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macbook-pro retina for MF image processing ?!

VICTOR BT

Member
hi all,

how trustable is the new retina screen on macboob pro for image processing - for printing especially ?
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
how trustable is the new retina screen on macbook pro for image processing - for printing especially ?
Not sure what you mean by "trustable". Almost any display, properly calibrated and profiled, can be used for image processing and printing with great results.

No uncalibrated display is as useful as a calibrated and profiled display for these purposes.
 

rummenigge2

New member
My screen is good enough for editing, presentation and delivery in the field. For printing I would only trust a hardware calibrated screen.
 
I wouldn't use the screen for printing purposes. But from what I saw, when I put some files on my friends new retina screen, the files had less of a color cast and the blacks were nice and deep in comparison to my macbook pro (non retina). The photos on the retina screen looked great. Again wouldn't use it for printing purposes...
 

Shashin

Well-known member
It is as good as any monitor. You simply profile it. Then you run the data through a color managed system and you will get what you get out of any color managed system, a print that almost looks like the monitor image. You simply cannot duplicate an additive color system using glowing phosphors with a subtractive color system using pigments. I would have no problem using the Retina display for a print output. And if you work with a press, I would get the press profile and do the conversions yourself.
 

MGrayson

Subscriber and Workshop Member
I saw a fairly impressive exhibit at the Eizo booth at the PhotoPlus Expo. They had a print in a viewing box next to a monitor displaying the file and they looked extremely close. I didn't look at the model number or price of the monitor, as my printing needs aren't THAT precise. I'm happy to do a round or two of file adjustment after looking at the print, but if I really needed to match colors, it's nice to know the technology is that good.

As far as using a laptop screen, It's hard to get a laptop dim enough to match the brightness (darkness?) of a print, so I almost always have to make that final correction to get the print the way I like it. But the color gamut limitations of even a laptop screen have not troubled me. Perhaps I'll get pickier later.

--Matt
 

Jay Emm

Member
I recently moved to the MBP with Retina. In terms of "what I'm seeing", it feels like a massive upgrade, and when I go to a non-Retina computer it feels like a bit of a let down now.

As Matt says screen brightness (Retina or not) is a factor for consideration in the workflow, and of course anyone who doesn't own a retina screen (i.e. most people) won't see them the same way I do. But, I feel Retina and it's competitors is the future - there's no going back once you use one of these.
 
I would trust my Retina MBP for printing, though it's a bit small to see large files. The quality is a huge step up from my 2008 MBP - who's screen I would only trust for general image selection purposes, not even for any image processing.
The Retina screen, when properly calibrated, is good enough for image processing and that's a remarkable difference. It has a much wider colour gamut, and its capacity to show subtleties of tonal range is pretty much the same as my iMac 27" display, which isn't the best out there but is pretty good - certainly good enough for printing.
 

Stuart Richardson

Active member
It's pretty good! I can use it to process images and they need only minor adjustments. I have actually had some difficulty profiling it with a Spider 3 though...the stock profile has a much better black level, and is more neutral. I will keep trying. I use an Eizo CG275W at work, and it really is a lot better for soft-proofing. The Retina is sharper and nicer to look at to watch a movie or be on the web, but when it comes to actually printing photos, the Eizo smokes it. But of course, this makes perfect sense!
 

VICTOR BT

Member
hi all, thanks for the replies.
looks like "trustable" for image processing and files almost ready for print if all is calibrated. actually, it sounds good. eizo is THE thing for printing indeed, but not mobile (for traveling etc).
 
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