Colour Problems with Hardware
A brief look at the things you need to be aware of if you want consistent colour.
A brief look at the things you need to be aware of if you want consistent colour.
One of the most frustrating issues for digital imaging workers is the difficulty experienced in achieving a close match between an image viewed on the monitor and its associated print.
It is essential that all your devices are in tune with each other - a process known as 'colour management'.
If you can imagine an orchestra or band where all the instruments are out of tune - well, you get the picture !
Some of these issues you can resolve yourself by learning a little about the process and, possibly, buying some additional accessories for this purpose.
If you find the whole issue difficult to cope with there are people who will assist you - perhaps a friendly camera club member or someone who provides a calibration service for a small fee.
It is essential that all your devices are in tune with each other - a process known as 'colour management'.
If you can imagine an orchestra or band where all the instruments are out of tune - well, you get the picture !
Some of these issues you can resolve yourself by learning a little about the process and, possibly, buying some additional accessories for this purpose.
If you find the whole issue difficult to cope with there are people who will assist you - perhaps a friendly camera club member or someone who provides a calibration service for a small fee.
The only way you can see what your image looks like and adjust it to your liking is via the Computer Monitor.
This absolutely MUST be correctly adjusted to give an accurate view of the contents of the image file.
If the monitor is too bright (very common) or too dark (less common) it will mislead you and you will have problems. The monitor may also need adjusting to ensure that its colour is accurate.
As an example, an image which is underexposed should look too dark when viewed in your imaging programme. If the monitor is too bright you may well be pleased with what you see and your inclination will be to believe it.
If you then print that image, assuming the printer is correct, you will get a print which is too dark and your inclination will be to blame the printer.
Several devices are available to assist with this calibration process.
This absolutely MUST be correctly adjusted to give an accurate view of the contents of the image file.
If the monitor is too bright (very common) or too dark (less common) it will mislead you and you will have problems. The monitor may also need adjusting to ensure that its colour is accurate.
As an example, an image which is underexposed should look too dark when viewed in your imaging programme. If the monitor is too bright you may well be pleased with what you see and your inclination will be to believe it.
If you then print that image, assuming the printer is correct, you will get a print which is too dark and your inclination will be to blame the printer.
Several devices are available to assist with this calibration process.
The printer is often blamed for problems which are actually due to badly adjusted monitors.
However, there are specific issues which can cause your printer to deliver unsatisfactory prints.
Ink and papers for inkjet printers are quite expensive but, if you use the printer manufacturers own materials you will be able to get good results as long as you observe the instructions carefully.
All printers behave differently, even units of the same manufacture and type will give slightly different results due to manufacturing tolerances.
Using different inks and papers to the manufacturers own products will, more often than not result in significant shifts in colour and density.
These differences can usually be overcome by 'profiling' the behavior of a specific ink/paper combination but this is quite a complex process for beginners.
However, there are specific issues which can cause your printer to deliver unsatisfactory prints.
Ink and papers for inkjet printers are quite expensive but, if you use the printer manufacturers own materials you will be able to get good results as long as you observe the instructions carefully.
All printers behave differently, even units of the same manufacture and type will give slightly different results due to manufacturing tolerances.
Using different inks and papers to the manufacturers own products will, more often than not result in significant shifts in colour and density.
These differences can usually be overcome by 'profiling' the behavior of a specific ink/paper combination but this is quite a complex process for beginners.
A digital projector is, in essence, another monitor so the comments under monitors apply equally here.
Additionally, such things as ambient room lighting, distance from projector to screen and screen quality add some extra issues to be considered.
It is important that a projector is calibrated together with the computer which will be used to handle the image files as the computer graphics and the projector combine together in deciding final image quality.
Additionally, such things as ambient room lighting, distance from projector to screen and screen quality add some extra issues to be considered.
It is important that a projector is calibrated together with the computer which will be used to handle the image files as the computer graphics and the projector combine together in deciding final image quality.
As this is the means by which you capture the initial image, you might be forgiven for thinking that this is likely to be the most critical device when it comes to calibration.
In fact, this is not so unless you are taking many pictures in a stable lighting environment such as studio photography.
Provided your monitor is reliable you will be able to visually assess any problems with your captured image and make adjustments accordingly.
In fact, this is not so unless you are taking many pictures in a stable lighting environment such as studio photography.
Provided your monitor is reliable you will be able to visually assess any problems with your captured image and make adjustments accordingly.
The same comments apply as for cameras although it is possible to create profiles for scanners if one is scanning a specific material eg Kodachrome slide film.
With the rapid change from film to digital cameras photographers are making much less use of scanners so, unless it is something you particularly want to do, believe me, it is not worth worrying about.
With the rapid change from film to digital cameras photographers are making much less use of scanners so, unless it is something you particularly want to do, believe me, it is not worth worrying about.