Colour matching problem?

Eaglecliff

Eaglecliff

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Last year I upgraded to a new computer running Windows 7. This entailed loading new versions of the software for my cameras (Olympus) and printer (Canon 6550). Since then, despite contacting both manufacturers, who blame each other, I can no longer print out my pictures exactly as they appear on the screens of the camera and the computer. Usually the difference is minimal and doesn't bother me but I took some shots last night at a "son et lumiere," still perfect on-screen but the prints are all over the place - dark, colours way off.
I could attempt to modify the pictures on-screen in the hope that I can compensate for the distortions, but this would be extremely difficult as I would be working in the dark, so to speak. I have gone through the "troubleshooting" info offered by both manufacturers but nothing seems to work. I suspect the printer is the culprit since it makes no difference whether I process the pictures via the Olympus processing software or Picasa; the prints come out the same.
Any ideas?
 
I'm no expert but you may need to change the "Color Management" settings for the printer to match that of your display.

You can find that in "Printers & Devices", right click on your printer, select "Properties" and then there is a "Color Management" tab. Not sure what you will need to change though but I expect that you will use quite a bit time and ink/toner trying to get them matched.
 
Eaglecliff said:
Last year I upgraded to a new computer running Windows 7. This entailed loading new versions of the software for my cameras (Olympus) and printer (Canon 6550). Since then, despite contacting both manufacturers, who blame each other, I can no longer print out my pictures exactly as they appear on the screens of the camera and the computer. Usually the difference is minimal and doesn't bother me but I took some shots last night at a "son et lumiere," still perfect on-screen but the prints are all over the place - dark, colours way off.
I could attempt to modify the pictures on-screen in the hope that I can compensate for the distortions, but this would be extremely difficult as I would be working in the dark, so to speak. I have gone through the "troubleshooting" info offered by both manufacturers but nothing seems to work. I suspect the printer is the culprit since it makes no difference whether I process the pictures via the Olympus processing software or Picasa; the prints come out the same.
Any ideas?
Click to expand...

Are you using a 32-bit processor or 64 bit? I upgraded a while back to 64 bit and found that, bang up to the date Cannon produced no drivers whatsoever for any 64 bit software. This meant that my Canon EOS still camera would not download pics to my computer, until I found, purely by chance on some private website that someone had found a setting on the camera which could be altered to enable me to download my EOS pics. It still meant that all the Canon software that I got with the camera, free I admit, was useless, so I just made up my own files etc and did my own colour adjustment using in my case Paint Shop Pro. I lost some other useful hardware as a result of this upgrading, including my large format negative/print scanner until I discovered VueScan, excellent software. Sometimes going forward is a very backward step to take, as many of us have found out. Of course, what you are supposed to do when you upgrade your PC is throw away all your old hardware and buy new stuff. I will fight a rearguard action with my back to the wall when I am told to upgrade to Windows 8.
 
If you have not already done so check that your camera, printer and monitor are all set to the same 'colour space' usually sRGB. Another thing to try is to reduce the brightness setting on your monitor to more closely match the output of your printer. Default monitor settings tend to be very bright. The whole subject of accurate colour printing is not straightforward which is why commercial photographers often purchase specialist colour calibration software. I usually find that my camera screen gives a more vibrant image than it appears on my monitor, which in turn is a bit brighter than the output from my printer.
 
ROSS said:
WINDOWS 8 has just been upgraded free of charge to WINDOWS 8.1. They sent out the upgrade this morning. I have not found any difference yet!:rolleyes:

No doubt there will be an upgrade to an upgrade shortly:rolf::rolf:.....
Click to expand...

By "upgraded" I think they really mean "bug fixed".
 
Windows 8 bug-fixed??
Nah! Wait for Windows 9..

Every other Windows OS has been naff!!
:angry::thumbdown::thumbup:
 
ROSS said:
... I think its called PANATONE and costs a fortune!
Click to expand...

I've heard of Pantone colours. Panettone is an Italian sweet bread isn't it? :bigsmile: I see it in Lidl occasionally.

I'm not into photography but I am aware of colour matching differences between RGB values, what actually shows on a monitor and what actually prints. When producing my decals I keep a printed RGB colour chart produced on the same printer, and match RGB settings in the software against the chart.
 
All good stuff, gents, thanks, but despite your helpful comments and a separate chat with a "TechGuy" the conclusion remains that it's the printer [software] which is the villain of the piece. Will continue to badger Canon, tho' I don't hold out much hope, and fiddle with the colour management profiles and settings. What is really annoying is that this problem is of Windows 7 origin, like the difficulties I've had with my pre-Windows 7 scanner - can no longer produced scaled copies.
"All progress is retrograde." (Eaglecliff, many years ago.)
 
ntpntpntp said:
ROSS said:
... I think its called PANATONE and costs a fortune!
Click to expand...

I've heard of Pantone colours. Panettone is an Italian sweet bread isn't it? :bigsmile: I see it in Lidl occasionally.

I'm not into photography but I am aware of colour matching differences between RGB values, what actually shows on a monitor and what actually prints. When producing my decals I keep a printed RGB colour chart produced on the same printer, and match RGB settings in the software against the chart.
Click to expand...
Yes Panettone is an italian version of what we would call Raisin Bread...
Now the idea of doing the RGB check printout is a great idea, thanks for the tip!!!
 
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