Printing Color Management Problems

[fishgal]

I've calibrated my monitor (19" viewsonic lcd) using spyder2pro a couple times now. But the files i have still are printing quite differently when i take them to be printed. We took one restored photo to three different printers and they all pretty much printed it the same VERY pale skin. Nothing like what was on my calibrated monitor...

Any ideas on what the problem could be? Also has anyone had any success on getting the HP 7450 printer to let photoshop color manage it? I saw another thread on this but i cannot return my printer like they did so i need another workaround. ( I am using Photoshop 7 )

Thanks

[MargaretM]

I am no expert in this field but just used the Spyder2 this morning to calibrate my LCD monitor. It does stress having your screen on the defaults before calibrating (at least for the LCD). Also I changed my printer - HP9650 to use new Spyder color profile and found - hallelujah- that what I saw on the monitor matched the print! Did you change your printer profile? I am assuming you should.

Hope this helps - Margaret
PS. Also, I bought the Spyder because Adobe Gamma was useless with the LCD.

[fishgal]

My monitor was set the fact. defaults. I'm not sure that my printer can take "new" profiles.... the hp software seems really confining....

[v.bampton]

Originally Posted by fishgal

My monitor was set the fact. defaults. I'm not sure that my printer can take "new" profiles.... the hp software seems really confining....

I can't remember what stage print profiles had got to by version 7, but the theory will work...

Turn your printer to 'No colour adjustment' in the printer software. That'll stop the printer driver interfering with your adjustments. The profile adjustments you'll make yourself within photoshop.

Now, this is the bit I can't remember clearly...

In PS6, you had to go to Image > Convert to Profile and convert to the printer profile before setting it printing, remembering to undo that once you've printed.

In PS CS, you had set it to do the conversion on-the-fly, by going to Print With Preview, and looking in the Color Management bit at the bottom, where you put in your current document colour space, and your printer profile.

Hope that makes sense. Let us know how you get on!

Victoria

[Kraellin]

i dont know a lot about the 7450 from HP, but on some of their printers there is a 'calibration' tool/mode. this is supposed to return the printer to factory specs. you might try that, if you have it.

also, you didnt mention what ink cartridges you're using. HP has some printers in which you have to switch out the various ink cartridge types to obtain better results on some papers and with some kinds of printing. again, i dont know the 7450 specifically.

you can also check the HP tech support web site. or call HP tech support or use their online 24/7 chat tech support. i've used this and it did help in a problem i was having.

you might just update your drivers and software. HP is fairly good about updates and bug fixes.

you could also try control panel/printers and see if there arent some settings there which could be turned on or off or adjusted to help.

and push come to shove and you cant find any other means to make an adjustment, then about the only things left are to either upgrade to a better printer or start making adjustments in your prints before printing to compensate.

Craig

[fishgal]

Thanks for your suggestions, apparently unlike the manuel stated the HP 7450 doesn't give an option to turn off it's color management. And i'm not sure if there is another way to bypass this problem the software only gives two profiles to choose and i can't seem to add my own profile.
What a bother...

I have also noticed whenever my monitor turns on it briefly flashes the auto correct words across the screen and there is no bypass for this... could this be causing my woes? It's a 19" ViewSonic VG900b

[pnicholls]

If you are using Adobe RGB1998 in Photoshop as your editiing space, then when you save the file it would have this profile attached to it. Your printer is likely using sRGB as his working space. You might try "converting" your color space to sRGB before sending to your printer.

Pete