Few questions for you. Why are you transforming the b&w files to CYMK for print? What printing company are you using. I have never changed up my color file for printing. I use RGB/Srgb. Using places like Walmart, Walgreens, Cosco, etc can result in image color not looking right. Is your monitor calibrated?

Don't shot in B&W as that gives you no control over the end look really.

I know that all pro printing house are working in CYMK. I'm always asked when I go print 'bout this matter, so....Also, see the tutorials about printing after post processing.
I am definetelly NOT going to shut in B AND W, but I am desp. as I said before and I don't understand what is missing. I tried, also in RGB and the answer is the same, I tried it.
In a way I find myself explaining that is logical, 'cause no shade of grey or black in b and w pics are really pure black, but I've seen picture printed that are also framed in black and they look reslly amazing and...very black in blacks so...any other oppinion, pleeeeeease?
And no, my monitor is not calibrated with any printer in town because I use different places. But if the question is strictly about my monitor, yes, but the basic calibration not with some special soft or devices....although if there was a pb with calibration neither color was ok, or either black wasn't fine. But in my case the pure ps black(#00000) is different of the one in pictures that are framed with it.

But if your monitor is not calibrated you wont see the same white grey and black that I see on my calibrated monitor. I use a professional lab and we both are set to sRGB so what I view on my monitor my print will look exactly like it. I would stay away from places that the person above mentioned. The color correct on top of your image so if I color correct and then they do the same you are going to get a print that doesnt look like it was meant to be. HTH

Thank you much. When you say calibrated it's about calibration with monkey between the pc and printer? Or the monitor itself? And if yes, how do you do it? With Windows 7 kind of ok included? Or with a special soft that is out there on the market?

X-Rite ColorMunki Display is a good one to use. You'll want to have your monitor calibrated.

Dear friends and Asta family,
I made my mind. I am going to buy a Spider device for monitor calibration. Still, have a question: since I can't afford a Color Munki which is 449 usd, do you happen to know if the professional photo studios make the calibration of their printers with your pc? Or is still your job, meaning I have to do it with my own device? I am afraid not to buy Spider and then regret that I only achieve the monitor calibration and still don't have the calibration between my pc and any other printer, including mine:((((
So, what do you say?
TIA

Does someone know if there is any photo studio who does the calibration for a price, instead of you buying some gear for doing it?!
It would be an idea, isn't it?

most labs will color correct your images for you. I don't know what the price difference is slight if anything, downside is you lose control of your end product.

When you apply to a prolab I think all of them gift you 3-5 8x10 prints so that you can calibrate to them. So you select one image and change up your settings slightly in each of the 3 - 5 images send them off and when they ship them to you, you know which of the printed images are truest to your screen and then go from there =)

I have the spyder picked it up for fairly cheap used off of ebay. Made such a difference! I was struggling w/ printing too.

Depends on the lab you use, but you can order test prints (usually for free initially), and calibrate to match. You'll have to keep up with calibrating over time, so it's a good idea to eventually have your own device and software. There are other inexpensive ones to use with great reviews, but basically it comes down to which lab you're using and getting a sample to be sure what you see on the screen is what gets printed.

So, besides Spyder which, i understand, does not make the calibration for printer, too, what other one do you recomand for this issue, besides Munkey which is out of my league regarding the price?
TIA

a lot of people swear by the huey. I've never used it but aside from spyder its the only one I hear people recommending

Thank you, but still, my question is: do you know any device that could do both, the monitor calibration, as well as monitor-printer calibration?
TIA

Also- most labs print B&W on the same machines & same paper as color prints. I have found that when i have an important b&w enlargement, i will use Miller's lab, b/c you can get true b&w paper. it always looks much better than prints on color paper. hope that helps!

calibrating your printer starts with having a color calibrated monitor. after your monitor is correctly calibrated. you pick the printer ICC profile for the paper you're going to use. The correct profile will give you a color correct print. and i've never seen a pro photo lab tell me to provide them files in CMYK.

Thank you, all! Still, the pros in typo industtry, such as printing houses, not photo studios, work in CMYK, look for tutorials out there and if you look as a final goal print stuff, such as flyers, booklets, etc, all of the pros in printing issues are talking in . But this is not the issue, here.
The main conclusion , for me is: althought I don't need a pro printer of my own(still...I wish... an Epson 4800) I have to get an affordable devise to calibrate my monitor, or to get my pc to a studio/lab that does that for me. Then (this I will have to check what does it mean....?) and get to the lab/studio and/or, why not, get a devise to calibrate monitor with printer. That's it, isn't it?Voila!

I don't know of any device that calibrates a printer. As pointed out above calibrate your monitor and use ICC profiles to communicate with your printer.(Make sure your printer driver is up to date)

I know that you can rent ColorMunki and Spyder at borrowlenses.com, perhaps elsewhere too.

thank you, isprcat!
Great info, hey, guys, I aam a newbie, give me some indulgence with my non-profi questions...But super info, isprcat! Do you happen to know if they have stores where you can actually go and borrow their gear, in Canada, too?
And yes, I was talking about calibrating between monitor and printer, as in using ICC profiles with whom you can get into a printer studio/lab and print your....art:)
Thanks again, friends, I am sure I learn from the best, here!

Lysaime, check out the free webinar being offered by X-rite Photo on June 7th I think, located under the learning tab you'll find the webinars. Beyond Monitor Calibration.

Thank you sooooo much! Got it.

Hi Lysa!! here is a article about printer calibration and monitor calibration and other very interesting and informative things. This is a must read article.