Printing from Canon Digital Photo Professional for Picture Match

[Marc Hildebrant]

Gang,

I am using a Canon Rebel Xti with a Canon MG5320 to record and print raw images. The results of the printing to glossy paper seem to lack details and the color is different between my monitor (HP 25vx) and print. I am using the Canon Digital Photo Professional with code up to date.

When I import the raw file, I usually "tweak it" some with the Canon software and then print without converting the raw file to anything different.

I use the "vivid" and "photo" setting in the Canon printer...are there better settings for the printer ?
Do I need to convert the raw file to a jpeg file to print better ?

Or...should I send the files to an outside printer and forget using a home printer ?

Marc

 

[Ysarex]

Gang,

I am using a Canon Rebel Xti with a Canon MG5320 to record and print raw images. The results of the printing to glossy paper seem to lack details and the color is different between my monitor (HP 25vx) and print. I am using the Canon Digital Photo Professional with code up to date.

When I import the raw file, I usually "tweak it" some with the Canon software and then print without converting the raw file to anything different.

I use the "vivid" and "photo" setting in the Canon printer...are there better settings for the printer ?
Do I need to convert the raw file to a jpeg file to print better ?

Or...should I send the files to an outside printer and forget using a home printer ?

Marc

How is your display calibrated?
What paper are you printing with?

 

[Marc Hildebrant]

I used the "Windows 10" feature to calibrate the display. I do not think it is a correct tool.
The paper is Photo Paper from "Kirkland" or COSCO. Glossy and 4X6

Marc

 

[Ysarex]

I used the "Windows 10" feature to calibrate the display. I do not think it is a correct tool.
The paper is Photo Paper from "Kirkland" or COSCO. Glossy and 4X6

Marc

OK, so in your original post you noted that the prints you're getting do not match your screen image. Under the circumstances that's to be expected. You're working uncalibrated.

To start you need to calibrate and profile your display. You can only do that with a hardware device similar to this: https://www.amazon.com/X-Rite-ColorMunki-CMUNDIS-Accuracy-Calibration/dp/B0055MBQOM

You then need to have a printer/paper profile. One option in that case (not best but might do) is to use a paper made by the printer manufacturer. Typically the printer comes with generic paper profiles loaded for their own paper products. If you use another brand paper then you'll still have a problem because you won't have an appropriate paper profile. Given the printer you're using you probably won't be able to find a profile you can download and that means trying to find a best match from what the printer already supplies or making your own.

If you want to make your own paper profile you can skip the calibrator listed above and get this instead: https://www.amazon.com/X-Rite-EOSTU...ectronics&sbo=RZvfv//HxDF+O5021pAnSA==&sr=1-2

 

[Marc Hildebrant]

Thanks for your very good answer.

Marc

 

[ntz]

+ I'd be very aware of printing from RAWs .. print from JPGs (or TIFFs) a lot of RAW processing software don't actually modify the RAW itself, they create a (.pp3 for example) a profile with modifications .. just do your postprocessing, then export that to JPG and then print ..

+ perhaps also share with us please an example photo that you printed and that seem flat and with shifted colours ..

regards, ~d

 

[Ysarex]

+ I'd be very aware of printing from RAWs .. print from JPGs (or TIFFs) a lot of RAW processing software don't actually modify the RAW itself, they create a (.pp3 for example) a profile with modifications .. just do your postprocessing, then export that to JPG and then print ..

+ perhaps also share with us please an example photo that you printed and that seem flat and with shifted colours ..

regards, ~d

There's no reason not to print from DPP. What DPP sends to the printer is an appropriate processed RGB image and DPP supports proper color management.

No raw processing software modifies the raw data itself. Why would that matter? Raw processing software completes it job by exporting an RGB TIFF or JPEG image to disk. If it can do that it can do the same and send that image to a printer.

 

[ntz]

+ I'd be very aware of printing from RAWs .. print from JPGs (or TIFFs) a lot of RAW processing software don't actually modify the RAW itself, they create a (.pp3 for example) a profile with modifications .. just do your postprocessing, then export that to JPG and then print ..

+ perhaps also share with us please an example photo that you printed and that seem flat and with shifted colours ..

regards, ~d

There's no reason not to print from DPP. What DPP sends to the printer is an appropriate processed RGB image and DPP supports proper color management.

No raw processing software modifies the raw data itself. Why would that matter? Raw processing software completes it job by exporting an RGB TIFF or JPEG image to disk. If it can do that it can do the same and send that image to a printer.

he said

When I import the raw file, I usually "tweak it" some with the Canon software and then print without converting the raw file to anything different.

then he says that the photo looks different ... I don't know what is between his "some Canon software" and DPP, perhaps dpp doesn't read well the modified photo pp3 profile, maybe "some Canon software" uses some fancy xRGB profile while exporting, etc .. that's why I suggested to export image to JPG or TIF and print that instead of printing from RAW processing software directly, which is fairly unusual ..

so actually there IS reason to print from JPG .. printing from RAW directly certainly works but it's meh ... printing from TIF or JPG is standard

 

[Ysarex]

he said

When I import the raw file, I usually "tweak it" some with the Canon software and then print without converting the raw file to anything different.

then he says that the photo looks different ... I don't know what is between his "some Canon software" and DPP,

There 's nothing between DPP and DPP. DPP is the Canon software he's using.

perhaps dpp doesn't read well the modified photo pp3 profile, maybe "some Canon software" uses some fancy xRGB profile while exporting, etc .. that's why I suggested to export image to JPG or TIF and print that instead of printing from RAW processing software directly, which is fairly unusual ..

No, he is opening his raw files in DPP, using DPP to tweak the images and then print them. DPP is an appropriately color managed application that works well with Canon raw files including printing them. His problem results from his uncalibrated hardware.

so actually there IS reason to print from JPG ..

There is not.

printing from RAW directly certainly works but it's meh ... printing from TIF or JPG is standard

No. You are incorrect about this.

 

[ntz]

so actually there IS reason to print from JPG ..

There is not.

printing from RAW directly certainly works but it's meh ... printing from TIF or JPG is standard

No. You are incorrect about this.

seems this discussion went far beyond the reasonable level .. bailing out ..

@Marc Hildebrant - there are a lot of vids on youtube about printing .. you can check them, I suggest exporting your work before print to JPG, I think that 95% of videos on youtube about technical aspects of printing will employ that too

 

[Ysarex]

so actually there IS reason to print from JPG ..

There is not.

printing from RAW directly certainly works but it's meh ... printing from TIF or JPG is standard

No. You are incorrect about this.

seems this discussion went far beyond the reasonable level .. bailing out ..

@Marc Hildebrant - there are a lot of vids on youtube about printing .. you can check them, I suggest exporting your work before print to JPG, I think that 95% of videos on youtube about technical aspects of printing will employ that too

Youtube is the single largest repository of misinformation the human species has ever compiled. The OP has a Canon camera and is using the appropriate Canon (DPP) software designed by Canon to work with his camera and photos. That software can correctly print his images. Are you saying Canon doesn't know what they're doing with their cameras and software? Do you use DPP with your Canon camera photos? You're clueless.

@Marc Hildebrant I identified your problem correctly first & second response. There is nothing at all wrong with printing directly from DPP you simply need proper color management control.

 

[Marc Hildebrant]

Thanks to all for the comments. I will be calibrating my monitor and getting the printer profile correct.

Marc