Monitor calibration and editing

[photoss83]

About two weeks ago, I dropped my point and shoot camera.
Recently I took holiday family photos and when I looked at the photo on my monitor, the photos did not look right. Usually the photos turn out normal. Also, some of the photos I took had a "foggy" or faded look to them. I have taken the same pictures before and the picture turned out great. But this time the photo quality was not what it used to be. For example, in one of the photos, the black furniture in the background had more noise than usual. I'd post photos but because everyone have different monitors, some of you will see it and some of you won't.

I thought I had broken my camera. However, I also remembered that I calibrated my monitor one week before. I decided to reset my monitor setting to the original factory setting. Now the photos I took look great and normal. So I guess I hadn't broken my camera afterall.

My concern is with editing photos.
Should I have edited my photos with the settings I had when my monitor was calibrated but all the photos looked bad.
Or should I edit the photos now using the monitor's factory setting?

 

[swedberg311]

what are you calabrating in with? what the computer suggests or with your pro printer, if its adjust for a printer I would say go with that otherwise if your not sending your pictures out to be printed and they look fine when you print them otherplaces no need to calibrate

 

[photoss83]

I used the gretagmacbeth eye one display 2 (now called X-rite i1Display 2) monitor calibration.
I usually leave my photos unedited but sometimes I do edit (crop, adjust brightness/contrast) and save them if the photos really needs editing.
But if I did want to have my photos printed (walmart or an online service such as Mpix), that is where I am concerned.
Also, sometimes I do edit and save the file (to a different folder, not overwriting the original file) so that I can e-mail them to family members and am concern how they will see it on their monitors. If I edit based on the calibrated settings, will it look bad or good? If I edit it based on the factory setting, will it look bad or good.

 

[swedberg311]

Then I say just leave it at factory settings it may look a little brighter than what it print but of your printing at wal mart its not really that big of a deal but mpix pro or millers or mpix whatever divison your using should be able to send you thier calibration print so u can set it up for them.