Better color accuracy when upgrading to Eizo CG210

[HarrieFrericks]

I'm using a run-of-the-mill Compaq LCD monitor that I profiled with my Eye-One Photo. I have two printers, an Epson 2200 and a Canon ip 8500, that I also profiled. So far I'm happy with the results. However, skin tones tend to be slightly  too reddish, especially with the Canon printer. I've reprofiled, and reprofiled and reprofiled.... both my screen and Canon printer but the problem remains.

I recently bought a second monitor to be able to work with a dual monitor setup. I profiled the second monitor and noticed that the skin tones came out a bit more reddish than on my first monitor and matched the Canon prints more closely.

Apparently there can be slight differences in color between two properly profiled run-of-the-mill monitors. My question is: what can I expect if I upgrade to a profesional photography monitor like the Eizo CG210. Will it offer increased accuracy so I will be able to get a more perfect match between my monitor and print skin tones? The Eizo is just within my budget, but I only want to spend the money if I can be pretty sure the it offers considerably better color accuracy.

Thanks a lot,

Harrie.

[colourperfect]

Harrie,

You dont talk about your print viewing conditions and editing environment. Montitor calibration tends to be to either D50 or D65 light temperature, for very exacting matches you need to duplicate these for viewing the prints.

Also what color walls / lights do you have in your editing room. They can also effect the monitor performance.

Ian

http://www.colourperfect.co.uk

[HarrieFrericks]

Ian,

I don't have a viewing station and my wall paint isn't neutral (it's a shade of beige). Usually what I do is view the print near a window that's facing north to see if I like the color.

Do you think a good viewing station would be a better investment than a new monitor?

Thanks,

Harrie

[Cedric]

Hi Harrie,

- Did you wait for the printing to dry long enough before calibrating it?
- Do you wait long enough before assessing the colors of the prints? Typically the color of my Canon prints are not final until one hour after the printing.
- When you soft proof the print in Photoshop, how does it look?
- In my experience, X-Rite ColorPulse works better than Eye One.
- A CG210 is an amazing monitor but very expensive, you should perhaps looks for other solutions before committing the money.

Cedric

I'm using a run-of-the-mill Compaq LCD monitor that I profiled with my Eye-One Photo. I have two printers, an Epson 2200 and a Canon ip 8500, that I also profiled. So far I'm happy with the results. However, skin tones tend to be slightly  too reddish, especially with the Canon printer. I've reprofiled, and reprofiled and reprofiled.... both my screen and Canon printer but the problem remains.


Thanks a lot,

Harrie.
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[Cedric]

Also are you sure that you are calibrating your printer correctly, e.g. that you disable any color management in the printer driver (Color Management: Manual, Enable ICM)?

Also are you sending the calibration chart from Photoshop with "Let Photoshop determine colors" and printer profile "sRGB"?

When printing photos are you then using "Let Photoshop determine colors" and printer profile "name_of_your_created_profile"?

Cedric

[Slaughter]

Ambient light in your work room is a key point. I had constrast problem between what I see on my monitor and the final prints. I noticed some color cast and was damned crazy, accusing the calibration process.... until I radically changed the ambient light in my work room. I installed some OSRAM fluo tubes daylight balanced with a color rendering color factor Ra = 9. And all my problems vanished. The ambient light in your work room should match the calibration of your monitors so your eyes does not have to "adapt" between different lighting conditions. I also increased the overall ambient lighting level because my monitors white points are too high (bightness is too high but if I decrease monitor brigthness I loose some color accuracy).

Note: simply working in a room with large windows does _not_ yield a "valid", stabilized ambient lightning in your work room even if you work at noon: a clear blue sky with produce a lighting with a clear blue cast in shadows. If your windows are close facing a wood, then you'll get a clearly green light entering your room. Have you ever wonder why printers and publishers printing rooms have no windows and a color controlled lighting (e.g. fluo tubes)?

As monitors, I use non "professional" monitors that I know have good factory color calibration. My calibration process does not improve the color rendering much because the monitors I use have good factory color calibration. The only benefit of using "pro" expensive monitors (like the one you mentioned) is to improve color accuracy in the dark tones (a weakness of LCD monitors).