Color profile doesn't match print output

Why do my prints come out much darker than they appear on the monitor? I edit in Adobe 5 and print from Lightroom 3 with monitor calibration (Spyder software), and ICC profiles for my Epson paper, printed on my Epson printer.

There could be a few reasons why your prints don't match your monitor:
1. The profile you're using for your printer may be a generic one and not one made specifically for your printer. Just like any two TV's, even two identical TV's can represent color differently.
2. Your monitor may be beyond its peak. Most monitors are reliable for about three years in regards to being able to represent critical color. But, the begin to degrade from day 1, just like humans.
3. Have you confirmed your software and computer are actually using the latest monitor profile?
4. May be that your monitor profile was made incorrectly by accident? Try making a new one.

Similar Messages

SDK 3.0 error: profile doesn't match Application Identifier

I'm testing my app w/ iPhone SDK 3.0 beta 5 on Xcode 3.1.3.
Development provisioning profile under "Project-> Info -> Code Signing Identity" is grayed out & shows the error(including quote at the end):
profile doesn't match Application Identifier "
any ideas? The same profile has no such issue w/ SDK 2.2.1 on Xcode 3.1.
My Bundle Identifier is of the below format :
com.<mycompanyname>.{PRODUCT_NAME:identifier}
I specified the "Product name" under both "Project -> Info" & "Target -> Info".. that didn't help either.
I also noticed that there is no such problem under "Target -> Info -> Code Signing Identity"
I'm testing to ensure compatibility of my 2.2.1 app with 3.0. I appreciate any help with this issue.. It has been a frustrating couple of days trying to resolve just this one issue which is preventing me from codesigning onto my iphone

I was able to deploy to my iphone by following the instructions here
http://www.loonsoft.com/posts/21
Note: it is {} and not () ${SDKROOT}/ResourceRules.plist
I was getting the below error during codesign & I thought that the above "graying out" of the dev provisioning profile in the "Code Signing Identity" was causing it.
"object file format invalid or unsuitable"
Turns out it does not prevent me from deploying to my iphone after I fixed the SDKROOT. I still have the dev provisioning profile grayed out and would be interested to know how to solve this problem "cleanly" even though it doesn't seem to have any immediate downside.. fingers crossed for distribution signing.

PSE 7 bright vivid colors, doesn't match prints

I tried searching for a thread to answer this question but I could not find something that really helped specifically.
Use PSE7 to edit my jpg's and when I'm happy with the results then go to print, my prints do not match what I created on screen. The colors are much darker, the rich greens in my landscapes are dull with a dark tint..overall, quite disappointing.
I use a Spyder 3 pro to calibrate my monitor and use that profile as the printing profile for PSE7. I shoot a Canon 40d in sRGB. My monitor and printer (Canon MP600) are set to use the profile created by the Spyder 3 Pro software.
When I use Canon Digital Photo Pro to edit raw images, the colors on screen are consistent with what I get printed on my Canon MP600. The main difference here is that Canon DPP allows you to select the profile for image display and for printing.
Does PSE7 allow you to somehow select from your list of available profiles what color profile to be used for display? Out of the color management options, I've tried to use the "Optimize for display" and "Optimize for printing" options..."no color management" and "let me choose.." still no difference in the prints vs. the screen.
If I take a file that I printed in Canon DPP, where the colors on screen match what is printed, and then open that same file in PSE7, the colors on screen are much different...they are much brighter and vivid than what I see in Canon DPP.
All I can do in Canon DPP is edit raw files and do the basic color editing...Obviously, PSE7 has many more features and plugins that are useful so I'd like to work in that program and print from there.
If I do all my editing of a file in PSE7 until I'm happy, my prints still won't match what I see in PSE7. If I take that file and open it in Canon DPP, the colors are different, but they match what came out of the printer, albeit...darker and not vivid

Thanks..that did the trick. I feel like a big dummy now
I got the explanation of the printer/paper profiles for my printer on the Canon website.
The prints are MUCH closer...the only difference I can tell now is eliminated when I use a good light to view my prints, when held up to a good light or sunlight, the prints are very true to what I see on the screen.
thanks

Color profile and 16 bit printing

I read a post that said sRBG was the best color profile for ibook. It is also the smallest gamut compared to Adobe 1998 or ProRGB. Is it really "the best" one to use? Also, can iBook printing support 16 bit files? If the answers are yes to sRGB and no to 16 bit, does anyone have a suggestion for someplace else to have only one book printed? Thank you.

