calibrating your screen?

[Ollie Jay]

Hi peeps

 

Just got myself a new computer and have to say the monitor doesn't quite seem right with some of the pics ive put on and was wondering if there is a cheep(pref free) way calibrating my screen? ive seen a few ways on the net but was just wondering what you fine bunch use to do yours? I know alot of the photographers and printers use something called spyder or summit but have to pay for that one..........any advice out there as i feel i really need to get the monitor set up right before i do any editing on any photos i take in the near future.

 

Many thanks

 

 

ps....not been taking many shots lately due to my old computer playing up so much so not been around but i see there are still a load of great pics going into the comps!! well done all and keep it up!

[MrWiggly]

Hi Ollie ..

 

There are quite a few monitor calibrators out there, but let's start at the beginning.

 

What video card is in your new PC ? Look in Start/Control Panel/Display/Settings and that should tell you.

 

If it is NVIDIA then you can download calibrating software from their site. Or it may already be on your PC !

 

Wiggly.

Edited October 4, 2008 by MrWiggly

[chesters1]

not just calibrating the screen to suit the picture on it but calibrating your printer to print a true representation of what you see would be nice.

i have a lexmark (relax i didnt pay full price for it) print a picture using the 3 colours and black is remarkably different from chucking in a photo cart (goes in the black cart slot) and printing in six colour my mrs's kodak thermal printer is even better!!! but neither are as good as the original if you scan it for a copy.

so you have to have the scanner ,printer and monitor all showing the same as the thing your viewing ,i'v tried using the varies settings but never found a good representation for all

Edited October 4, 2008 by chesters1

[Sutton Warrior]

Hi peeps

 

Just got myself a new computer and have to say the monitor doesn't quite seem right with some of the pics ive put on and was wondering if there is a cheep(pref free) way calibrating my screen? ive seen a few ways on the net but was just wondering what you fine bunch use to do yours? I know alot of the photographers and printers use something called spyder or summit but have to pay for that one..........any advice out there as i feel i really need to get the monitor set up right before i do any editing on any photos i take in the near future.

 

Many thanks

 

 

ps....not been taking many shots lately due to my old computer playing up so much so not been around but i see there are still a load of great pics going into the comps!! well done all and keep it up!

 

Ollie Jay, it all gets a bit technical according to the web these days, was a lot simpler a couple of years ago? 'PS Elements 5' onwards, has a calibrator in the program. Her are a few links I dug out of the web, might help:

 

http://www.nies.ch/doc/monitor.en.php

 

http://www.photoscientia.co.uk/Gamma.htm

 

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorial...profiling.shtml

 

As I say they might help certainly point you in a direction?

 

SW

[Ollie Jay]

ok peeps thanks for your help on this and i thought id let you know i think ive sorted the screen but time will tell.....maybe when my pics come out to sharp or not sharp enough which im hopping they wont!!...it is weird though that some shots look pretty good on my comp and others just don't!! oh well will see how i get on and will probably have to go through this all over again when i set my new printer up when i get round to buying one!

 

Thanks again for the advice....had to do manually though as couldn't find nvidia software on the site and couldn't find it on my comp either.

 

Ollie.

[Alnath]

Don't rely on programs to do it as they are subjective to your own eyes, i use a Pantone Huey and the difference between calibrated and uncalibrated is remarkable.