PacoGonzalez Posted February 25, 2011 Share #1  Posted February 25, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi All  A few days ago I ordered a Blurb photobook with hardcover dust jacket and premium paper. Include color images (sRGB) and B&W with a light brown toning, also in sRGB. The printing of the cover has been properly preserved quite well the original colors. Prints color images are also quite correct. However, the black and white images have a green tint unacceptable. I have written the Blurb customer service, which has served me well enough, to explain the problem. I've even taken pictures of the images and I have sent. The solution was to reprint the book free. However in the second edition cover was once right now has a blue tint to the images B & W and similarly for the interior images. Changed green to blue dye. This effect is very noticeable in daylight, much less under incandescent light. I think it is either a problem of metamerism or a balance problem at the printer ink of Blurb. Blurb profile used to simulate the pre-images in Photoshop. Images on my Epson 4880 printer are correct. However in my copy of the book LEICA BOOK FORUM USER in which there are images in B & W also shifted brown, I see many issues and the images are quite good both in daylight and incandescent light. On the advice of Blurb I modified JPEG files to PNG in the second edition. Althoug I have seen that this issue has tried something in the forum, I do not know if Andy Barton or some other friend with experience in the LEICA´S book can say something to improve Blurb prints and get the correct tones.  My book  http://www.blurb.com/my/book/detail/1991031   Paco Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted February 25, 2011 Posted February 25, 2011 Hi PacoGonzalez, Take a look here Blurb Quality. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Bill Allsopp Posted February 25, 2011 Share #2 Â Posted February 25, 2011 I'm surprised I have produced several Blurb books and had no problem at all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hiles Posted February 25, 2011 Share #3 Â Posted February 25, 2011 I have had 2 books done (one is all colour, 1 is 99% B&W), and both are excellent. No issues. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted February 25, 2011 Share #4 Â Posted February 25, 2011 Neither the Forum Charity Book, nor my own, have any colour problems with colour or b&w. No casts Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peyton Hoge Posted February 25, 2011 Share #5 Â Posted February 25, 2011 Several books, color & B/W. No problem here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thompsonkirk Posted February 26, 2011 Share #6  Posted February 26, 2011 I belong to a group that publishes a portfolio book every year, & we've tried several printers. Blurb is neither the best nor the worst, but they're very good indeed for their price-point. With Blurb & other publishers too, we've seen good color bound with unacceptable BW – problems like yours with tone, & also with contrast.  In the Forum book, my wife's picture looks just like the file – but mine looks rather different, though acceptable. I think they use some sort of massaging software that retains highlight & shadow detail but shifts high- & low-key images toward 'normal.'  I've also done multiple mock-ups of a book & can see variations in color among versions; but all are consistent within themselves & stay in the range that's OK with me.  A friend told me Blurb itself is just an office, with printing contracted to a number of plants that aren't entirely consistent. In such a big & inexpensive a system, they can't have a guy with perfect visual pitch who stands there to monitor the output.  Kirk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted February 26, 2011 Share #7 Â Posted February 26, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Blurb is neither the best nor the worst, but they're very good indeed for their price-point. Â Kirk, any thoughts on which publishing service(s) rank among the best quality-wise? Â Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
digbyhp Posted February 27, 2011 Share #8 Â Posted February 27, 2011 I've just done a Blurb book with some B&W, and indeed there was a brown colour cast on one of the shots in deep shadow. All others were fine and no problems with colour pics. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thompsonkirk Posted February 28, 2011 Share #9  Posted February 28, 2011 Hi, Jeff –  Sorry, but No. A friend recently had trouble with sky-tones from the publisher I thought was best. So I'd better be non-committal.  Kirk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.