I read a post that said sRBG was the best color profile for ibook. It is also the smallest gamut compared to Adobe 1998 or ProRGB. Is it really "the best" one to use?
Yes - that is the reason that it is recommended - user experience with Adobe RGB for example has been unsatisfactory
And note that iPhoto is a consumer product and the books are designed for consumers - I find them outstanding as do most users. Only you can choose what pleases you.
for more info on preparing your photo see - http://www.apple.com/support/photoservices/preparation_tips/
Generally you will find that doing less editing and doing it in iPhoto will produce the best (yes - best does mean best once again) results
Also, can iBook printing support 16 bit files?
No idea
If the answers are yes to sRGB and no to 16 bit, does anyone have a suggestion for someplace else to have only one book printed? Thank you.
Google is a wonderful resource for things like this
LN

Use which color profile when ordering iPhoto prints?

Hello,
I've got a bunch of photos I want to order thru the iPhoto service. Many of the photos have an embedded sRGB (Nikon mode Ia) color profile. Should I convert / save the photos with just an RGB profile or will sRGB work OK? These prints will be 8x10.
Thanks!

How do you determine whether a profile has been embedded in your images?
Unless you manually edit iPhoto's preferences it won't embed any profile upon import. On the other hand Image Capture does embed a profile.
Some cameras only reference a generic profile in the images' EXIF data (instead of embedding one) but that won't be honoured by iPhoto. Even if your images had a profile embedded it will have been discarded by editing them in iPhoto - something to watch out for.
As far as ordering prints goes it's impossible to predict the outcome.
Cheers Martin

Color profiles for web and print

Hi,
I am editing photos from my DSLR. They were shot as jpg in Adobe RGB. I am editing photos for both web and print at the moment and was wondering if there is a way to do that so that I would be able to edit for both simultaneously in the Photoshop process.
Here are the details for what I normally do:
For print, I would work photos over in AdobeRGB while the Proofing option is set to Working CMYK (usually SWOP, depending on what printer I use). Then I'd flatten the artwork, resize and sharpen, and change the color mode to CMYK, save as TIFF.
For web, I usually edit while RGB Color Settings are set to sRGB IEC61966-2.1, and Proofing is set to Monitor RGB. I flatten, resize and sharpen, and Save for Web.
Is there any way I can edit a single photo (shot in Adobe RGB) so that they can be used for BOTH print and web? I know CMYK vs. RGB would mean that they would end up looking different in the end, but is there any way I can have a single Photoshop file for a photo and go through the necessary steps to make it ready for print and for web... or is it that due to color profiles and proofing options, there's nothing I can do but to edit each photo twice?
Thanks in advance to anyone who might be able to help.

karoleend wrote:
Thanks for the advice. I'll try that out.
I posted my second question before I read your response, but yes, it does seem the best choice to convert to sRGB when Saving for Web. And you say you place your .psd file into an InDesign document? Do you do that if you only wish to save as a pdf... what do you personally do when saving as TIFF for print?
I don't save Tiffs for print. I use PSDs. I don't ever give ID files with all linked files to the printer only PDFs. If i'm working on something like a coffee table book I would do the conversion in Photoshop. but most magazines and newspapers, CD covers, posters, brochures everything stays aRGB until I make the PDF.

Canvas color doesn't match QT output - help!

I noticed today that my footage is appearing darker in the canvas window than it does when viewed in QuickTime. I did the following test:
1. Export a "Quicktime Movie", not self-contained, and opened that in QuickTime. Move to a specific frame for comparison.
2. Move to the same frame in the FCE canvas.
The image in the canvas looks markedly darker - to the point that I would make color corrections on it...but looking at the QT version, it seems correction is not necessary. They're quite different.
I've uploaded a screenshot of both windows next to each other here, which makes the difference obvious:
http://idisk.mac.com/gr2020-Public/canvas-qt.png
I see the same thing when exporting and compressing with QT...I first noticed the problem when making a video for the web.
Can someone please help me figure out what's going on?

