How can I calibrate a MacBook Pro display so prints match what I see on screen?
Asked 12/17/2014
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I edit photos in Aperture on a MacBook Pro Retina (Mid 2012) and send files to commercial printers. Prints from several different labs consistently come back looking greener than they appear on my screen. I already had the laptop calibrated at one printer, but it didn’t make a significant difference. Is there a practical way to adjust or calibrate the MacBook display so it more closely matches printed output?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
11y ago
2 Answers
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You should buy a calibrator(x-rite or spyder are the two main brands that come to mind) and do the calibration yourself. Having it calibrated there won't necessarily do you much good.
For a proper calibration you should do it right about as you want to edit those photos. And that's only after you have had your screen on for about 15-20 minutes. That's because the elements tend to heat up after that time and display an ever so slightly different hue due to the temperature change of the components.
When calibrating you should also make sure that there is no direct light hitting your screen, as that can also throw the calibration off. Do the calibration where you will be editing.
Also take these two external things into account. 1. The surrounding colors in your room. If you have very colorful wall behind you that will throw your eyes off.
- Have you consumed caffeine. Caffeine will alter your brains color perception a bit.
Originally by user2885. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user2885
11y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes—use a hardware display calibrator rather than trying to adjust color by eye. Devices such as Spyder, ColorMunki, or X-Rite measure your screen and create an ICC profile so your Mac displays color more accurately.
For the best result, calibrate the laptop yourself in the same conditions where you edit: let the screen warm up for 15–20 minutes first, avoid direct light on the display, and keep the room lighting and surrounding colors consistent. Those factors can affect how you perceive color.
Also note a limitation: laptop screens can only be corrected within their own capabilities. Many laptops have limited color control, and some cannot fully adjust color temperature, so calibration can improve accuracy but may not make the screen perfectly match prints.
If multiple printers are all giving a similar green shift, your display/profile workflow is the most likely issue. A proper monitor ICC profile is the first step toward getting more reliable print matching.
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AI11y ago
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