Color management

[LAW2]

As if learning photography isn’t hard enough, now I have to learn about printing and color management. I sent some photos to WHCC and they came back darker and with a reddish cast. Of course the photos looked fine on my computer. So I think that I need to either adjust my monitor or pick a different processor.
I am working on a Dell Inspiron 9300 laptop with an ATI Mobility Radeon x300 monitor. I found the color management tab in the display properties but the colors were at their default settings. Should I adjust my monitor to match WHCC and if so, then how?

 

[J Crew]

one way is with a product like this: [ame="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000ES4PYU/ref=wl_it_dp/104-3508482-6070331?ie=UTF8&coliid=I6UFK1G43YX36&colid=3ESMMP0BR49CP"]http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000ES4PYU/ref=wl_it_dp/104-3508482-6070331?ie=UTF8&coliid=I6UFK1G43YX36&colid=3ESMMP0BR49CP[/ame]

there may be other ways, but as i'm also new... this is the only reliable way that i know of. hth.

- Jason

 

[GrfxGuru]

I can put a huge vote in for the ColorVision Spyder Pro 2. It gets my monitors on the PC's and Mac very close to what I see on the print, infact everytime I recalibrate I'm amazed at how much it drifted in 30 days.

 

[JIP]

So to piggyback on this thread what is the difference between the levels of spyder is it just the software do you get the same hardware with all levels?

 

[Torus34]

Back in the dim, dark days of film it was common practice to take a shot of a color chart and grey scale under the same lighting as the subject. This served as a check on further processing. Those of us who were working in the larger negative sizes where some cropping was not a problem included the chart/scale in a corner of the frame.

 

[Big Mike]

So to piggyback on this thread what is the difference between the levels of spyder is it just the software do you get the same hardware with all levels?

I have a Spyder II...and as far as I can tell, the hardware is exactly the same but the software is different, with the different packages. I just have the basic 'Express' software.

I think there is a good comparison on their (colorvision) website. If not, the box also lists the difference.

 

[GrfxGuru]

I don't remember the specific differences but I seem to remember getting the Pro because it allowed me to do dual monitor calibration, and the updated software will also measure ambient light in the room. As Big Mike says, check the site for comparisons.