I did some more research, and I think I figured out what's going on.
I think FCE (and FCP from what I'm reading) assumes your monitor is calibrated to a gamma of 1.8, and it "darkens" the images in the canvas to make them appear as they would on a gamma 2.2 display or a video monitor (which are apparently natively close to 2.2).
However, if your screen is calibrated to gamma 2.2 (most photo editing workstations are), then FCE still "darkens" everything in the canvas (it's assuming it's gamma 1.8), and in the process totally screws things up.
When videos are exported, this adjustment doesn't occur, so the video looks as it should. It's only inside the canvas that things are artificially adjusted, and everything gets messed up.
Sigh.
Assuming this is in fact what's happening, anyone have ideas how to fix this? It's totally annoying; my screen is calibrated very specifically for my still photography work, and I'd hate to have to have a totally separate display profile just work working within FCE, and then switch back to the regular one when viewing exported videos...

CS3 color management won't match prints

Okay, I know there are a lot of boneheds who can't figure out how to set up color in Bridge and CS3 but I am at my wits end on this so bear me out.
Windows XP and CS3
Bridge is set to; Enable color management in Bridge
RAW conversion is SRGB
CS3 color settings/working space set to SRGB
Print color management is set to SRGB and Photoshop manages colors
Printer is set to "application manages colors" (HP B9180)(btw, I have also tried it set to SRGB)
Image looks the same on Bridge, RAW conversion, CS3 and print screen (dark)Image looks LIGHTER when viewed with any other program (including windows picture and fax viewer, HP print program, Paint Shop Pro and online) and prints to match the lighter image both on my HP and from my lab!
The closest I have been able to get to a total sync is to set Photoshop's color settings to "Monitor color," and uncheck the box in Bridge that says "apply color management settings in Bridge." In that case, Bridge and CS3 produce a lighter image but RAW conversion is still darker. Plus, who the hell wants to use monitor color in Photoshop!?

That's pretty much it David... I could get Photoshop to match my prints but then any other program would show the prints as being waaaay off-color.
Today I bought a spider2express and color balanced my monitor. Now everything seems to look in sync and my prints match very close (a little warm for my tastes..). Tech support at Photoshop told me it was a calibration issue but I thought that was bull... i mean, how can calibration make an image that looks different in two different programs look the same? Well, it does. As far as I understand it now (layman's terms)when you look at an image in windows viewer ot explorer or any other non-color management program you are looking at the image based on your monitor profile. When you look at the same image in photoshop the program uses it's own color management which then gets filtered through your monitor program to your eyes (but not to the printer). If your monitor profile is bad, the image looks bad.
Or something like that :)

Which Color profile for softprofing to print to Apple's book services?

I'm looking for a simple, specific and official answer as to which specific ColorSync profile should I choose for 'Onscreen Proofing' in Aperture? My intended output is Apples Print Services (Hardcover book).
I've crawled the web looking for this simple answer with no luck.
It seems to me that this profile (ie an accurate characterization of Apple's Printing Services) should be at the top of the list (in View/Proofing Profile/). Instead all I could find are discussion forums which hint or guess as to which profile to use.
Alternatively. It should be documented in the manual or the "How to create great looking books?" articles something like: "If you are going to order a book from Apple, then choose the sRGB profile for onscreen proofing. Apple's services are calibrated to this profile and guarantee consistent results". <-- Something like this appears nowhere!
So again. I'm printing my books ($$$) on Apple. Which Proofing profile should I choose?

