printing help

[croppycatter]

I'm using PSE 7. This is the first time I've printed using my laptop. Anyway, the picture looks perfect on my screen, but when I print it comes out really dark. I've tried changing my printer preferences to sRG (or whatever that is) and changing it to PSE controls the color instead of my printer and back but it is still just as dark. I'm using an Epson R1800. Any ideas on how to fix this?? I don't usually have this much of an issue using my desktop computer. Thanks in advance!!!

[Sonita]

Make sure your monitor is calibrated? Maybe the problem is not your printer, but the monitor screen. I don't know about Mac computers, but in windows, use Adobe Gamma to calibrate it. It's already in your computer

[troush]

Adobe gamma is no good for laptops. For an LCD (which is what you have on a laptop) you really need a calibration device, like a Pantone Huey or Spyder 2. If you have Vista, you can play with the settings of the built in driver by right clicking on the desktop, and choose Graphics Properties, and play with the Color Correction settings.

-Trish

[mom2bandc]

Kim,
I too have an R1800 and my photos come out dark when I print using PSE. I tried the Adobe Gamma and also a Spyder color calibrator but it didn't change anything.
Try printing by opening your photos through "my computer" by navigating to where they are stored, control click on the photos you want to print and then use the "print this picture" in the picture tasks on the left. (This all assumes you are using XP!) I found that my colors were truer this way.
Before I discovered this, I tried to play with the color management settings using one photo printed multiple times to find a setting that works but it depended on the colors in the photo which settings work best. I also reduced the brightness of monitor so that I over lighten my photos slightly.
Hope that helps a little. Having spent a small fortune on a great printer I don't always think the color is accurate and I understand your frustration!

[croppycatter]

thanks ladies!

Yep...my laptop is a PC and not a MAC.

Trish, I'll play around with that and see if I can get it fixed that way.

I don't have a problem printing with my R1800 when I'm using my desktop (I have XP on it). It's just printing with my laptop (Vista) that I run into problems...it prints dark on my PictureMate too so it's my laptop that needs calibrated.

thanks for all the help! I may have to just break down and buy the software...I've been wanting it for awhile anyway so this is as good an excuse as any, right??:D

[croppycatter]

Adobe gamma is no good for laptops. For an LCD (which is what you have on a laptop) you really need a calibration device, like a Pantone Huey or Spyder 2. If you have Vista, you can play with the settings of the built in driver by right clicking on the desktop, and choose Graphics Properties, and play with the Color Correction settings.

-Trish

Ok...opened that up but do you have any suggestions??? I'm scared of touching it! :p

[troush]

Not sure. What I would do is bring up your photo in Elements, and then try to adjust those settings until your photo on the screen matches what printed. Then, adjust your photo in Elements and print and see if it matches. I have an Epson RX680 and it prints out just a shade darker than what I see, too.

-Trish

[croppycatter]

alrighty...I'll try that.

I checked prices on the software and was surprised...really wasn't as much as I thought it would be. Maybe I can get that for Valentine's Day! :)