Display looks great. Prints too red/magenta

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Display looks great. Prints too red/magenta

Hi

I'm been perusing the boards, but haven't been able to find a direct answer to my problem. Using iPhoto or even Preview, my photos looks great. Good colors, contrasts, etc. However, when i print them to my Canon photo printer (with photo paper), or even my HP color printer (with normal printer), the pictures are always quite magenta-ish.

At first i thought it was a printer problem (canon). But now that we see the same problem with the HP, i'm beginning to think otherwise. Both printers have been hooked up to a PC and printed without problems.

Ideas and/or pointers?

Thanks.

- Walter

iMac9.1, Mac OS X (10.6.6)

Posted on Jan 18, 2011 4:30 PM

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Answer 1

rkaufmann87

Level 10

148,494 points

Jan 18, 2011 5:00 PM in response to wnlw

You may need to calibrate your monitor or if you aren't using the right paper for your printer that can affect it to. Photo printers are designed to have the manufacturer's paper used with them, when you stray and use paper not designed for that printer your results won't be the best. I would recommend you visit both manufacturers web sites and see the paper they recommend.

If you do decide to calibrate your printer go to:

System Preferences - Display - Color - Calibrate. This can be a sophisticated process that may require tools, for most people this isn't necessary. Assuming your printers are OK and you are using the manufacturers recommended supplies (ink and paper) this may be what's required.

Roger

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Answer 2

wnlw Author

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Jan 18, 2011 5:18 PM in response to wnlw

Thanks a bunch for the response. Yes, I'm aware of the importance of using correct paper and ink, which i am and have been. I did mess around with the color calibration (advanced settings), but the results are still the same. After your suggestion, i played around with it some more....no luck unfortunately.

Any other thoughts?

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Answer 3

rkaufmann87

Level 10

148,494 points

Jan 18, 2011 5:27 PM in response to wnlw

It's been awhile since I've tweaked these but also take a look at your print setting when you print. For example:

Command P (this invokes the print command) - Color Matching. The default of mine says Safari, but if you're printing from iPhoto it will probably say iPhoto.

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Answer 4

wnlw Author

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Jan 18, 2011 5:28 PM in response to wnlw

I guess i should also mention that the pictures on the display match for the most part with what i see on the camera in terms of colors, etc. So i would think it odd that i need to calibrate the monitor. I can understand that being the case for brightness issues, which i've read in other posts. But mine is slightly different in that the magenta is way over-used.

Thanks again.

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Answer 5

wnlw Author

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Jan 18, 2011 5:33 PM in response to rkaufmann87

I really appreciate the help Roger.

I've tried:

1) "iPhoto"
2) "Color Matching" -> "Color Sync"
3) "Color Matching" -> "Vendor Matching"

....they all look the same...

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Answer 6

rkaufmann87

Level 10

148,494 points

Jan 18, 2011 5:45 PM in response to wnlw

Sorry I just don't know. You can also cross post at the Printing forum. I think you're running Snow Leopard (that was in your first post) however you have removed your profile so now we can't tell. Please update that so know what you have. The SL printing forum is located at:

http://discussions.apple.com/forum.jspa?forumID=1344

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Answer 7

Feb 26, 2011 10:36 AM in response to wnlw

Did you find a solution to this? I've been searching for an answer for over a year. It happens on 2 printers (Canon and HP) with me, too.

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Answer 8

Feb 26, 2011 12:48 PM in response to wnlw

I had a problem like that with photoshop. Looked great on screen and when I printed (Epson 2200), the colors were way off. After years and wasted paper and ink and following Epson's guide lines to color management, found the solution. Turn off photoshop's color management and let the printer use it's default settings.
(Epson and photoshop instructed to use Adobe RGB (1998) for RGB and U.S. Web Coated (SWOP) v2 for CYMK.)
The trick is to turn off color management in the application *and the* printer's dialog box, otherwise the printer produces unexpected results. This was my case anyway. maybe it will help. Also, it may be an RGB verses a CYMK issue.-j

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