Basic Monitor Calibration/Printing Question

[Tom Yi]

Hi,
I've started to make prints occassionaly at home. Till now I've been printing at Mpix.
I usually use a Canon i9900 (I think), which is a simple inkjet photo printer, and use the supplied easy photoPrint from Canon, using Canon's super glossy photo papers with my Dell desktop/LCD monitor.

I've noticed that the colors are never what I see on the monitor when I occassionally make 4x6's at home, so I've ordered a Pantone Huey to calibrate my monitor. I'm wondering for a serious hobbyist that mainly print from Mpix and occassionaly a 4x6 at home, if this set up will be okay or if I need to get into ICC profiles from printers or what not. If I do, will it make a really noticable difference? I'm a realtive newbie to color management and printing, so I'm sorry if this is a bit elementary in nature. But seeing as I'm not making prints at home for a business or for any serious prints, I'd like to keep things as simple as possible.

Thanks

[Andrew Rodney]

The huey is certainly a step in the right direction.

[Tom Yi]

yeah, I'm wondering since I'm using all Canon stuff, camera, zoombrowser/easy photo print, and a canon printer/paper, if that will be enough for the colors I see to closely resemble what I print.

[Nill Toulme]

A calibrated monitor is Step 1. Step 2 is profile(s) for your particular printer/paper combinations. Did your Canon ship with included profiles for Canon papers?

Nill
~~
www.toulme.net

[Tom Yi]

I'm not sure, using the canon printer, it asks for which of the canon photo papers I'm using and the one I have is one of the default choices, so I'm assuming that the printer program knows the profile of the printer/paper combination. But I'm guessing here.
As I get my calibration kit (I ordered it yesterday) I guess I'll readjust an image or two after calibrating my monitor and see if the prints look closer to the monitor. If not, then I guess I'll have to consider getting ICC profiles and such for the printer and the paper.
One step at a time I guess, but since I rarely print and it's more to give a small 4x6, if I can get relatively close to the colors on the monitor with just the Huey, I'll be happy.

[Serge Cashman]

For Canon printer settings:

http://www.steves-digicams.com/techcorner/June_2005.html

Huey is one way to get started with color management on a budget. Once you get the workflow right you'll see if you need to invest into other devices and services or not.

[Tom Yi]

Well got and tried out the Huey. It does change the color on my monitor. The whites look a bit bluer, the black is darker, and there is more contrast.

As for the profiles, I think they are already installed as I print from DPP, it knows the printer model no. and it has the paper type that I am using, Canon glossy photo plus. I guess I'll hav to try it again now and see. If the Huey gets me close for my occassional 4x6 prints, that'll be fine, as I print from Mpix and have been very happy with the results.

Thanks for the help guys.