color vision monitor calibration.

[foxXx]

I was looking for something rather inexpensive to calibrate my monitor so I could start printing some of my work. I came across a colorvision product for 89$ american and was wondering if anyone had experiance with this particular model or knows someone who has, and what they thought about it ?

Any help would be greatly appreciated and here is the link http://www.colorvision.com/profis/profis_view.jsp?id=281

 

[Hertz van Rental]

You need to calibrate your monitor and your printer. If you don't, what you get won't look like it does on the screen.

 

[captblue1]

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1608647,00.asp

here is a review

 

[dsp921]

I have the Spyder 2 Plus from ColorVision, it will create printer profiles in addition to calibrating your monitor. It did wonders for both the way my monitor looks and how my prints match my screen. It's a bit more, though, $250.
You'll need a scanner to do the printer profile, though.

 

[Artemis]

Is there any free way to do this?

 

[zedin]

What if you tend to print your stuff out at photolabs? I often use costco or target (both have given me great prints). Do I need to do something other then calibrate my monitor?

 

[foxXx]

I planned on calibrating my monitor so that I could then print it at a pro lab. With the same colour space, and its a pro lab so Im sure they have RGB colour setting or the proper colour ?

 

[Hertz van Rental]

You should still see about calibrating your printer so you can do proofs.
RGB colour is for monitors.
When printing you use CMYK.
But if you are going to be using a lab then try talking to them to see what they recommend. You want your monitor to match their output.

 

[foxXx]

excellent, thank you !!

this product seems like it will do the trick, you can do any LCD correct ?

 

[dsp921]

excellent, thank you !!

this product seems like it will do the trick, you can do any LCD correct ?

Do you mean the Spyder 2? Yes, that does LCD.

 

[Digital Matt]

Check out the Monaco Optix.

http://www.xritephoto.com/

 

[ort]

The spyder is good but LCD's are very consistant. Normally if you assign the graphic card and the OS the monitors canned profile, then you'll see little change after running the spyder, (or the Monico). My printers are epsons and the P.I.M.II is dead on to what my monitor displays. Don't be cheap! Use the inks and paper recomended by the printer and you can save money on a reflective scanner.

 

[dsp921]

The spyder is good but LCD's are very consistant. Normally if you assign the graphic card and the OS the monitors canned profile, then you'll see little change after running the spyder, (or the Monico).

I saw a major change after running the Spyder on both my LCD and my sister's laptop.

 

[duncanp]

spyder is the best out there i bleive it hasnt got anything less than 4 and 1/2 stars...

 

[ort]

I saw a major change after running the Spyder on both my LCD and my sister's laptop.

There are many varables involved. I was saying that after I downloaded the canned profile for my LCD. assigned it to the OS and then to the graphics card and then ran the Spyder, I saw little or no difference. If the graphics card has not been assigned the profile or if you create a profile from a profile then yes, major changes can be seen. If a generic profile is used then a change can be seen. Most people forget their graphic cards. I do use my spyder as I require presion in my prints. The difference I get is neutral gray drops from 20% to 18%. Not much if your posting to the web but critical if your work is going to be published on newsprint

Far better results can be obtained by not playing the profile game in the first place. Everytime you convert the profile, the gamet is altered and can never be reclaimed. I will use PS as my example. Digital cameras shoot and assigns a profile to the image. PS offeres to convert this profile to the current workspace,(don't do it). The monitor has a profile and this doesn't convert the image's profile but if the monitors profile isn't the same as the images then what you see on the monitor is not the images profile, thus it isn't correct. PS will then convert the profile to the printers profile and if your printers not set to ICM then the printer converts the profile too.

For consistant results, Download the LCD's profile, assign it to the OS and the Graphis card. Run the spider. It will assign the profile to the OS but most of the time, you will need to assign the new profile to the graphics card. If your camera has the ability to use different profiles the choose the one with the widest gamet and assign this to PS as the workspace. The printer is always a problem but if you use the same profile accross the workflow then your results will be easier to reproduce.