I didnt have a scanner big enough to scan my prints for ages. Now I've a cheapo a3 scanner. Any prints with tones, like lith prints etc just seem to be completely inconsistant from computer screen to computer screen.

Is there any cheap ways to calibrate a scanner and screen?

I wish I can help you a bit with your scanner, but I am unfamiliar with it. Just a couple questions though and maybe I or someone else can help in addition to Cate.

What scanning software are you using? VueScan, Digital ICE, anything?
What version of PS are you using?
Do you make adjustments and corrections using the scanning software or do you do it after the image has been scanned into PS?
What file type - TIFF, JPEG, PSD, etc..?
What scanning resolution at what size canvas?
What's your working space - Adobe RGB, sRGB, other?

More curious than anything. Just as an FYI, here's what I do and I get pretty good results when I scan prints (in fact I do the same for transparencies):

• I have an calibrated Epson 4990, calibrated Sony monitor, use digital ICE software and PS 7 <--- yes version 7!!!
• I use the ICE software to make my adjustments on the scanner - curves mostly, some colour correction as the 4990 tends to scan a bit dark and bit magenta, IMO.
• My space is Adobe RGB and I scan the file to a PSD file type. I always scan at least 300dpi onto a canvas of 12 inches on the shortest length. If I know I am going to use the image for a show than I might scan at a higher res to a larger canvas. Basically I want the most reasonable amount of pixels I can work with - there is a point of diminishing returns.
• This file becomes my 'electronic negative'. I make a copy of it onto one of my external hard drives where I store all my 'electronic negatives'.
• I use the working copy to make any adjustments, including converting it to TIFF, to make a print - save this adjusted file as a print file in another external hard drive for all my print files.
• For the web, I reduce the canvas and the dpi to 72 or less.
• I use the "Save for Web" feature to reduce the quality to 60% and the longest side length to 500 pixels max. PS automatically saves it as a JPEG and sRGB. I save this file to yet a third external drive for all my web files.

That's it.

Regards, Art.

Fintan,
I 'm not sure how a “cheapo” flatbed scanner works with calibration/profiling, and what you can do cheaply, but in your case I would say the important thing is to at least calibrate your monitor properly and understand the colour spaces you are working with. If you have consistent results on your monitor then you can always adjust the colour (via saturation, or channels or whatever editing program you have) to look more like the print in hand. Also, for the web, it's important to use sRGB rather than Adobe RGB. If your file is profiled AdobeRGB (from your scanner and/or editing program) it will look washed out when viewed on the web compared with what you see in your editing program. You can convert profiles easily if you have photoshop. Some browsers automatically assume files are sRGB and some don't. Not all browsers colour manage. So you're safest to convert to sRGB. Perhaps you know all that, sorry if so!

I'm not sure that it's worth compromising on monitor calibration methods/software – well-regarded ones are versions of GretagMacbeth Eye-One or Spyder Pro. I use Spyder Pro 2 (there is a 3 version now I think) and I'd recommend it- a bit cheaper than GretagMacbeth. All it gives you though, is (relative) consistency on well calibrated screens (Of course you get good consistency on your own screen). Sadly that means you still can't control how your image is seen 'out there' - but it's the best that can be done.