Is Qimage Ultimate as good as they say?

[OutOFtheinkwell]

As I learn more about color profiling and all that is required to match a monitor with a printer and the in's and outs of that whole thing I realized that as a simple hacker in printing I need to find something, software or whatever that might simplify the whole process because I find myself going in circles when I attempt to understand just how to do all of that.
That brings me to (Qimage) which I just recently ran across online and they seem to be dedicated to making all that I have read about color/printer profiles more understandable and simplified. So has anyone tried their software and if so please share your opinions...Thanks!

 

[mikling]

It's not the software.

Try to understand this. You buy a ruler that was made in Mars. In their planet they use inches.
You bring this ruler to Earth. We measure in inches but Mars inches are different from Earth inches. Now go try and build something with that ruler with a plan from earth. That is the problem with color. Monitor inches are different from printer inches. Worse yet, different monitors have their inches all different. Color management tries to make the adjustments so that all the units are matched to be physically the same. You will need a physical reference to match up the different inches from the different planets and so color management will require that physical measurements be made. No amount of software can magically relate the physical differences.

With color management someone building the same item on earth will have the same physical item as someone building it on Mars in spite of the inches being different.

Now relate to color. Mars yellow is different from Earth Yellow. Monitor Yellow is different from printer yellow. Which is correct? We don't know , could be neither the monitor nor printer. Color management then has a reference yellow. It then makes the monitor yellow the same shade as the printer yellow. problem solved. The only way to make this possible is to have physical instruments to measure both and make them the same. These physical instruments are precalibrated or serve as a reference ruler.

The minimum hardware required is hardware monitor calibration. After that, you'd then need to make sure you use the identical inks and paper for the printer specified within the profile....and then do it properly. it's not something that can be hacked. You can rough hack it a bit if you print a reference using a profile made for your inks and paper, .... then adjust your monitor so it matches the print. This is a very very rough method and success will be limited to the amt of luck and degree of patience and skill and how good your monitor is. The key word here is rough.

 

[The Hat]

Well I have never quite heard screen calibration descried in those terms before but I would have to agree with it,
rough it may certainly be true to the point yes, but then Im from mars.

I dont calibrate my screen at all because I dont think theres enough hours in a day to do it
for all the different paper surfaces I use White and Coloured, Gloss , Satin and Matte, its just not possible or feasible..

 

[OutOFtheinkwell]

Uh!
Like I said, is there any program out there that simplifies and makes the process more understandable? Thanks anyway!

 

[mikling]

The Hat has gotten away from not having to calibrate his screens mainly because he has purchased screens of very high quality where the manufacturer has preadjusted the screens to a degree because they know that the purchaser of this caliber of product wants accuracy. Most lower end screens need calibration. So take this into consideration, he's using some nice stuff.

 

[stratman]

Even high end monitors drift and should be re-profiled regularly if color accuracy is desired. If ambient light changes at the workstation then profiling should be done again for critical color accuracy work. Low end monitors benefit from calibration/profiling but maybe not enough to be "accurate". All monitors tend towards reduced color accuracy over time until even profiling will not compensate. Only a new monitor at that time will restore a high degree of desired color accuracy.

But like all things, what is satisfactory to one is not to another. Whatever works for you is OK. CD/DVD color accuracy with my MP830 is nothing to write home about, but it is sufficient for my needs.

 

[The Hat]

stratman If ambient light changes at the workstation then profiling should be done again for critical color accuracy work.

My monitors auto compensate for different light settings, if I turn off lights or add more light the monitor adjusts itself..

 

[stratman]

Nice.

My whole room compensates old school style -- I pull the drapes closed.

 

[The Hat]

Nice.

My whole room compensates old school style -- I pull the drapes closed.

And then trip over the power lead automatically..

 

[stratman]

Been meaning to motorize the drapes and hook 'em up to a clapper .

Rodbam: Because I know you're going to ask - No, the clapper does not require penicillin.