching, thanks again!!
Kevin
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Like you, I use an Epson R3000 printer which I find to be absolutely superb for black and white.
For colour prints, I use profiles produced by the ColorMunki for each paper type that I frequently use. That works well.
For black and white prints, however, I found that using ColorMunki profiles (or, indeed, the profiles supplied by paper manufacturers) was either unnecessary or, in some cases, counter-productive.
What I have found is that using both types of paper that I routinely use for black and white printing - Fotospeed Platinum Baryta and Ilford Gold Mono Silk - I get absolutely fabulous prints using Epson's own Advanced B&W setting.
Set Lightroom to allow the printer to manage the printing, open Page Setup, in the Print Setup window click on Properties, set paper type to Epson Premium Luster (sic), Color to Advanced B&W Photo, Print Quality to Max Quality and Mode to Neutral.
Bob's your uncle.
I also have an R3000 and the B&W prints come out very close using Advanced Black and White instead of custom printer profiles. Running an inkrepublic CIS and Red River papers, and monitor is calibrated.
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Just a quick extra vote for your monitor is too bright. It all depends on the ambient light but somewhere between 80 cd/m2 and 100 cd/m2 seems best in most offices unless you are really well lit. I hear people claim they have great results with 120 cd/m2 but have yet to see an office space where this is actually appropriate -often their screen is directly lit by sunlight which causes all sorts of other problems with colour casts.