Monitor/printer calibration

I just cannot get my B9180 prints to match the monitor image for brightness however much I try to adjust the

monitor. My monitor is a cheapie 10 year old ACER so I was wondering whether to get a new Samsung. Can any of you

experts suggest an answer to the printed image problem ? I have tried all the gamma adjustments without success.

Every print from the B9180 is darker than the monitor. It's maddening - and expensive !

Are you doing any color management at all, starting with creating a decent profile for your display? Beyond that do you

have a profile for your combination of printer, ink set and media (AKA paper)?

<p>Keep in mind that you are seeing two different kinds of light -- light directly from a screen that is back-lighted, and light that is reflected off of a paper. The intensity of the light reflected from the paper cannot begin to compete with the intensity from today's monitors unless you are REALLY blasting the paper with light. (BUT such an intense light is not how the final image is to be viewed, anyway.)</p>

<p>So, you need to start by telling the computer you want to "soft proof". The idea is that it will then back down the intensity of the light on the monitor to match the expected intensity of the light reflecting from the paper. A lot of people that I respect suggest and follow this method.</p>

<p>I skip the soft proofing as only an approximation of what to expect. I typically print three small (4x5) sample images at three different "fudge factors" that I've experimentally come to learn will get me very close to where I want to be. I inject an extra "Levels" layer at the top of my Photoshop stack. I save the three candidates at 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3 gamma settings using the center slider in the Levels layer. Then I take all three candidate samples to the lighting setup that is identical to where the final print will be. Then I decide which of the three values (or some combination) to use in making the final print.</p>

<p>I cannot tell you that the above procedure is the "best" approach -- just that it's what works for me. I'm very happy with the results I've been getting this way over the past few years. I made the printer+paper profiles that I'm using with a ColorMunki Photo. If the image is B/W, I also ever-so-slightly tweak the final printing color tone in QImage to my sense of neutral gray. Hope this helps.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>you shouldn't be messing w/ the monitor gamma. if anything, bring the monitor *brightness* waaay down. That is almost always the cause of 'prints too dark'. And then read & learn about color management. It is 'the way'.</p>

<p>I agree, you should look at a monitor calibration tool like ColorMunki, etc.</p>

<p>I struggled with calibration, made all the more difficult by the fact that I'm partially color blind. I finally gave up, my printer is an HP Z3200PS which has a built in photo spectrometer, generates it's own charts and calibrates to that. On the monitor side, I purchased an Eizo 27" CG Series monitor that has it's own built in calibration system.</p>

<p>Once I did that, no more color / brightness issues.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Every print from the B9180 is darker than the monitor. It's maddening - and expensive !</p>

</blockquote>

<p>http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/why_are_my_prints_too_dark.shtml</p>

Thanks for all your answers which I will study and try to interpret. I forgot to add that when printing with my main printer for volume work, an HP Photosmart 7960 the print brightness is exactly the same as the screen. It is only the B9180 that differs from the screen.

We have a monitor that's at least ten years old, and I was told by ColorMunki when I asked about their products that I need to purchase a more current monitor, because the older ones are difficult to calibrate properly and probably won't generate a good result.

I should point out that I have been on HP support forum website and the issue is well known but no one seems to have an answer. No wonder HP have ditched the product. A great pity because the prints are of exceptional quality, the best I have seen from any A3 photo printer.

<p>I had no problem with my B9180 with respect to matching the screen - have you calibrated your monitor? If not you should do it. It is indeed possible that you will not be able to calibrate your monitor because it is not sophisticated enough. I suspect this issue is "well known" on the HP site not because there is any issue with the printer, but simply because this is a common complaint from users who first start digital photo printing (with any printer). As stated by others, it is probably that the monitor is just way too bright - calibrating it will probably tell you this at the first step. It's probably pure luck that your other HP more easily approximates your screen. </p>