Matching monitor brightness

[Geno]

Hey all,

So I did a quick search but didn't come up with what I was looking for. I am wondering if there is a general rule of how much to brighten an image before it is printed. I understand why the printed picture is darker than that of the display, but I'm looking for something better (and cheaper)than guess and check. Also, I can't really afford calibration software at this time. Let me know what you think.

 

[Big Mike]

The general rule is that you really need a calibration device (plus software) to do it properly. Everything else is just wasting your time.

This is $79
Datacolor - Global Leader in Color Management Solutions

 

[Geno]

Thanks for the reply,

That's not as pricey as I thought. I'll look into it :thumbup:

On a related note, is it possible to calibrate a laptop monitor where there aren't really any hardware adjustments (i.e. no buttons like on a dedicated CRT/LCD monitor)?

 

[Big Mike]

A laptop should still have adjustments, shouldn't it?

Either way, you don't use the adjustments to calibrate your monitor. All you do is set it back to default and then let the calibration device do it's thing. Together with the software, it reads the output of your screen then creates a profile. This profile is then automatically loaded into your video card at start-up.

 

[Geno]

The general rule is that you really need a calibration device (plus software) to do it properly.

Thanks for the help. After researching a bit further, of course you are right. I think I'll try to pick up some calibration supplies.