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Who uses a calibrated monitor?
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Is your monitor calibrated?
Yes
54%
 54%  [ 20 ]
No
40%
 40%  [ 15 ]
Calibrate my monitor? What's that?
5%
 5%  [ 2 ]
Total Votes : 37



PostPosted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 3:30 pm    Post subject: Who uses a calibrated monitor? Reply with quote
My personal opinion is if you take your photography seriously you have to calibrate your monitor. If you ever plan to print your work accurately you have to calibrate your monitor. If you care about your images you should care about your monitor.

Discuss... Wink

(I use this tool http://spyder.datacolor.com/)


PostPosted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 8:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Well my Dell 24" was pre calibrated at the factory so I voted yes.


PostPosted: Mon Jul 02, 2012 9:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Excalibur wrote:
Well my Dell 24" was pre calibrated at the factory so I voted yes.

Hmm, well the Spyder I use (and no doubt other similar tools) adjust the settings having taken into account ambient light, they can't do that in the factory. My Dell paperwork said it was calibrated too, but there was a world of difference after I ran the Spyder on it.
I wouldn't trust factory settings on a monitor, but hey that's just me. I want my Canon Pixma printer to print exactly what I see on my screen, it didn't do that until I'd calibrated the Dell with my Spyder. Not only is it important for my own printer but I need to be confident in what I send to pro labs, I need to be sure that the customer will get exactly what I intended.
Smile


PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 6:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
My eyeballs are not calibrated either.


PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 7:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
martinsmith99 wrote:
My eyeballs are not calibrated either.

lol neither are mine Laughing

The reason for posing this question is that I'm using someone else's computer while I house-sit for a few weeks, and everything on their monitor looks terrible.
When I have time I'll shoot for a while and return to my own place to edit the shots, when done I might post some online. Once I'm back here house-sitting I look at he shots online and can't believe the difference, the photos look terrible. Surprised There's a distinct lack of colour and contrast, in fact it's as if I'd been shooting with a dirty, haze-filled lens with the coatings missing. Crying or Very sad
If you don't use a calibration tool like the ones from http://www.datacolor.com/ or http://www.colormunki.com/ you can still perform some basic adjustments, especially if you have Windows7. It has several controls you can play with to improve the look of your monitor http://www.pcworld.com/article/241957/how_to_calibrate_your_monitor.html. Very Happy


PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 8:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
SonicScot wrote:
Excalibur wrote:
Well my Dell 24" was pre calibrated at the factory so I voted yes.

Hmm, well the Spyder I use (and no doubt other similar tools) adjust the settings having taken into account ambient light, they can't do that in the factory. My Dell paperwork said it was calibrated too, but there was a world of difference after I ran the Spyder on it.
I wouldn't trust factory settings on a monitor, but hey that's just me. I want my Canon Pixma printer to print exactly what I see on my screen, it didn't do that until I'd calibrated the Dell with my Spyder. Not only is it important for my own printer but I need to be confident in what I send to pro labs, I need to be sure that the customer will get exactly what I intended.
Smile


Well a quick check for me would be:- if you posted a calibrated shot and I was to view it on my monitor Question


PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 8:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Excalibur wrote:
SonicScot wrote:
Excalibur wrote:
Well my Dell 24" was pre calibrated at the factory so I voted yes.

Hmm, well the Spyder I use (and no doubt other similar tools) adjust the settings having taken into account ambient light, they can't do that in the factory. My Dell paperwork said it was calibrated too, but there was a world of difference after I ran the Spyder on it.
I wouldn't trust factory settings on a monitor, but hey that's just me. I want my Canon Pixma printer to print exactly what I see on my screen, it didn't do that until I'd calibrated the Dell with my Spyder. Not only is it important for my own printer but I need to be confident in what I send to pro labs, I need to be sure that the customer will get exactly what I intended.
Smile


Well a quick check for me would be:- if you posted a calibrated shot and I was to view it on my monitor Question

Do you have a printer? If so, download and print a test shot like this http://www.photobox.co.uk/content/quality-advice/calibration then compare it to your monitor. Smile


PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 8:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Well I don't use my own printer much, but I've been recommending for years that there should be a sticky of a shot that is calibrated and agreed by the top photographers here to be correct, so we can all adjust our monitors to it (if we wanted) so at least we would all be seeing the same shots that are posted.

BTW the colour chart looks ok on my monitor, but it might look even better if it was properly calibrated (other than factory). Wink


PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 8:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Excalibur wrote:
Well I don't use my own printer much, but I've been recommending for years that there should be a sticky of a shot that is calibrated and agreed by the top photographers here to be correct, so we can all adjust our monitors to it (if we wanted) so at least we would all be seeing the same shots that are posted.