I'm looking for a simple, specific and official answer as to which specific ColorSync profile should I choose for 'Onscreen Proofing' in Aperture? ... Alternatively. It should be documented in the manual or the "How to create great looking books?" articles something like: "If you are going to order a book from Apple, then choose the sRGB profile for onscreen proofing. Apple's services are calibrated to this profile and guarantee consistent results".
Not sRGB, argghhh -:)
In a colour matching conversion, you have a source colour space (in this case, your ICC type MNTR Monitor profile for your RGB working space) and a destination colour space (in this case an unknown ICC profile, probably of type PRTR Printer).
Your aim in the ICC architecture is to capture into and correct in as large a source colour space as is necessary to contain the colours you can render on the largest colour spaces of displays, printers and presses. This excludes sRGB as source by definition.
The sRGB colour space is the colour space of an HDTV cathode ray tube. This colour space cannot hold colours a lot of output devices can render, including the pure cyan of an ISO 12647 offset printing condition on art paper, and for inkjet sRGB is even worse as source.
Open the Apple ColorSync Utility, select sRGB in the RGB profiles list, click the Disclosure (triangle) icon in the CIELa*b plot, and select Hold for Comparison. Then pick an inkjet profile in the RGB profiles list or a large gamut offset profile in the CMYK profiles list, and turn the 3D graphic to see what can be matched directly and what can be matched only by reshaping the colours.
PDF printing masters can either have only the source ICC profile(s) embedded or both the source and destination ICC profiles. In the former case, the colour matching is done at runtime and you have to wait to see what prints.
In the latter case, you embed the destination ICC profile as OutputIntent and submit PDF/X-3. Since you are allowed to embed either type PRTR Printer or type MNTR Monitor profiles as OutputIntent, and since both are bidirectional for printing as well as for proofing, you have a contract proofing condition.
But in order to work with PDF/X-3 you need to know enough about rendering intents and gamut mapping behaviours that you don't set the wrong rendering intent per object in the page. So a runtime rendering workflow ensures that you get to draw to the maximum gamut available in the printing service, without giving you advanced controls.
/hh

Canvas brightness doesn't match FCP output files

After spending hundreds of hours trying to color correct in the FCP canvas only to create output files (MPEG2 for DVDs and MOV files for online stuff) which are either too dark or too light, too saturated or too bland, I finally realized that what I'm seeing in my FCP canvas window does not match - at all - the final, compressed file when I export using Compressor to an avi, an mpeg, or a Quicktime MOV file.
I invested in a good Gretamacbeth screen calibration device (Eye-One Display 2) only to find that the problem is not my monitor or its calibration, but the software.
I can output to a Quicktime file and play the same clip, side-by-side, with the identical clip in FCP, as viewed through the canvas, on the same monitor. Invariably the FCP canvas image is darker, has higher contrast, and shows much richer color saturation. The Quicktime movie is too bright, and too washed-out looking in the colors compared with the FCP canvas. And when I output to an mpeg2 and author a DVD using DVD Studio Pro, and then pop the completed DVD into my Mac (or TV/DVD player) and view it, it always turns out much brighter and more washed out than what my FCP canvas had led me to believe.
To try to compensate for this, I manually brightened my monitor somewhat and re-edited my footage, trying to boost luma and chroma levels as much as I could without exceeding broadcast standard limits, only to find that now some of the resulting DVD was oversaturated and too dark. I REALLY need an accurate canvas on which to edit; it's impossible to create anything worthwhile if I have nothing else to do than to simply guess how every clip is going to look and pray that the final result isn't too far off.
Has anyone else encountered this? It's a real problem for me. I'm using FCP 5.04 on a dual-processor G5 with 5 GB of RAM and a dual-monitor setup - an Apple 17" monitor and an Apple 23" cinematic display.
Any input or ideas would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks in advance for your help!
Powermac G5 Mac OS X (10.4.3)

Thanks to both of you, Steve and Shane, for your quick replies.
I always render as I go, and I disabled overlays in the canvas long ago. And I realize that calibration is a key issue, especially for web files, and that the view produced in the FCP canvas isn't a full-resolution representation of the underlying digital file.
But when I'm editing my actors' faces and adjusting their colors to get just the right amount of pink rosiness in their cheeks, and carefully setting the right light levels in the background, and then I output my file to any format and view the resulting file on the SAME CRT on which I did my editing, suddenly their faces have lost all their color, and the background is too light and washed out, even though I'm viewing the thing on the same screen I used to edit it.
So no matter how my monitor is calibrated, I believe that any high-quality output file that FCP creates should resemble, at least in terms of color and brightness levels, the image I edited in the canvas moments earlier, at least if viewed on the same screen. I realize that resolution will vary and one might be more blurry or whatever; that's not the problem.
In fact, if I use FCP to create a Quicktime file and an mpeg-2 for a DVD and then view that file on any of my PC monitors and on my television via my DVD player, it looks remarkably consistent. In other words, the output file looks fairly close, in terms of chroma and luma, when viewed either on my Mac (with the Quicktime player), my PC, or even my TV (viewed as a DVD). The only thing that looks different is if I compare this file to the file I edited, as seen on the FCP canvas, where the colors look much richer and the contrast is a lot darker. Even when viewing both files on the same computer screen, one in FCP and the other in Quicktime, the FCP one looks substantially different. Have others run into a similar problem, or is it just me? I can't believe professional editors have to resort to always guessing whether what they see in the canvas will look anything like their final FCP output, at least if they're viewing it on the same monitor.
So I guess I'm really wondering whether there's some way to independently adjust the visible chroma and luma levels in the canvas itself, to configure them properly, so that what I see when I'm editing will more closely match the files I generate when I'm done, when viewing them both on the same screen.
Thanks again for any light (or contrast!) you can shine on this problem.

