Printer / Monitor / LCD Monitor Calibration

[kellylipp]

As everyone knows, this is a critical step in the process to take pictures from the camera, alter them with software and print them to paper.

I have a few questions...

I found a very good post already in this forum describing how to use printer setups to hasten this process. Thanks to all who posted there.

I am contemplating the purchase of a large LCD monitor rather than a large glass monitor (desk space, gamma radiation, etc.). Is it possible to accurately (enough) calibrate an LCD for use in photo processing? If so, how? Tools required? Etc.?

Thanks,

Kelly Lipp
Colorado Springs, CO USA

[martcol]

I use a laptop for most of my basic photoprocessing. However, I have a machine that allows for a monitor to be plugged in which has the added advantage of two monitors with Photoshop.

Overall, the TFT Screen on the laptop although good is probably not as good as a modern thin screen for the desk. However, I think they still share the same limitations. You kind of get used to it but if you need high quality output then I don't think you can beat a CRT monitor. When I use my laptop with my monitor and view on one then the other, they look totally different.

Having said all that, I think my laptop and a base with an additional monitor is a good combination. If I shoot away from home I can upload my pics and show the shots there and then. When I get home, I can tweak and fiddle and get what I think are the best results.

Martin

[kellylipp]

I'm am in the identical situation: just purchased a new laptop with a 14 inch screen. It seems very good for basic pre-processing. In fact, after I posted the original note I did a quick cleanup of a photo I took over the weekend and printed it on an Epson 950. Very good results and didn't do much.

I guess I'm answering my own question. For road work, this seems to be fine. When at home, I think I want a larger screen to make it a bit easier on the eyes. Based on my experience with the TFT, it works well enough.

What are the big boys thinking? The Pro dudes that lurk here? Have you fooled with TFT vs. glass and had good results, or is your workflow so good that it doesn't matter: work it and print it and never really look at it on a screen?

Thanks,

Kelly

[damnengine]

At work (I'm a graphic designer at the dutch news), we only use crt's, we tried tft's but the colours are never correct, next to that, they're "too sharp", after a day with such a screen my eyes hurt, we tried to callibrate the thing for a couple of days but it was like impossible. Colours really matter at work since we have to retouche videostills and it has to be shown on a plasmascreen again which has to be filmed.

[Lightchaser]

Sorry for the dumb Q, but what does CRT stand for?

[jj1987]

Cathrode ray tube
Sorry for the dumb Q, but what does CRT stand for?

[jj1987]

http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/11/17/viewsonic_vp930_lcd_monitor/

Might wanna check into that LCD. Its much cheaper than they state in the review on a few sites, you can find a good deal on it if ya look.

[Jesper]

My Dell 2405 FPW screen (24 inch wide aspect LCD screen) is easy to calibrate with a Spyder and the colours are very good.

I've never tried myself, but I've heard that laptop LCD screens are hard to calibrate.

At work (I'm a graphic designer at the dutch news), we only use crt's, we tried tft's but the colours are never correct, next to that, they're "too sharp", after a day with such a screen my eyes hurt, we tried to callibrate the thing for a couple of days but it was like impossible. Colours really matter at work since we have to retouche videostills and it has to be shown on a plasmascreen again which has to be filmed.
Strange that your eyes hurt after using an LCD. For me it is the other way around - CRT screens are too soft, which makes me strain my eyes more. My eyes get tired from using a CRT all day, and much less when using an LCD. I'm a software engineer.

Note that there are different kinds of LCD panels available (PVA, SIPS, etc. - I don't know all the details. See this Wikipedia article for more info: LCD technology types (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TFT_LCD)). Some are much better at reproducing colours than others, so some of them might be much easier to calibrate than others. My Dell works very well.

[StealthLude]

Check my signature. Thats what I used for color calibration. Its got a site licence, thats one of the main reasons I bought it. Not to mention, its a pretty high end nuit for calibration. So far so good. Now i just have to get my room some D50 lighting.

[navratilova]

Hello people, do I need to connect both the DVI cable and the 15-pin D-Sub cable of an LCD monitor to my desktop? Recently bought an LCD monitor but got confused by its instruction manual. I am wondering if I need to connect both the cable provided or simply choose between using either the 15-pin D-sub cable or DVI cable. Please help me positively. Thank you.

[gcogger]

You don't need both - just connect the DVI cable.

[bohdank]

If your eyes hurt using a properly calibrated and decent LCD, it's most likely set to bright (luminence is too high).

I used a large high end flat screen Mitsubishi a long time ago. I could never get the geometry to give me a straight line.

I'm quite happy with the results I get with my current LCD.

[34Ford]

Where is the best place to get info on how to calibrate?

My printer is darker than my 24" lcd.

[Lowner]

I use a very basic Samsung Synmaster 910n LCD and have been very impressed with it. While it will never be up to film or maybe advertising image production quality, it's plenty good enough for most professional photographers and all enthusiasts.

Dennis, the actual mechanics of the calibration process is very simple and my i1d2 holds my hand all the way through the process, explaining not just the what, but the why as well.

[neilwood32]

Where is the best place to get info on how to calibrate?

My printer is darker than my 24" lcd.

Good place to start - http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=2941196&postcount=1

Oh and you will probably find its not your printer thats too dark! Your screen is most likely way too bright (which will get sorted by calibration).

[34Ford]

Good place to start - http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=2941196&postcount=1

Oh and you will probably find its not your printer thats too dark! Your screen is most likely way too bright (which will get sorted by calibration).

Thanks for the help guys. You may be right about the screen. I will look into that and the link.