Keep a monitor calibrated?

[Millerscorpion]

I currently use MPix for prints. I recently got a new 4k monitor that looks different than my old monitor so I contacted MPix about calibrating to their equipment until I'm able to get my own good printer. MPix recommended using the X-Rite's ColorMunki Display calibration devise.

My question is, if I'm not planning on printing a lot of images over time currently (due to lack of skill and being a perfectionist), is it worth it to purchase calibration equipment? Weather or not, do you also need to recalibrate on occasion?

 

[KmH]

Displays age requiring regular, about monthly, re-calibration.
If the ambient light falling on the display changes the display needs to be re-calibrated.

Your new display may not have the same type of display technology your old screen had.
If your old display was a TN (Twisted Nematic) display and your new display is an IPS (In-Plane Switching) display there will be a big difference in the color accurate viewing angles.

If the new display has a deeper color depth that will also cause the new display to look quite a bit different because it can show more colors. Most TN displays are 6-bit displays. Adobe recommends a 16-bit depth display as their minimum.

Are you familiar with soft proofing prints?

• How to Calibrate Your Monitor for Photography
• Soft Proofing: Matching On-Screen Photos with Prints
• Working Space Comparison: sRGB vs. Adobe RGB 1998

 

[Millerscorpion]

Both monitors are IPS, but the new one is 4k 27" very high quality color depth and much better dpi vs 1080 22" good quality color depth.

Would be good enough to have a collaboration image printed to manually calibrated to a print service?

 

[Ysarex]

Both monitors are IPS, but the new one is 4k 27" very high quality color depth and much better dpi vs 1080 22" good quality color depth.

Would be good enough to have a collaboration image printed to manually calibrated to a print service?

No. You can't manually calibrate a display, you'll only screw it up and you can't profile it without a hardware device. You need the hardware calibrator whether you print or not.

Joe

 

[Millerscorpion]

I was hoping to do this on a budget, but sounds like if I want my images to print as expected I'll have to buy a calibration device; especially if I get a real good printer eventually.

Should I go with the one MPix suggests since thats the service I currently use, or would you suggest something else.

 

[Ysarex]

I was hoping to do this on a budget, but sounds like if I want my images to print as expected I'll have to buy a calibration device; especially if I get a real good printer eventually.

Should I go with the one MPix suggests since thats the service I currently use, or would you suggest something else.

X-rite products are excellent. You're not going to like this but if you ever do get a printer then you'll want to be able to calibrate that as well. Unfortunately a lot more money. You'll need one of these: Amazon.com : X-Rite ColorMunki Photo (CMUNPH) : Digital Camera Accessory Kits : Camera & Photo It will handle both your display and printer and you really do want to tie both devices together through a single color management hardware tool.

Joe

 

[Millerscorpion]

When I make enough money in my career and have the space for a real good printer I do expect to have to calibrate everything to get the best prints possible; but that's years down the road.

Thank you for the advice Ysarex. Looks like I'll have to spend a couple hundred bucks now; but the start-up cost isn't cheap if you want real good quality.

 

[adamhiram]

If you just need to keep your monitor calibrated for accurate colors and brightness when editing, there are some pretty affordable options. X-Rite ColorMunki Display is around $130, and the DataColor Spyder 5 Pro is around $140. I've been very happy with my Spyder 4 Pro for a few years, and you really can't go wrong with either.

 

[Millerscorpion]

If you just need to keep your monitor calibrated for accurate colors and brightness when editing, there are some pretty affordable options. X-Rite ColorMunki Display is around $130, and the DataColor Spyder 5 Pro is around $140. I've been very happy with my Spyder 4 Pro for a few years, and you really can't go wrong with either.

Will these calibrators, or other affordable ones, last a long time and work on future printers? Or do they all pretty much last and work with all printers?

 

[Ysarex]

If you just need to keep your monitor calibrated for accurate colors and brightness when editing, there are some pretty affordable options. X-Rite ColorMunki Display is around $130, and the DataColor Spyder 5 Pro is around $140. I've been very happy with my Spyder 4 Pro for a few years, and you really can't go wrong with either.

Will these calibrators, or other affordable ones, last a long time and work on future printers? Or do they all pretty much last and work with all printers?

They do not work with any printers.

There are two types of devices. A colorimeter (items noted above) can only read transmitted light. They can not read the light that reflects off a print. A spectrophotometer (Amazon.com : X-Rite ColorMunki Photo (CMUNPH) : Digital Camera Accessory Kits : Camera & Photo) can read both transmitted light (your display) as well and reflected light (your prints). Unfortunately spectrophotometers are more expensive.

Joe

 

[table1349]

When you calibrate a monitor you are calibrating it to get as close as possible to a set color standard. It is a bit more complicated than just looking at a chart.

I do my own printing so like Joe above I use the X-Rite ColorMunki Photo. More expensive, but it lets me create my own profiles for my own printer and chosen paper(s) so WYSIWYG.

 

[Trever1t]

I think you misunderstand. Calibrating your monitor so that YOU are seeing colors and gradients to a standard so that you can successfully edit accordingly. Unless your images are to be seen only on your workspace monitor you'll desire a calibrated monitor.

 

[Ysarex]

Yo everybody, by printers the OP doesn't mean service printers. He's thinking about eventually getting his own personal printer and making his own prints. He'll need then to calibrate both his display and printer.

Joe

 

[Millerscorpion]

So since I plan on getting a printer in a couple of years, would it be worth it to spend the extra money now to get a spectrophotometer over a colorimeter?

 

[table1349]

Will there be improvements/new models of spectrophotometers? Maybe
If there are improvements will they be so dramatic that I need to upgrade? Who knows
Will the price of the current model or any newer model go up? Probably

The biggest issue I see over time is will the maker continue to support the current model with new Operating systems which are sure to come about. Usually but not always between 12 and 24 months.