Image color calibration

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George,

 

First, if you are happy with the prints, that's what counts.

 

However, please note that although CostCo does calibrate their system every morning (but not at every paper change as a good pro lab does -- or should do), CostCo adjusts the colors of your file (in 99% of the time -- unless you know the lab operator and ask to print "without adjustments" or "as is"). This means that it is highly possible that if you go back to CostCo and get a different operator that has a different "taste" or "settings", you will get a different color prints.

 

The high end pro labs (read: costly in most cases) have a closed loop system that will not print after a paper change (or startu-up) until the scanned output is within a narrow acceptable tolerance.

 

If you'd like to truly see your print "as is", I recommend trying www.mpix.com and selecting the Kodak Endura Professional Paper (most CostCo print on Fuji Crystal which is too high contrast IMNSHO and lose details in the highlights and shadows) and the "without adjustment" option. This will be "as good as it gets" in terms of accuracy possible within the sRGB color space.

 

For even better results (if it matters to you or your clients), you will need to find a lab that prints in a wider color gamut -- this makes a tremendous difference in the smoothness and accuracy of the tones. My lab take ProPhoto RGB files. I've compared the same images submitted in sRGB and ProPhoto and it's easy to tell which is which.

 

Again, if the prints are great -- that's what counts.

Just my $0.02.

 

Regards,

 

JR G.

http://www.jrgeoffrion.com

 

PS: My monitor is calibrated (as is the rest of my workflow).

 

  

----- Original Message -----

From: jargonhunter.com" href="mailto:georgejargonhunter.com">George Illes

To: googlegroups.com" href="mailto:photoblogsgooglegroups.com">photoblogsgooglegroups.com

Sent: Wednesday, December 20, 2006 21:26

Subject: [photoblogs-discuss] Re: Image color calibration

Thanks JR and Lynn and Pramesh and Joey and Tanja and Flatline and Carmen!

I appreciate the feedback on the color calibration!

For what it's worth, I had a bunch of shots printed (at Costco, where they calibrate their systems every morning) and the color looks just like it does on my calibrated screen. Reds are red. Whites are white. etc. So in the event the color looks off (i.e. orangy or yellowish) on your screen it may be because your monitor is not calibrated, as several of you noted.

Anyway, thanks again! Much appreciated!

George

Carmen Sisson wrote:

comcast.net" type="cite">Another vote for orange, but I'll admit my monitor isn't calibrated.

Carmen 

a.k.a. picturegrl or shadowseeker, depending on my mood

<www.cloudybright.com/photoblog.php>

On Dec 18, 2006, at 4:07 PM, Tanja-Tiziana Burdi wrote:

Looks fine to me.

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