Digital BW, The Print

In a message dated 9/26/07 4:24:33 PM, r.smallfield@... writes:


> I print about half colour and half black and white.
> 
> In both cases, despite different work flows, the prints are darker and 
> contrastier than the monitor.
> 
> My monitor is calibrated and for colour I use custom profiles, so they 
> should match.
> 
> My BW printing is done with QTR but, as I can't afford a spectro, I use the 
> standard profiles and curves.
> 
> I do get good results in the end, but only after too much proofing.
> 
> What link in the chain is likely to be the problem? My monitor is a Philips 
> CRT ... must be about 3 years old.
> 
Ambient light levels, and especially proofing light levels, are the usual 
culpret. Sounds obvious when worded this way but: if you shine a brighter light 
on your print, it will show more detail and less contrast as the shadows and 
midtones are more open under brighter lighting. This is more common with LCDs, 
where users run a very dim studio, and an old proofing light, but a newer, 
brighter LCD. 

An old, dull CRT with low luminance will show minimal contrast, but usually 
looks darker, not lighter, than the print. So there are a number of 
possibilities, most of which center around monitor luminance, proofing luminance, and 
ambient luminance...

C. David Tobie
Product Technology Manager
ColorVision Business Division
DataColor Inc.
CDTobie@...
www.colorvision.com


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