Canvas brightness doesn't match FCP output files/Matches TIF Still Files!!

Hi, the first part of this problem was addressed earlier in the forum-the fact that the Canvas shows the clips as much much darker and way more saturated than when viewed on an external monitor, or when exported to DVD Studio Pro and burned on dvd.
The second part is that when I export an image from the clip in Final Cut using Quicktime Conversion to Still Image and open up the still in Preview or Photoshop or email it to another computer IT MATCHES the much darker and more saturated canvas. How is this possible? How can I get it to match the video output files?
Any advice asap would be really really appreciated.

You need to understand monitoring... first, a computer's display isn't set up for use as a TV set or video monitor. They don't exhibit the same response color wise to gammas. So it makes perfect sense that viewing a still will match what you saw in the canvas. If you were to look at that still externally on a video monitor, you'd see it also matches the video it came from on that same monitor. Colors aren't shifting, the differences in the displays of that same file is what's causing your consternation.
Always color correct for the medium you wish to exhibit in... so if TV, then correct to an external video monitor which is properly set up. If to the web, then you color correct using computer displays (also properly set up) To further the problem, the gamma responses from a PC's display don't match those of a Mac's display. The PC will see things darker in general... so that too has to be taken into account when judging color, contrast and brightness...
Jerry

HT1040 What color profile on my iMac is best to used when ordering prints from Apple?

I am accustom to printing my photographs. After two disappointing HP B9180 printers, and way too much money in ink and paper, I am considering producing my prints primarily by ordering them through Apple Print Services.
This being said, what color profile should I use on my iMac to best match the color profile used by Apple Print Services? Secondly, do I lose anything by editing my photos in PhotoShop, importing into iPhoto, and ordering through Apple?
Thank you for any insight.

This might be of help to you:
Using Photoshop (or Photoshop Elements) as Your Editor of Choice in iPhoto.
1 - select Photoshop as your editor of choice in iPhoto's General Preference Section's under the "Edit photo:" menu.
Click to view full size
2 - double click on the thumbnail in iPhoto to open it in Photoshop. When you're finished editing click on the Save button. If you immediately get the JPEG Options window make your selection (Baseline standard seems to be the most compatible jpeg format) and click on the OK button. Your done. 3 - however, if you get the navigation window
Click to view full size
that indicates that PS wants to save it as a PS formatted file. You'll need to either select JPEG from the menu and save (top image) or click on the desktop in the Navigation window (bottom image) and save it to the desktop for importing as a new photo.
This method will let iPhoto know that the photo has been editied and will update the thumbnail file to reflect the edit..
NOTE: With Photoshop Elements 9 the Saving File preferences should be configured as shown:
Click to view full size
I also suggest the Maximize PSD File Compatabilty be set to Always. In PSE’s General preference pane set the Color Picker to Apple as shown:
Click to view full size
NOTE: If you want to use both iPhoto's editing mode and PS without having to go back and forth to the Preference pane, once you've selected PS as your editor of choice, reset the Preferences back to "Open in main window". That will let you either edit in iPhoto (double click on the thumbnail) or in PS (Control-click on the thumbnail and seledt "Edit in external editor" in the Contextual menu). This way you get the best of both worlds.
OT

Adjusting Printer Color Profile?