BTW the colour chart looks ok on my monitor, but it might look even better if it was properly calibrated (other than factory). Wink

A picture can't be calibrated, only a monitor can. It's ok saying the test image looks good to you but if you have nothing to compare it to it means nothing really. (sorry)
It is accepted that monitor gamma should be 2.2 and you can test yours here http://epaperpress.com/monitorcal/gamma.html
That's a start, you can see on the left there are basic tests for your whites and blacks. Smile


PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 2:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
SonicScot wrote:
Excalibur wrote:
Well I don't use my own printer much, but I've been recommending for years that there should be a sticky of a shot that is calibrated and agreed by the top photographers here to be correct, so we can all adjust our monitors to it (if we wanted) so at least we would all be seeing the same shots that are posted.

BTW the colour chart looks ok on my monitor, but it might look even better if it was properly calibrated (other than factory). Wink

A picture can't be calibrated, only a monitor can. It's ok saying the test image looks good to you but if you have nothing to compare it to it means nothing really. (sorry)
It is accepted that monitor gamma should be 2.2 and you can test yours here http://epaperpress.com/monitorcal/gamma.html
That's a start, you can see on the left there are basic tests for your whites and blacks. Smile


Odd...... in the "calibrating monitor gamma" part when I've adjusted the slider for equal brightness it's at gamma 1.64 Rolling Eyes This can't be correct as the monitor should be at 2.2


PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 3:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Excalibur wrote:
SonicScot wrote:
Excalibur wrote:
Well I don't use my own printer much, but I've been recommending for years that there should be a sticky of a shot that is calibrated and agreed by the top photographers here to be correct, so we can all adjust our monitors to it (if we wanted) so at least we would all be seeing the same shots that are posted.

BTW the colour chart looks ok on my monitor, but it might look even better if it was properly calibrated (other than factory). Wink

A picture can't be calibrated, only a monitor can. It's ok saying the test image looks good to you but if you have nothing to compare it to it means nothing really. (sorry)
It is accepted that monitor gamma should be 2.2 and you can test yours here http://epaperpress.com/monitorcal/gamma.html
That's a start, you can see on the left there are basic tests for your whites and blacks. Smile


Odd...... in the "calibrating monitor gamma" part when I've adjusted the slider for equal brightness it's at gamma 1.64 Rolling Eyes This can't be correct as the monitor should be at 2.2

Perhaps that's because your monitor isn't calibrated.....
Here's a more comprehensive explanation along with numerous tests http://www.lagom.nl/lcd-test/


PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 3:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thanks......or maybe I should just adjust my monitor brightness slightly for your flickr shots Wink


PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 4:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
When I started working with video, I used to calibrate my monitor every now and then, and also had a old pro control monitor (at the time PAL/NTSC were the resolutions, and pro monitors were high quality CRT's).

Unluckily, in recent times (HD, LCD, internet), it's always happening that my videos are displayed or viewed on random calibrated monitors (or, worse, cheap projectors), so all my effort to have the most precise preview was completely useless, and I stopped doing it.
Now I simple adjust my videos on the monitor (or projector) they will be displayed on, if possible, or try to make minor adjustments based on histograms, spectrograms and so on.
Actually, almost none of the clients gets the difference, which is a little discouraging.

For printing: after some try/error, i got to know my monitor and can predict quite easily how the output will be like, with a little enough margin for my needs.
Obviously if I had to print stuff that is paid, i would check it on a calibrated monitor first.


PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 4:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Excalibur wrote:
Thanks......or maybe I should just adjust my monitor brightness slightly for your flickr shots Wink

Ah, I see what you're saying. I didn't put that information in my signature for it to be linked to my Flickr at all, I just stuck it on the end. I can see how that might be taken out of context, that's not how it was meant.
But the fact remains, on this uncalibrated monitor I'm using this week all photos look dull and desaturated. That's why I brought the subject up, I wondered how many other people were in the same boat.


PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 4:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Aanything wrote:
When I started working with video, I used to calibrate my monitor every now and then, and also had a old pro control monitor (at the time PAL/NTSC were the resolutions, and pro monitors were high quality CRT's).

Unluckily, in recent times (HD, LCD, internet), it's always happening that my videos are displayed or viewed on random calibrated monitors (or, worse, cheap projectors), so all my effort to have the most precise preview was completely useless, and I stopped doing it.
Now I simple adjust my videos on the monitor (or projector) they will be displayed on, if possible, or try to make minor adjustments based on histograms, spectrograms and so on.
Actually, almost none of the clients gets the difference, which is a little discouraging.

For printing: after some try/error, i got to know my monitor and can predict quite easily how the output will be like, with a little enough margin for my needs.
Obviously if I had to print stuff that is paid, i would check it on a calibrated monitor first.

This is why, each time I've done portrait jobs, I don't put the photos online for the client to browse. I take my laptop to them where they can see the photos on a calibrated screen, so they can see what the prints will look like.
As you rightly say, they probably wouldn't notice a difference but I feel a lot better for it. Laughing
I find the best way to show the true nature of my photos is to hang them in local restaurants, so far it's worked because I'm selling them. That may have worked without a calibrated screen but I would have wasted a ton of ink and paper getting it right. Smile


PostPosted: Wed Jul 04, 2012 10:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I use a Spyder Pro 2 with my Dell u2311h and I found that it was slightly out with factory settings. Not massively different, but worth doing regardless.


