Monitor/Printer/Color Calibration

[memories]

Someone talk to me about monitor calibration, etc. Working with D20, PS7, Epson 2200, and Millers Lab. Millers sent a calibration disk when I got started with them. Colors on my screen look like their prints---this is just a subject I know nothing about--need to know more. Talk in layman's terms please. So much of what I read I don't quiet understand. Can't get too techincal with this left handed brain.

[KevC]

I'm interested in this also. My 6 year old CRT doesn't have the brightness it used to... and I find I'm always spiking up the gamma while playing games. I can't really afford an LCD right now, I'm thinking of picking up the Viewsonic E90f+SB. Any thoughts on that? (sorry for the threadjack, I'm interested in the calibration aswell).

[Jesper]

So you want to learn about colour management, calibration, profiling etc....

Introduction to Color Management (http://www.drycreekphoto.com/Learn/color_management.htm)
Photoshop CS, Configuring Colour Management (http://www.computer-darkroom.com/ps8-colour/ps8_1.htm)
Accurate Monitor Display (http://www.ltlimagery.com/monitordisplay.htm)

The first thing to do to implement colour management on your system is to profile and calibrate your monitor, so that it accurately displays colours as they should be. To do this accurately, you need to buy a device that can measure how your monitor displays colours. There are several options available, such as the Colorvision Spyder, Gretag-Macbeth EyeOne and Monaco OPTIX XR.

Monitor Calibration and Profiling (http://www.drycreekphoto.com/Learn/monitor_calibration.htm)

To get your prints to look as close to what you see on your monitor as possible, you need to get an ICC profile for the printer / paper / ink combination that you use, and use this properly in the application that you use to print your image.

Managing Colour When Printing (http://www.computer-darkroom.com/ps7_print/ps7_print_mac.htm)
Soft Proof Preview (http://www.computer-darkroom.com/ps6_softproof/ps6_softproof_1.htm)

It can seem a complex subject, so the above links may keep you busy for a while to understand it all...... ;) ofcourse, feel free to ask more questions.

[S45_fornow...]

I'm interested in this also. My 6 year old CRT doesn't have the brightness it used to... and I find I'm always spiking up the gamma while playing games. I can't really afford an LCD right now, I'm thinking of picking up the Viewsonic E90f+SB. Any thoughts on that? (sorry for the threadjack, I'm interested in the calibration aswell).It's my understanding that LCD displays are not very good for working with digital images because the gamma is very sensitive to the viewing angle while looking at your display, thus affecting the perceived level of contrast. Sticking with the topic, this could then affect monitor calibration as well.

I'm just a beginner at color management, so someone please correct me if I'm wrong, or maybe elaborate on this.