Calibrating a monitor

[creativecontent]

Hello,

I have been dabbling in photography with my own children and am starting to get requests to take pictures of others based on what I post on Facebook. After seeing some of my work on someone else's monitor and realizing just how yellow it is, I realized that my monitor is going to hold me back. I would like to jump into this as a side gig to my freelance writing business and an outlet for my creativity, but I've noticed that editing is challenging on my laptop. I've invested in an actual monitor that had pretty good reviews for photo editing, but it needs to be calibrated. Any tips on how to do this?

Also, I have a canon TSi and the two kit lenses as well as the $100 50mm 1.8 lens. I still struggle to get crisp shots using autofocus and typically shooting in aperture priority with F 2.8-3.5 with a ISO of 200-400, depending on light. I recently learned that part of the problem was focusing and then moving hte lens to position the subject, rather than using the focus boxes to tell the lens where to focus. other than that, what can I do? Is it my lenses? What would be a good upgrade when the time comes?

Thank you and I look forward to getting some tips and critiques in this community!

 

[SCraig]

The only way to accurately calibrate a monitor is with a hardware calibration device such as a Datacolor Spyder, or a X-Rite calibration device. Just using your eyes to calibrate a monitor will never work.

 

[Ballistics]

I calibrated my monitor with my eyes and a print from a calibrated printer
I've printed at school,mpix and mixbook and they're all on point.

The best way to do it IS with hardware though.

 

[Josh66]

Once you get your calibration hardware, download dispcalGUI. It's free, open source, and better than the software that comes with a lot of calibration units.

dispcalGUI?Open Source Display Calibration and Characterization powered by Argyll CMS

You will need to install AgryllCMS first (also free and open source):
Argyll Color Management System Home Page

 

[Garbz]

I calibrated my monitor with my eyes and a print from a calibrated printer
I've printed at school,mpix and mixbook and they're all on point.

The best way to do it IS with hardware though.

Ahh so you lit your print with a calibrated light source too?

Our eyes are very good at picking differences, they are also incredibly easily deceived, ask anyone who has had yellow skii goggles on for a few minutes what the world looks like when they take them off.

 

[Josh66]

ask anyone who has had yellow skii goggles on for a few minutes what the world looks like when they take them off.

I prefer the red ones, but - still...

 

[Ballistics]

I calibrated my monitor with my eyes and a print from a calibrated printer
I've printed at school,mpix and mixbook and they're all on point.

The best way to do it IS with hardware though.

Ahh so you lit your print with a calibrated light source too?

Our eyes are very good at picking differences, they are also incredibly easily deceived, ask anyone who has had yellow skii goggles on for a few minutes what the world looks like when they take them off.

3 print sources says none of that matters.

 

[Ballistics]

I calibrated my monitor with my eyes and a print from a calibrated printer
I've printed at school,mpix and mixbook and they're all on point.

The best way to do it IS with hardware though.

Ahh so you lit your print with a calibrated light source too?

Our eyes are very good at picking differences, they are also incredibly easily deceived, ask anyone who has had yellow skii goggles on for a few minutes what the world looks like when they take them off.

3 print sources says none of that matters.

 

[Josh66]

I calibrated my monitor with my eyes and a print from a calibrated printer
I've printed at school,mpix and mixbook and they're all on point.

The best way to do it IS with hardware though.

Ahh so you lit your print with a calibrated light source too?

Our eyes are very good at picking differences, they are also incredibly easily deceived, ask anyone who has had yellow skii goggles on for a few minutes what the world looks like when they take them off.

3 print sources says none of that matters.

Dude, even something as cheap as the Pantone Huey, which you can probably find for like $20 now, will give you a better profile than just 'eyeballing' it.
(Don't waste any money on the Hue Pro though - same hardware, the "pro" part is all in the software, which isn't that good.)

 

[Ballistics]

Ahh so you lit your print with a calibrated light source too?

Our eyes are very good at picking differences, they are also incredibly easily deceived, ask anyone who has had yellow skii goggles on for a few minutes what the world looks like when they take them off.

3 print sources says none of that matters.

Dude, even something as cheap as the Pantone Huey, which you can probably find for like $20 now, will give you a better profile than just 'eyeballing' it.
(Don't waste any money on the Hue Pro though - same hardware, the "pro" part is all in the software, which isn't that good.)

I never said to not use hardware lol.

 

[Josh66]

3 print sources says none of that matters.

Dude, even something as cheap as the Pantone Huey, which you can probably find for like $20 now, will give you a better profile than just 'eyeballing' it.
(Don't waste any money on the Hue Pro though - same hardware, the "pro" part is all in the software, which isn't that good.)

I never said to not use hardware lol.

But you did say that you calibrated your monitor with your eyes...

While, I agree, you are not telling other people not to use hardware, you seem to be implying that you yourself do not use hardware.

Or did I miss something?

 

[Ballistics]

Dude, even something as cheap as the Pantone Huey, which you can probably find for like $20 now, will give you a better profile than just 'eyeballing' it.
(Don't waste any money on the Hue Pro though - same hardware, the "pro" part is all in the software, which isn't that good.)

I never said to not use hardware lol.

But you did say that you calibrated your monitor with your eyes...

While, I agree, you are not telling other people not to use hardware, you seem to be implying that you yourself do not use hardware.

Or did I miss something?

I'm saying that my calibration with my eyes is good enough for me where I can't see any difference, not to mention that my original post was tongue in cheek. I even said that hardware is the best way to do it, don't know why you guys are getting all worked up.

 

[Josh66]

Not getting worked up. Just saying - calibration doesn't have to be expensive. "Something is better than nothing".

 

[Buckster]

Once you get your calibration hardware, download dispcalGUI. It's free, open source, and better than the software that comes with a lot of calibration units.

Interesting. Quantify please. How is it better?

 

[creativecontent]

The only way to accurately calibrate a monitor is with a hardware calibration device such as a Datacolor Spyder, or a X-Rite calibration device. Just using your eyes to calibrate a monitor will never work.

So, is this what I need: X-Rite ColorMunki Display Accurate Monitor Calibration CMUNDIS

I would like to keep the purchase closer to the $100 range than the $300 range, especially since at this point my work is just a (non-paying) hobby.