Computer help

[jocose]

Hey gang,

Not sure where to post this, so I'm posting it here (actually, I think I posted something similar, but never got a response).

I'm having a serious problem with my computer. I play around with the brightness and constract on pics in PS Elements and they look awesome at home, but then I get to work and look on the computer here and they don't look anything like what they did at home.

At home I have an iBook G4 14.5" monitor. At work, I'm using a Dell with XP and a 17" flatscreen (HP). I realize that some of the problem is that with laptops, the screen gets darker or lighter depending on how you hold it, but I didn't think that that would make a big difference.

Examples of this are http://photoblog.servatus.com/images/20051103065328_img_3454.jpg and http://photoblog.servatus.com/images/20051030211500_img_3239.jpg, where they looked much lighter on my laptop, and http://photoblog.servatus.com/images/20051106104329_img_2787.jpg, where it looked much darker.

Can anyone offer any insight? This is very frustrating, especially since I'm trying to get better at manipulating pictures in PS.

Thanks so much!

 

[JonMikal]

you'll get excellent help here:

http://www.thesupportforum.com/index.php

 

[elsaspet]

Have you tried the Spyder? It will calibrate all your machines to what the labs will see.

 

[Marctwo]

The first thing you should do is make sure that both monitors are calibrated. This site will tell you a bit more about that.

Even when all of the monitors you use are calibrated, you'll still see significant differences between them - esp. tft and crt. You'll just have to learn to compensate for the monitor you're using at the time - or just use one brand/model exclusively.

 

[jocose]

Thanks.

What's spyder?


I'm honestly no so concerned about ME seeing the same thing at home and at work as much as I'm concerned about me and the rest of the world seeing the same thing...does that make sense? I mean, I can learn to compensate like you say, so it will look (relatively) the same at home and at work, but how will I know that you are seeing what I'm seeing. I could post something on the Forum and everyone could say it's too light or too dark, but to me it would be the opposite.

Anyway, I wll have a look see at the links you all suggest.

Thanks again.

 

[Hertz van Rental]

For the iBook - open system prefs, click on 'displays', then click on 'colour'.
You see the 'calibrate' button. It'll step you through the whole process and even compensates for being TFT.
I use the G4 Powerbook and it calibrates to give the screen the same response as my big CRT.

 

[Marctwo]

...but how will I know that you are seeing what I'm seeing.

You just have to assume that we've calibrated and accustomed ourselves with our monitors. Unfortunately, I think most people haven't though.

It'd be a good idea to have a sticky about it somewhere.

<edit> In fact, I think it would be a good idea if people who calibrate put a CM or something in their sig. </edit>