MonacoOptix-XR PRo....help!

[John Trogdon]

I am considering this package to solve my LCD calibration problems. I have a Dell monitor (not the utrasharp version), and cannot get good results when saving and sending out to the web.

My prints aren't too bad, because I think Epson has some good profiles to work with.

Would greatly appreciate any advice on this system. Is it worth gettiing for an LCD monitor, or am I wasting my time and money? I can pick it up at my local camera store for $329. I don't mind paying the price if I can be convinced that it will fix my problem. Thanks for comments/advice.

[Bsmooth]

I'll try and put in my 2cents worth and you can decide.I just finished a John Shaw seminar a few weeks ago and he basically said the best ones to view photos on were still CRT not LCD.He recommended the viewsonic P models especially,very good value for the money.As far as the calibrator he recommends the Spyder.Not sure what else but you may want to consider the LCD for menus and a second CRT for viewing the actual picture itself.

[Jesper]

Are you sure it's a monitor calibration problem, or could it be a problem in the colour management settings in the software you're using? Can you explain in more detail what exactly is going wrong when you're saving and sending out to the web?

Note that you should convert your images to the sRGB colour space if you put them on a website. That will give you the best chance that the images look reasonable on other people's (non-calibrated) monitors. Note also that photos will always look different in colour managed applications such as Photoshop and non-colour managed applications such as Internet Explorer.

[John Trogdon]

Jesper, I have my monitor set to use sRGB color space profile. This is what I see when I right click on my background, go to settings/color management. I use Photoshop CS, and I have tried to use no color management, sRGB, and Web Default settings for my color space.

When I print to my Epson printer, I'm pretty close to what I see on my monitor, but when I save for the web in PS and post pictures, the comments I get are that everything appears over saturated. I can send files to my work pc and they look pretty dark and drab as well. I guess that is what makes me suspect that my LCD flatscreen monitor needs calibrated.

When I save for web, I resize with settings for JPEG High with no ICC profile set. At this point, I don't feel that I should have to convert my color space, or is there something I'm missing?

Thanks so much for trying to help, I hope I provided the info you were asking for.

[John Trogdon]

I'll try and put in my 2cents worth and you can decide.I just finished a John Shaw seminar a few weeks ago and he basically said the best ones to view photos on were still CRT not LCD.He recommended the viewsonic P models especially,very good value for the money.As far as the calibrator he recommends the Spyder.Not sure what else but you may want to consider the LCD for menus and a second CRT for viewing the actual picture itself.

Thanks, I was considering both the Spyder and the MonacoOptix systems. I have the MonacoOptix system available at my local camera store, and they seemed to think it was the way to go. I am open to anything that will help. I appreciate your input, and I totally agree with the idea of using a CRT monitor for photo editing, but my wife loves this monitor and it's rather difficult to convince her that it needs to be replaced. Thanks for your input. I would put a lot of confidence in anything that John Shaw told you.

[Jesper]

Jesper, I have my monitor set to use sRGB color space profile. This is what I see when I right click on my background, go to settings/color management. I use Photoshop CS, and I have tried to use no color management, sRGB, and Web Default settings for my color space. ...Ok. I think it will be a good idea to calibrate and profile your monitor with a device like the Monaco Optix. I guess the monitor has an option to set the colours to sRGB mode, and that's what you selected?

I have a Colorvision Spyder myself to calibrate my CRT monitor, and it works well, but the Monaco Optix might be better (I've read many posts by people on Internet who were pleased with it). Calibrating an LCD monitor might be harder than calibrating a CRT monitor.

How photos look on other people's monitors ofcourse also depends on how they have setup their monitors. If their monitor is setup with arbitrary contrast, brightness and colour settings, you can't predict what images are going to look like on their monitor. Maybe you should give them some instructions to setup the contrast and brightness to achieve a good gamma setting. See here for more info: http://www.normankoren.com/makingfineprints1A.html

[KennyG]

John, what do you mean when you say you can't get good images when saving for the web? Is this you viewing them once you have saved them or comments from someone else?

There is nothing wrong in using an LCD as a display. We will all have to go that route at some point as CRT manufacturers are switching plants over to LCD production and are announcing withdrawal of CRT products altogether. The better LCD monitors, such as the two I use, have comprehensive adjustments and good back-lighting that is constant corner-to-corner.

I have a pro lab near me with getting on for $2m of equipment and all but one of there monitors are LCD. It is a bit like the move from film to digital, some folks are just taking longer to get there.

[John Trogdon]

John, what do you mean when you say you can't get good images when saving for the web? Is this you viewing them once you have saved them or comments from someone else?

Ken, when I post and view my post it looks fine to me. When I look at the same post from my pc at work, it looks pretty bad. The comments I get seem to agree with what I see at work. My pictures look drab and over saturated.

I agree with everything you say about LCDs. I just want something I can rely on. I would love for everyone else to see what I see.