Guide: Achieve better print quality from your digital captures.

[johnnyrush]

How do 1080p LCD TV/PC-monitors typically fare for color-accurracy? I'm currently using a WestingHouse 1080p 42".

Your comment about monitors typically being too bright is an eye-opener and probably explains why the few times I print (Costco typically) the images look a bit dark.

Happy New Year..
-John

--

'The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man. ' George Bernard Shaw

'Believe Nothing, no matter where you read it
or who has said it, not even if I have said it,
unless it agrees with your own reason and
your own common sense.' -Buddha

'This too shall pass.... (Hebrew advice to Solomon)
until that which passes is life itself' - me

 

[Dale Treadway]

How do 1080p LCD TV/PC-monitors typically fare for color-accurracy?
I'm currently using a WestingHouse 1080p 42".

Your comment about monitors typically being too bright is an
eye-opener and probably explains why the few times I print (Costco
typically) the images look a bit dark.

Happy New Year..
-John

Well, these types of screens typically house PVA/MVA panel types most readily identified by their wide 178 degree viewing angles, but are certainly designed for optimum performance of watching tv/movies.

Either way, no monitor is going to be accurate out of box, it's impossible for a manufacturer to ship a perfectly calibrated screen because the calibration will differ based on video card and also if you were to connect via VGA vs DVI or HDMI, therefore the default profiles loaded into the look up tables of the display are merely an estimate based on averages or whatever their engineers wanted that day.

Ultimately until you hook up a hardware calibration device to this display, install the software that is supplied with said device, and run a calibration, it's only a shot in the dark to know just how accurate your screen is displaying color.

I own a westinghouse 37" which I use for TV/Movies/Xbox and the default brightness mine shipped with was eye searing to say the least! Lowered it way down soon after getting it.

--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/daletreadway/

 

[The Big One]

Thank you - very useful!

Merry Christmas
--
--Wyatt
http://photos.thecave.homeunix.org

 

[artforme]

Thanks!!

 

[artforme]

--
Actually I had a quick question.

What are a few recommended websites for online print companies?

 

[de2000]

Costco does an amazing job if you do the right work up front like you mentioned. Their color profile is probably more updated than any of the labs out there in general. Calibrated monitor is a must. One big thing, Costco is soooooo inexpensive. Oh, you must also tell Costco to turn off all auto adjustments.

For larger prints (16X20 or above), I use Adorama and a local lab, but Adorama is half the price and have more paper choices. I printed some 16X20's with Adorama using the Kodak metalic paper. It is amazing!

 

[Hawaii-geek]

Costco does an amazing job if you do the right work up front like you
mentioned. Their color profile is probably more updated than any of
the labs out there in general. Calibrated monitor is a must. One
big thing, Costco is soooooo inexpensive. Oh, you must also tell
Costco to turn off all auto adjustments.

de2000,
I agree

For larger prints (16X20 or above), I use Adorama and a local lab,
but Adorama is half the price and have more paper choices. I printed
some 16X20's with Adorama using the Kodak metalic paper. It is
amazing!

Costco does do 20x30 luster. and will look just like a 12x18 luster print with no adjustments printed local.

Hear even SmugMug is printing metalic paper now ... and it must be Kodak.

One of these days I will need to do a test print.
That probably also means they have Kodak Endura (but, have not checked yet)

imho, when you start printing large ... another benifit of printing local, is you can "show" them a test print ... of how you want it to look.
(and you support local business)
HG

--

Please feel free to criticize, make suggestions, and edit any of my photos & re-post, to help show me 'the way'. * I am trying to Elevate the Level of my 'Snap Shots'

Love f2 Oly lens wide open ... 14-35mm f2, & a 50mm f2+1.4TC is my fav. combo on two 'IS' oly bodys.

 

[tinternaut]

My new year's resolution will probably be to print more so this is a little timely.

--
Regards
J



http://www.flickr.com/photos/jason_hindle

Gear in profile

 

[Bruce Clarke]

A very clear and useful round up thanks,

Bruce
--
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[CollBaxter]

--
Collin

http://www.pbase.com/collinbaxter

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. (George Carlin)

 

[iphillips]

A very informative set of posts, especially the part about choosing a monitor.

--

 

[de2000]

It is the Kodak Eudora Metalic that I am speaking of. I cannot even get that paper with my local lab (not Costco), and it still costs almost twice as much. So, even if I wanted to support local labs (and I do), I can't justify the cost difference.

