Getting right colours from a scan to a print?

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S

SS

Here's the problem - I scanned a colour photo on my Epson perfection 1240U
at 1200 dpi and saved the file. It looked fine on screen. I then printed it
to my Epson 830U photo printer. The hair and skin looked rather orangy-red
compared with the original. Now when I print pictures from my digital camera
they look fine. I want to get as near an EXACT copy of the original photo,
but without having to waste loads of photo paper 'trial and erroring'
different hues and saturations. Is there some intelligent software that will
scan a colour chart, print the results, scan again and work out exactly how
much to change the settings on the printer (or adjust the photo in PSP etc)
to alter the output to get the 'perfect' match (a sort of self correcting
feedback loop)? I would say that I do refill my cartridges though the ink is
supposedly top grade stuff (and costs £70 a litre!).

Perhaps if I rescanned the 'dodgy' print, then put it side by side on screen
with the original picture scan and used the sliders to match the 2 pictures,
then applied the settings to the original master scan that might work?! I
will try this but appreciate any advice meantime,
 
SS said:
Here's the problem - I scanned a colour photo on my Epson perfection 1240U
at 1200 dpi and saved the file. It looked fine on screen. I then printed
it
to my Epson 830U photo printer. The hair and skin looked rather orangy-red
compared with the original. Now when I print pictures from my digital
camera
they look fine. I want to get as near an EXACT copy of the original photo,
but without having to waste loads of photo paper 'trial and erroring'
different hues and saturations. Is there some intelligent software that
will
scan a colour chart, print the results, scan again and work out exactly
how
much to change the settings on the printer (or adjust the photo in PSP
etc)
to alter the output to get the 'perfect' match (a sort of self correcting
feedback loop)? I would say that I do refill my cartridges though the ink
is
supposedly top grade stuff (and costs £70 a litre!).

Perhaps if I rescanned the 'dodgy' print, then put it side by side on
screen
with the original picture scan and used the sliders to match the 2
pictures,
then applied the settings to the original master scan that might work?! I
will try this but appreciate any advice meantime,
Click to expand...
You are sort of right about the "intelligent" software system.

It is called Profiling, and using the resulting profiles is called Colour
Management.

You can either buy the Hardware and do it yourself, or get someone in to
produce the neccessary Profiles and set your system up for you. It is not
rocket science, but it is not all that easy. Have a read at
www.digital-darkroom.com or similar sites for info.

Roy G
 
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