Take all photos in RAW.

If you must save to jpeg, then save at 100% quality after processing the RAW image.

In-camera conversion to jpeg leaves much to be desired.

You will also want a high color gamut display and a screen calibrator.

Then you will want to color calibrate your printer after having color calibrated your scanner with special software and the special color calibration sheet that goes along with it.

cyclone3d wrote on 2022-03-31, 22:52:

Take all photos in RAW.

I just use the program 'A Better Camera', on my Samsung mobile phone (I don't have the soul of a photographer!), and it doesn't seem to have a RAW setting.

If you must save to jpeg, then save at 100% quality after processing the RAW image.

I can do that, thanks.

In-camera conversion to jpeg leaves much to be desired.

You will also want a high color gamut display and a screen calibrator.

Then you will want to color calibrate your printer after having color calibrated your scanner with special software and the special color calibration sheet that goes along with it.

OK. To be honest, I don't want to spend a lot of money (or time) setting up things. So instead of buying a hardware calibration device, and especially not a new montior (I like the one I have now ;o) ), would any of these websites be good for calibration:

https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-online-tools- … ibrate-monitor/ ?

I haven't scanned any photos in, so why would I need to calibrate a scanner? I would have thought that a scanner was (or at least could be set so, at the factory when it was made) automatically set up to read the colours of the scanned material as correctly as the hardware allowed?

Since you obviously know your stuff, what software do you use to print, please? And what differences are there between different types, or manufacturers, of printer paper? I use matte photo quality paper.

The reason for the scanner calibration is because to calibrate the printer, you will need to scan the test prints back into the calibration software.

I wouldn't trust any website or other monitor calibration software that doesn't use a hardware device to look at the screen during the calibration.

There is absolutely no way to calibrate a monitor properly otherwise. And those devices can also be left plugged in to adjust the screen based on ambient light.

The goal is to get prints to come out as close as possible to what you are seeing on screen.

I don't generally make photo prints at home because it is so much cheaper to just pay to have them printed so not sure about what paper is best for that.

Really any good photo paper should be fine.

What is the brand/model of your current monitor?

cyclone3d wrote on 2022-04-01, 15:14:

The reason for the scanner calibration is because to calibrate the printer, you will need to scan the test prints back into the calibration software.

I see, thanks.

I wouldn't trust any website or other monitor calibration software that doesn't use a hardware device to look at the screen during the calibration.

Yes, I couldn't think how, without a separate, physical, pre-set colour chart/gadget/whatever, it would be possible to accurately judge the monitor's colour accuracy when using a website, or a purely software solution.

There is absolutely no way to calibrate a monitor properly otherwise. And those devices can also be left plugged in to adjust the screen based on ambient light.

The goal is to get prints to come out as close as possible to what you are seeing on screen.

Have any hardware manufacturers ever attempted to create a standard, so that all of their monitors, printers, etc, are all calibrated to the same standard? I've never really considered it before, but modern TVs come with lots of options for altering the colours and shades and contrast etc, but I've never seen an option on a TV called "Aut0-calibrate the TV output to the Industry Standard Visual recommendations" or "Set All Options to the Video Output Standards (c) 2015" etc.

I don't generally make photo prints at home because it is so much cheaper to just pay to have them printed so not sure about what paper is best for that.

Really any good photo paper should be fine.

Yes, I usually get the local supermarket to print them out for me. I was just idly wondering how to get the best from my current home setup, though I'm sure commercial printing will always be better quality (at least when you only have a reasonably priced printer at home).

What is the brand/model of your current monitor?

An AOC 27B2AM. My current printer is an Epson EcoTank ET 1810.