After
spending hours and possibly days editing a picture to perfection, I confidently
send my image to the printer, only to see that it looks nothing like what I
expected. The fuchsia came out coral, the navy came out turquoise and the gold
came out looking like old mustard. Well, say goodbye to unpredictable outcomes
and hello to absolute control. The ColorMunki not only solves your calibration
problems, but it also give you the opportunity to get more creative with your
images.
Note: please understand while doing this review, I'm
at The LensPal. I don't have the same editing software one would use in a
studio or home photography office, so your results will be much better than
mine. This was intended to show ease and time of set-up.
First, I printed a
picture with a lot of color so I would have a good before-and-after comparison.
I then set up my work station and started my timer.
I loaded the
installation disc (our customers will have a link to the website to download the
software needed) and after 2minutes 45seconds it was complete.
I
selected "Match My Printer to My Display" and began the process. If
at any time I still had questions after reading the prompts, there was a button
on the bottom of the screen that brought up an instructional video. For those
of you who won't be printing your own photos, but still want to be able to edit
and share your files accurately, choose "Profile My Display" instead.
Now it's time to plug the ColorMunki into the computer so it can be read and
calibrated for use.
At 4 minutes
45seconds the computer had recognized and calibrated the device. It was now
time to calibrate my monitor. After resetting my display to factory settings, I
placed the ColorMunki into it's weighted pouch and hung it. Make sure and slide
the protective cover so that the sensor is exposed and can actually read the
monitor.
This is when the
ColorMunki takes control. It flashes a variety of colors at varying brightness'
until the monitor is calibrated. This is the longest part of the process but
all you have to do is sit back and let it do it's thing.
At 11
minutes 30 seconds the monitor was done calibrating. This monitor happened to
be too bright. This would be a problem for me if I were editing because my
prints would come out much darker than I expected them to.
Next
step, calibrate the printer. After telling the program what type of paper
you're using, it has you print a 5 row color chart that you scan with the
ColorMunki. This tells the software what your printer is producing. Once it
prints, the program displays a 10 min ink drying timer. You may skip this wait
if you have a laser jet printer.
Once those set of
colors are scanned in, you print a 2nd chart and repeat.
Minus
the ink drying time, installation and set-up only took me a total of 14 minutes.
Once you set-up your profile, it will be saved onto your computer for all of
your photo printing and sharing needs! With DigitalPouch, you can send your
photos to anyone, even if they do not have ColorMunki software, and know that
they are seeing the same exact thing you were when editing.
Overall,
I found this software very easy to use
and an essential tool for those who value the color in their images. The
calibration aspect of the ColorMunki is
only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what it can do. Rent one from us today and
take control of your color!
http://www.thelenspal.com/product/190/X-Rite-ColorMunki-Photo-Color-Management-Solution.htm
http://xritephoto.com/ph_product_overview.aspx?id=1115
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