You must try the metalic paper. It is really amazing. In my opinion, it isn't going to be good for portrait shots, but it is great for colorful landscapes and even cityscapes.

 

[Hawaii-geek]

It is the Kodak Eudora Metalic that I am speaking of. I cannot even
get that paper with my local lab (not Costco), and it still costs
almost twice as much. So, even if I wanted to support local labs
(and I do), I can't justify the cost difference.

Yes, I hear you

I was thinking to try a test on SmugMug ... Kodak Metalic.

p.s. fyi Costco does do 16x20 .... but not Gloss , and not Local ... I wish they did both Local. ... Metalic would be nice.

You must try the metalic paper. It is really amazing. In my
opinion, it isn't going to be good for portrait shots, but it is
great for colorful landscapes and even cityscapes.

You are right ... I need to try it.

I have seen Hansen Fong's Wedding "IR" prints 20x30 on the Kodak Metalic paper ... and they look awesome.

I think you are right ... those shots look almost like landscapes.

the bride does not fill the frame ... but, because of the awesome white wedding dresses there is no doubt what the subject is

HG

--

Please feel free to criticize, make suggestions, and edit any of my photos & re-post, to help show me 'the way'. * I am trying to Elevate the Level of my 'Snap Shots'

Love f2 Oly lens wide open ... 14-35mm f2, & a 50mm f2+1.4TC is my fav. combo on two 'IS' oly bodys.

 

[gabgon]

bookmarking this thread
--

There's not 2 but 3 sides to every story. Theirs, yours, and what really happened.

 

[Dale Treadway]

--
Actually I had a quick question.

What are a few recommended websites for online print companies?

I can only recommend what I have used, and there are two that I have been pleased with and I also continue to see positive reviews from others in regards to both.

Adoramapix: I use them most often for basic prints, because they are the cheapest of the two and have great quality, but do not offer a lot of extras.

Mpix: also a great service, have lots of extra products as well. Basic prints are more expensive though.. but again quality is outstanding.

Both of the above print on Kodak papers in different surfaces, and both offer the excellent Kodak metallic paper! Mpix also offers Illford black and white paper, adoramapix offers a silk surface for it's kodak papers that I find outstanding for wallet sized prints.

--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/daletreadway/

 

[andrewcooper]

noted for ref
what an excellent thread
--
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[Oly500Enew]

I just got two 16x20s and a bunch of 8x10s on this paper and it is really good. They are still running a promotion til early Jan $7.95 for the large $1.50 for the 8x10. I ordered at 3am on xmas eve hoping they would not be delivered until I got back in town (today). They delivered on the 26th!!! Fast too. Thankfully they were still intact on my porch when I got home.
--
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[Dan]

Hi - Ingrid as you know the prints are always better than the monitor versions!

Dan

 

[Dan]

1. 10 is very good advice...what I love about my Olympus E1 and E3 output is they don't look too digital. I've had folks even ask me how can I afford to still be using film?

They see me taking quite a few shots of their son or daughter and then the output prints. I've had numerous compliments my prints don't look digital!

Thanks,

Dan

 

[eaa]

Dale Treadway wrote:
I might also mention as I end this, that I would recommend you also
spend time learning about proper sharpening techniques for your
digital files, because there are very different methods to properly
sharpen a photo based on personal taste and intended output such as
print vs screen viewing. But that could be an entire subject on it's
own. I want to scream when I hear people complain about the "soft"
results they get from a E-520/420. I would much rather have that
soft/anti-aliased result out of camera that lends itself much better
to post process sharpening than the aliased mess you get as an output
with some digital cameras.

So agreed!
The output from E-3/E-420/E-520 is said to be soft, but in my book
that's a big advantage for PP sharpening.
Their files is somehow "open", and pleasantly free of aliasing
and the often overdone gritty digital look.
They stand PP sharpening in a superior and flexible way, providing
leeway for lots of different PP and optimization.

So please Oly, don't get rid of the supreme AA-filters in these cams!
To obtain max IQ in the end, adequate PP from RAW is a must.
Don't spoil this opportunity by delivering gritty aliased files OOB,
just to satify some Nyquist graphs on some test charts!
'Cause in the real world, lots of other things matters more...

--
Erik Aaseth
http://www.pbase.com/eaaseth