A method allows an end user to calibrate a color reproduction device with recording media brightness compensation. A color reproduction device includes a device for converting the native color values of the scanner into a device independent color space, a test target, the desired values of each patch of the test target and a printing device. The method includes printing the test target and scanning it with a scanner that forms a part of the color reproduction device. The device compares the desired values with the values obtained from scanning the printed test target to obtain a set of adjustment values to compensate for drift in the output of the color reproduction device. The compensation includes compensation for utilizing a recording media that does not have the same white characteristics as the recording media that was used to generate the scanner profile used in converting the scanner dependent color space values to a device independent color space values.