Newbie question, Matte or Gloss?

[Michael_Sutherland]

If you are considering selling prints, you might want to check this site first http://www.wilhelm-research.com/

Prints from an i960 might look great but your customers may want a print that lasts longer. You'll have to do a little market research to find out what they want.

[John_Ferguson]

Keith,

I think the Canon photo printers do an exceptional job when combined with Canon Photo Paper Pro and Canon ink. A little expensive, often referred to as the "Canon tax". Canon states the life is 25 years but some folks don't agree. I have prints that are 5 months old that look new, but they aren't in direct sun. What helped me was to calibrate my monitor using the Control Panel / Adobe Gamma (pros will shudder at this but it works for me) but what really, really made a huge difference was purchasing a printer profile for my printer / paper combo from www.ddisoftware.com. My prints occasionally looked muddy before but now they are vivid and the blacks are outstanding. Best $30 I have spent so far. www.cathysprofiles.com is also highly recommended by some but I didn't want to wait and the ddi profile was downloadable just a few hours after payment.

Regards,
John

[novice1970]

John,

Thanks for the information. It helps a lot. I can't figure out how to calibrate my monitor. I have Windows ME and have tried searching for it through the Control Panel, but I have had no success. Also, is it better that I buy a new computer which will have XP rather than try to find software, etc. that works with ME?

Keith

[DonLashier]

> I can't figure out how to calibrate my monitor.

No version of windows has a facility for monitor calibration. You need to buy a system like Colorvision Spyder or Eye-1.

- DL

[Doug_DeKeyser]

Novice1970,

To calibrate your monitor using Adobe Gamma through control panel in Windows, you have to have Adobe Gamma installed. This happens during Adobe Photoshop installation.

Link:

http://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/13252.htm

-Doug

[John_Ferguson]

Monitor calibration how to at this link:

http://www.computer-darkroom.com/ps8-colour/ps8_1.htm

Another great source of info:

http://www.pixelpixel.org/

See if those links help out. I never used ME so can't really give you a good answer.

Regards,
John

[danvidal]

As a Frontier tech, I equip the company 370 with Fujicolor Crystal Archive paper, both Glossy and Lustre surfaces. Bronzing and other such downfalls of inkjet reproduction are eliminated, so I can say in a near-ideal world, both are equal...

I usually recommend glossy for low-ISO digital and film images, to enhance the colors and detail perceptually...I usually recommend lustre for high-ISO digital and film images, since the texture cancels out some of the noise/grain.

If I know the prints are going to be handled extensively (proofs, etc..) I print lustre by default...a glossy print looks like garbage after one lap around the conference table!

I've never used full-matte paper on the Frontier system though...I've used full-matte paper on an inkjet before, and I must say that it is my preferred medium from an aesthetic perspective.