Hi All,
I would like to adjust the contrast and brightness of my printout - well, at least that's how I'm accustomed to think about it in the Windows world. And I can't seem to find settings for that anywhere. So after some reading, it appears that one needs to match the color profile of the printer to the color profile of the monitor to get desired results.
I have a few questions regarding this:
1) How do I calibrate the printer's color profile?
2) What do I do if I have documents that are to be printed, but cannot be adjusted on-screen, to the desired contrast and brightness? I could address this with my Windows printer driver very easily by adjusting the brightness and contrast sliders for my printer.
I am using the Gutenprint driver.
Thanks!

You need a .icc color profile file for your printer. They should be made available by the printer's manufacturer. The rest is basically done via ColorSync. Since this isn't my area of expertise I suggest you start with a Google search on "colorsync" which should provide a wealth of helpful information for dealing with device color matching on Macs.

Printed images...sRGB vs. iMac color profile / iPhoto vs. PSE...

Hello – I have searched the various forums available, found a wealth of information on the subject, and then became even more confused. So, here goes:
The question is in regards to color profiles on my display vs. color profiles embedded in the printed image.
I have my display set to iMac Color Profile (or should I use the sRGB Profile, which gives the display a coolor, or more bluish overall tint), and then in PSE I have sRGB embedded. When I make a print going through PSE, the colors look good and overall is a pleasant image. When I take the same image and save it into iPhoto and then print it, the overall image is slightly darker and the colors a little more saturated. Overall, another pleasant image, just slightly different.
So, I suppose my question is: what is iPhoto doing that makes the printed image a bit more saturated? How should I have my colors on the display set?
Thanks.

Printer_Rick wrote:
sRGB is Adobe's default RGB color space. It is the standard for world wide web. It is used by Pantone. In short it is the RGB profile most commonly encountered
I will re-iterate it's not my working RGB space, I don't care for it, I don't consider it ideal for CMYK conversion.
The idea that sRGB is the most common profile is a misconception.That profile was created to simulate an uncalibrated enviroment (monitor).Thats why if you use Photoshop function "Save for Web" it converts to sRGB then strips profile information.And this is only because until recently most web browsers didnt have any Color Management.I know Firefox has but the others until recently didnt (might be diferent know thought).
If its used by Pantone or not I dont know,but if it is I would like to know why and for what purpose cause it doesnt make any sense...
Its not ideal for any print (CMYK convertion) since it's very narrow gamut will most probably clip many satured colors.
The only good thing about it (besides being a grey balanced profile) is that you can be sure the person you send it too will not see many variations (shifts) in color from what youre seing on your calibrated monitor using Photoshop or any other ICC aware aplication.Thats why I always send previews of work in sRGB, because most of the time people that have to evaluate it dont even bother to open them in Photoshop,they use e-mail programs or browsers,let alone calibrated/profiled monitors.
I think the idea behind making it default is just that,being on the safe side.People that are aware of that ussually change it unless theyre working mainly for the Web.
This and much more you can find on the links about Bruce Fraser.He made great contributions to make people aware of Color Management.
Hope this helps.
Especificaly u can read this one:
http://www.creativepro.com/article/out-of-gamut-getting-a-handle-on-color-management
Images on examples are self-explanatory.

[Vista] No color profiles in Lightroom

I have a problem with printing in lightroom.
There are some more topics with printing problems, but not like mine.
The problem is that i would like Lightroom to manage the color profiles, but on the printing page, when i click the color profile field, i can only choose 'managed by printer' and 'other'.
When i click 'other', i get a popup screen, where i should be able to select a color profile, but this screen is completely empty, so there is nothing to select.
How can i make a color profile appear in this screen?
When i use printer managed, and select a color profile in my printer screen, i get very bad prints, thats why i want lightroom to manage the colors.
PS: i have a HP D5160 printer.

Hi Ronnie
I have exactly the same problem but using a HP 3210 all-in-one printer. HP doesn´t seem provide ICC profile for their printerns. So, I guess thats the reason no beeing able to view them i th manage by application dialog box.
I have serious problems getting acceptable colours on my prints from Lightroom 1.1 and 1.2 (no difference). No problem at all printing from Photoshop CS or Elements, getting fine printings.
When chatting with HP support they refuse to answer straight questions about ICC profiles and start blaming on Adobe applications instead. Really frustrating.
Really hope that someone finds an acceptable workaround.
//Sten

Color profile doesn't match print output

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