PostPosted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 12:08 am    Post subject: Re: Who uses a calibrated monitor? Reply with quote
SonicScot wrote:
My personal opinion is if you take your photography seriously you have to calibrate your monitor. If you ever plan to print your work accurately you have to calibrate your monitor. If you care about your images you should care about your monitor.

Discuss... Wink

(I use this tool http://spyder.datacolor.com/)


I would never put my monitor through such pain and torture. SonicScot, you are a heartless scoundrel! That being said, please
mail me your Spyder so I can calibrate mine, thanks so much! Laughing Yeah that's my vote in the 3rd choice. lol Wink


PostPosted: Thu Jul 05, 2012 8:20 am    Post subject: Re: Who uses a calibrated monitor? Reply with quote
Katastrofo wrote:
SonicScot wrote:
My personal opinion is if you take your photography seriously you have to calibrate your monitor. If you ever plan to print your work accurately you have to calibrate your monitor. If you care about your images you should care about your monitor.

Discuss... Wink

(I use this tool http://spyder.datacolor.com/)


I would never put my monitor through such pain and torture. SonicScot, you are a heartless scoundrel! That being said, please
mail me your Spyder so I can calibrate mine, thanks so much! Laughing Yeah that's my vote in the 3rd choice. lol Wink

Laughing Laughing


PostPosted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 5:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Yes, calibrated with colormunki and Argyll .... 6500 °k and 95 cd/m2 .

Roby


PostPosted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 7:51 pm    Post subject: Re: Who uses a calibrated monitor? Reply with quote
SonicScot wrote:
My personal opinion is if you take your photography seriously you have to calibrate your monitor. If you ever plan to print your work accurately you have to calibrate your monitor. If you care about your images you should care about your monitor.


+1

I use Spyder4, perfectly accurate results in a workspace with hardware and illumination built for image editing. Which is also the reason why I have clients approve their images at my studio, since if they would be left to judge the results from some crappy Excel-monitor with too cold colors and usually no dynamic range in shadows or highlights... they'd never have seen the images as they really are.

This may also be of interest: How well do you see color differences?

http://forum.mflenses.com/hue-test-how-well-do-you-see-color-t21216.html


PostPosted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 8:01 pm    Post subject: Re: Who uses a calibrated monitor? Reply with quote
Esox lucius wrote:
SonicScot wrote:
My personal opinion is if you take your photography seriously you have to calibrate your monitor. If you ever plan to print your work accurately you have to calibrate your monitor. If you care about your images you should care about your monitor.


+1

I use Spyder4, perfectly accurate results in a workspace with hardware and illumination built for image editing. Which is also the reason why I have clients approve their images at my studio, since if they would be left to judge the results from some crappy Excel-monitor with too cold colors and usually no dynamic range in shadows or highlights... they'd never have seen the images as they really are.[/url]

I couldn't agree more regarding having clients see the images on your monitor, I'm the same. People find it difficult to understand why, so I have an old, uncalibrated laptop sitting here to use as a comparison. They are always amazed at the difference.
On a downside, people will see your website on their crappy monitors with the colours all wrong. But there's really nothing you can do about that. Sad


PostPosted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 8:29 pm    Post subject: Re: Who uses a calibrated monitor? Reply with quote
SonicScot wrote:
On a downside, people will see your website on their crappy monitors with the colours all wrong. But there's really nothing you can do about that. Sad


People also listen to very well mixed and mastered albums on very crappy stereos, using 192kbps MP3 file "quality". Many people also have defect color vision (especially deficiency in separating greens seems to be common). Also, many photographers don't even realize that they aren't seeing the full potential of their image files until they print them at a quality lab. Furthermore, when I see my images in a magazine it is very common that the repro has messed it up totally... photographers lost the ability to control image quality in media already long ago Confused

I can manage with all that as long as I know for sure that the file that left my desktop is premium adjusted.


PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 1:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I'm color-blind (not typical red/green but I have a much more exotic problem to differ purple/lila/pink/blue/magenta) Very Happy
In return at least my eyes are in sharpness above average
Anyway I hate my monitors for giving me inconsistent colors and tones. A good calibrated monitor is on a high place my wishlist! Even after calibration with Wind. 7 tools I results are inconsistent.


SonicScot wrote:
On a downside, people will see your website on their crappy monitors with the colours all wrong. But there's really nothing you can do about that. Sad

+1

Last edited by ForenSeil on Tue Sep 25, 2012 2:29 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 9:02 am    Post subject: Re: Who uses a calibrated monitor? Reply with quote
SonicScot wrote:

On a downside, people will see your website on their crappy monitors with the colours all wrong. But there's really nothing you can do about that. Sad


Well, you can shoot black and white Razz


PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 2:26 pm    Post subject: Re: Who uses a calibrated monitor? Reply with quote
Orio wrote:
SonicScot wrote:

On a downside, people will see your website on their crappy monitors with the colours all wrong. But there's really nothing you can do about that. Sad


Well, you can shoot black and white Razz

I also have huge differences on B/W white images between my monitors Sad
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