Full Version: Monitor Calibration
From: precisionlaser [#1]
23 Apr 2006
To: ALL
All this talk about sublimation in another thread plus my own musings about whether to add this to our ever expanding set of services has me wondering about the necessity to calibrate our LED computer monitors for color correction. Monitor calibration equipment such as ColorVision's Spyder line is now relatively inexpensive and I'm considering buying one to calibrate all the monitors in our office we use for artwork prep.
Does anyone calibrate their monitors? Is this a necessary step? Does it matter?
Thanks
Mark
EDITED: 23 Apr 2006 by DGL
From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#2]
23 Apr 2006
To: precisionlaser [#1] 23 Apr 2006
My notebook monitor calibration is so poor that I would never try to use it for color accurate work. Also the angle of the screen affects the contrast and color a lot. My friend's notebook is far better, and three times as expensive.
My Dell system color calibration when using Dell's ICM for that monitor is excellent.
My old HP was far off and it made a world of difference in accuracy. Anything with a lot of blue was bright blue, including a purplish section of sky. Reds were also way off. After proper calibration the screen matched the sublimation output.
I am not sure how accurate the calibration of really modern monitors is. If it is not accurate, dead accurate, to printed output, something is off and the best place to start is the monitor. Once that is done you have a basis to see where problems may lie.
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#3]
23 Apr 2006
To: precisionlaser [#1] 23 Apr 2006
If you're printing mostly spot colors, once you have color swatches, printed on the types of substrates you'll use and corresponding RGB/CMYK color values, for those colors, your monitor could be Black and White and you'd get very accurate color reproduction.
Photographs and images, such as logos, with gradients and multiple colors within an intricate image, is where monitor calibration becomes much more important.
Some applications, such as Photoshop, have built-in calibration systems, such as Adobe Gamma, which does an adequate job of calibrating.
The ColorVision Spyder is a very popular calibration device; Especially if its price is coming down, sounds like a good investment.
To this point, I don't have experience with LED monitors, so I can't speak to their pros and cons.
From: Dave Jones (DAVERJ) [#4]
23 Apr 2006
To: precisionlaser [#1] 23 Apr 2006
I'm guessing that you meant LCD monitors instead of "LED" monitors.
I don't do sublimation, but my personal opinion is that if you are doing commercial work that involves color photos it is worth the price to use something like the Spyder. There are a number of places along the way that can screw up or correct colors. The monitor is one cause of errors that can usually be eliminated by color calibration.
Be aware that while CRTs can almost always be correctly calibrated, some older or cheap LCD monitors can never be completely calibrated correctly. Newer ones and better quality ones usually can.
To some degree the room lighting can affect your perception of the colors on a monitor (not enough to worry most people), but to a larger degree the room lighting can affect your perception of the colors of your printed output. Incandescent, florescent, direct and indirect sunlight all have different colors that can tint the way your output looks. Even the colors of the walls in the room can have an effect (not to mention the purity of white of your substrate/medium). It's good to have a full spectrum white lamp (such as a Verilux desk lamp) available to use when reviewing color printed output.
From: precisionlaser [#5]
23 Apr 2006
To: Dave Jones (DAVERJ) [#4] 23 Apr 2006
Thanks Dave, I must not have had enough coffee this morning, because I did mean LCD (I guess because I sell LED lighted bases, that I had that on my feeble mind). All of the PCs we have do have LCD flat screens and I've heard that they aren't as "calibratable" (is that a word?). It sounds from what I read, that calibration is not necessary to be successful in dye sub, so perhaps I'll put this on the back burner. Sounds like I could spend my money elsewhere first
Thanks
Mark
From: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#6]
24 Apr 2006
To: precisionlaser [#1] 24 Apr 2006
Mark,
If you go to the dssi forum and do a search for monitor calibration you will get lots of good information. There is one thread I started that has some good information once you weed through the rest.
Try this
http://epaperpress.com/monitorcal/
I just got my equipment up and running last Friday ( April 21) and my first pressings were great. Any color issues I may have had were because I was trying very hard to find discrepancies between what I saw on the screen and what came out of the press. There was in my opinion minimal difference....
Anyway, DSSI has lots of good stuff.....
From: Birdman (TBIRD1957) [#7]
24 Apr 2006
To: ALL
I just had my monitors calibrated.
I have a computer man thats excellent on computers. What I can't take care of or don't want to mess with I call him. I even call on the phone and ask him questions when I need help. He is always happy to help me anytime and when I call on the phone with questions he never charges me. I have used him for several years and we have a very good relationship.
He came out and calibrated all my monitors with spyder. They all look great. He had something that he hung over the monitor next to the screen.
Bye the way all my monitors are flat panel LCD.
He charged me $25.00 a monitor. I had 4 monitors done.
Price good or bad? I don't know, but I'm happy.
From: Swami [#8]
24 Apr 2006
To: ALL
From: Dave Jones (DAVERJ) [#9]
24 Apr 2006
To: Swami [#8] 29 Apr 2006
Take a look at these products:
http://www.colorvision.com/profis/profis_search.jsp?op=search&department_id=401
From: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#10]
25 Apr 2006
To: Birdman (TBIRD1957) [#7] 25 Apr 2006
If you are happy, the price was good.
On another note, can you send him out here? :-)