[Leica] Prints are way too dark. Driven to distraction

Sun Mar 1 18:46:22 PST 2015

Lew, there are some tablet programs that let you use your tablet as a
second screen. You can move your tools to there and keep the image on the
darkened monitor...

On Sun, Mar 1, 2015 at 4:42 PM, Lew Schwartz <lew1716 at gmail.com> wrote:

> With the monitor set down that low, I can barely see the controls. I'm also
> miffed that Adobe hasn't provided a simple fix. It'd consist of "print time
> presets," corrections that would be sent along with an image to the
> printer, but which wouldn't interfere with what you see while you're
> editing.
>
> I might just try letting the print driver do s bw or two, just to see.
>
>
> -Lew Schwartz
>
> On Sun, Mar 1, 2015 at 7:18 PM, Ken Carney <kcarney1 at cox.net> wrote:
>
> > Not sure I can add much here.  I keep my monitor (Dell U2410, Spyder Pro
> > calibrated for room light and color) at a brightness and contrast setting
> > of 11/50 and keep the room lighting consistent.  I think the default
> > brightness is 50 which is too much and 100 is like looking into a
> > searchlight.  To print (in Photoshop) I make a duplicate image and set
> them
> > side by side on the monitor, then load the paper profile for the
> > duplicate.  This gives a sense of how to adjust the duplicate for
> > printing.  Usually it is just a slight brightness increase with the
> curves
> > tool, and sometimes a small saturation bump.  To print, the Epson panel
> is
> > set to "Photoshop manages colors" and the same paper profile is selected.
> > The print is a good match to the monitor unless the viewing conditions
> are
> > extreme.  I say a "good" match since I don't think it is possible to
> have a
> > perfect match with one source backlit and the other with reflected light.
> > I don't use LR for printing but the process is similar with the LR soft
> > proofing mode.
> >
> > That is for color.  With B&W using Epson Advanced B&W or a RIP so far as
> I
> > know there is not an easy way to soft proof. However, after a while I can
> > usually make an educated guess.  I used to use the ImagePrint RIP for
> B&W.
> > It is excellent but I'm pretty happy with the Epson driver now.
> >
> > Ken
> >
> > On 3/1/2015 4:28 PM, Robert Adler wrote:
> >
> >> I now have 2 monitors: I have one darkened to match print output (I am
> >> actually trying to have a different profile on that monitor for the
> paper
> >> that I use) and one to work on for web viewing. I initially process for
> >> web
> >> viewing. I find that most times a simple pulling up on the middle of the
> >> curve adjustment in CC or LR works just fine for prints. Sometimes it
> gets
> >> more complicated.
> >> Bob
> >>
> >> On Sun, Mar 1, 2015 at 1:23 PM, Aram Langhans <leica_r8 at hotmail.com>
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >>  Similar. I noticed that, too.   No matter how I calibrate the monitor,
> >>> the
> >>> prints are always darker than the monitor.  Whether I was printing
> >>> myself,
> >>> or using Costso.  Since two outputs were giving me the same results, my
> >>> input must be at fault.  So, then, I learned a few years ago to turn
> the
> >>> monitor down.  I downloaded Color HCFR and got it to work with my
> Spyder
> >>> and found out the monitor was WAY to bright.  The profile software for
> >>> Spyder did not adjust the monitor brightness.  I had to turn my monitor
> >>> (Dell 1224 IPS) down to 17 to get to the recommended brightness.  It
> >>> looks
> >>> pretty dark compared to my other monitor, but it works.  Prints are
> dead
> >>> on
> >>> from monitor to my printer (R3000) or to Costco.  The trend in consumer
> >>> monitors seems to be bright and saturated, but that does not translate
> >>> to a
> >>> standard print file, evidentially.
> >>>
> >>> so, try getting the HCFR Colorimeter program and see if you can get it
> to
> >>> work on your Monki.  The crank that monitor brightness down.
> >>>
> >>> Aram
> >>>
> >>> --------------------------------------------------
> >>> From: "Robert Adler" <rgacpa at gmail.com>
> >>> Sent: Saturday, February 28, 2015 4:02 PM
> >>> To: "Leica Users Group" <lug at leica-users.org>
> >>> Subject: Re: [Leica] Prints are way too dark. Driven to distraction
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>   Personally, I don't think your missing anything Lew. Even though
> these
> >>>
> >>>> calibrations are supposed to calibrate for "luminance", I tend to turn
> >>>> my
> >>>> monitor down 2-4 stops to match a standard calibration chart that I've
> >>>> printed on my printer. Then I adjust in CC or LR on a monitor that has
> >>>> been
> >>>> darkened by the above process. Seems really dumb, but it works...
> >>>> Best,
> >>>> Bob
> >>>> PS-Please let me know if you find out differently!
> >>>>
> >>>> On Sat, Feb 28, 2015 at 2:02 PM, Lew Schwartz <lew1716 at gmail.com>
> >>>> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>   I'm printing on Epson Proofing, using LR 5.7, Epson 4880, ViewSonic
> >>>>
> >>>>> monitor
> >>>>> and I've just re-profiled monitor and printer using colormunki, plus
> I
> >>>>> confirm that both monitor and printer are using the new profiles. The
> >>>>> resulting prints are aprox 2- 4 stops too dark. Too dark is an on
> going
> >>>>> problem for me, LR, the 4880 and this monitor; I expected things to
> get
> >>>>> better after the colormunki stuff. I've just been winging a solution
> in
> >>>>> the
> >>>>> past by using the exposure control in the LR develop module and the
> >>>>> brightness setting in the print module. Not a great solution, but
> >>>>> workable.
> >>>>> Now, with these new profiles, I'm not even close. WTF? Things are way
> >>>>> worse. What am I missing?
> >>>>>
> >>>>> -Lew Schwartz
> >>>>>
> >>>>> _______________________________________________
> >>>>> Leica Users Group.
> >>>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>> --
> >>>> Bob Adler
> >>>> www.robertadlerphotography.com
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>  _______________________________________________
> >>> Leica Users Group.
> >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> >>>
> >>>
> >>
> >>
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Leica Users Group.
> > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> >
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>

-- 
Bob Adler
www.robertadlerphotography.com