Display calibration: Spyder3 Pro

[molested_cow]

My office bought a display calibration kit to sync up the monitors so I got to play with it.

Spyder 3 Pro
Spyder3Pro - Datacolor - Global Leader in Color Management Solutions

This is the first time I've used a calibration kit. I always thought it's best to leave it to the professionals, but since it's available, I decided to try it.

It's a pretty simple process. Basically, you install the program and plug in the sensor. Run the program and follow the steps. It will then ask you to position the sensor on the screen. The program will then flash a sequence of different colors at the sensor. At the end, the calibrated color profile will be saved and used.

So what happens then? Well, the program will become one of those little icons in your program tray on the bottom right of the screen (windows). You can open the program and "switch" between the calibrated color profile and the original color profile, so it's very convenient.

The program also has three options for LCD, CRT and laptop screens (I believe it works for projectors as well). I tested this on both a Wacom Cintiq as well as a Dell Vostro laptop display. The difference of the results are that the calibrated screen is a lot "cooler" in color than the original. It seems that it's over done with blue tint. It's a bit uncomfortable at first. I am still trying to get used to it.

First comparison with an iPad is, the iPad colors are more "punchy". Meaning it's more saturated(warmer) and a little more contrast. So the calibrated Dell Vostro laptop screen is a tad bluer and flatter(less contrast). Brightness seems to be similar. I'd say it's a whole lot better than before calibration.


In terms of usability of the kit, this is very easy. In fact, I thought it will be a complicated process. This is almost as simple as installing winzip or something like that.

One problem I am already experiencing is, on my Dell Vostro 1500 Laptop, it flicks back to my original color profile from time to time in split seconds. I am not sure if this is because of my laptop's graphics card. On my work laptop which is more powerful, I don't get such problem.


If you have any experience with display calibration kit, please share, thanks!

 

[brianT]

I have the exact same experience as you but I used a spyder3 express instead of the pro.

My screen seems cooler after calibration, but it was definitely too warm before the calibration. After a while the calibration looks normal, and if you switch calibration off, it looks odd.

Contrast is also slightly lower, but increment shades of white nearer to 255 are easier to distinguish. More even tone distribution.

The spyder3 express does not allow any settings (no temperature or anything). It's all automatic.

Also, it recommends recalibration every 2 weeks I think. I changed the setting for recalibration to 1 month intervals. But it doesn't seem like recalibrating that often is necessary. I don't know, I haven't tried recalibration yet. I will recalibrate soon though.

I still question if my screen is properly calibrated. There's just no way to know. You need to trust what the spyder has done I guess.

As far as the tonal range, I do see an improvement, color temperature I don't know. Still could be too cool. As a result my processed photos might start appearing differently.

Also, I should note that AFTER calibration, some very slight banding is noticeable. However, it's ONLY noticeable when making a full screen gradation in photoshop. The banding is also more noticeable on certain colors, particularily green. And the banding is slight. It would rarely show up in an actual photo. I guess it's because the recalibration is providing different look-up-tables than the monitor's native LUT. Oh well, if the color and tone is better, I guess it's worth the risk of some barely noticeable banding.

My monitor is a Dell 3007 WFP-HC. I run in 2560x1600.

 

[DCBen]

For the OP molested_cow, "on my Dell Vostro 1500 Laptop, it flicks back to my original color profile from time to time in split seconds."
This is most likely a result of either another application or one of your graphics card Startup items trying to access your card's LUT (look up table), which is where the profile is loaded. If you create a support ticket at the link below we can help you pin point the cause:
Datacolor - Affordable Tools for Digital Color Control and Calibration - Powered By Kayako SupportSuite

To brianT, the slight banding you are seeing is due to the interface/connection between your computer and your Dell display being 8 bit. When you calibrate the display and a profile is made the profile contains information on neutralizing the RGB channels to the given gamma curve, which in the Spyder3Express case is 2.2(actually the majority of cases). The red, green, and blue channels usually need to be clipped at slightly different points to properly neutralize the shadows and highlights. This difference can then show up as subtle banding in some situations given the limited tonal range of 8 bit color. The 8 bit is strictly the connection and does not mean that your images are 8 bit if you are editing the raw files or as 16 bit tiff/psd in your application of choice.
The new Display Port interface/connection for displays and graphics cards is specified as a 10 bit connection but even if you are connected via Display Port it will depend on the specific graphics card driver as to whether it is actually 10 bit connection.
No matter your graphics card, always keep your drivers up to date

"I still question if my screen is properly calibrated. There's just no way to know. You need to trust what the spyder has done I guess."
Basically yes the device/software is making objective measurements of the color and luminance values versus what would be a subjective color adjustment by our eyes/brain. All our devices are calibrated at the factory and the manufacturing tolerance range is below what the human eye can detect when you perform a calibration.

Cheers

PS, this is my first post so no signature yet and I am a member of Datacolor's technical support in the US.

 

[brianT]

Thanks DCBen for replying. And thanks very much for answering my question about the banding. Display Port sounds interesting, I will need to look into that.