A monitor calibrating kit question

[Olegis]

Hello folks. Sorry for not being very active lately - i'm going through some major pressure at the work and the university. Still trying to find some time to photograph, though :cool:

Now the question - lately I replaced my PC monitor with a brand new 19" AG-based Viewsonic monitor. The next logical step towards the perfect workflow would be a calibration kit (since the Adobe Gamma software relies too much on my eyes judgment - I would like to get something that could actually measure what the monitor produces). The problem (as always) is with the funds - I can afford spending no more than $150 for it (with almost $50 shipping fee and customs, it will be around $200 when I get it).

I saw two possible candidates : the basic Colorvision Spyder for $99 and the Gretag Macbeth Eye-One Display for about $40 more. As I understand, the Gretag Macbeth product is of higher presicion and quality, but is the Spyder that bad ? Which one would you recommend ?

[JBillings]

I use the Spyder2 and have found it very reliable. It is humbling to find just how far off I was on my LCD calibration (using software profilers). There is a before and after button that shows you how far off you really are. I bought it as part of the PrintFix Suite. So now I have a profiled monitor and printer and am having a great time printing images that really look like what I see on the monitor.

[scottbergerphoto]

I use the Spyder with Optical and my prints match my monitor. It also helps to use quality ink and paper, and printer profiles to go with them.

[Pekka]

Has anyone used LaCie Blue Eye 2?

[CyberDyneSystems]

I haven't used it Pekka,. but the reviews I have read have positively loved both the LaCie and Sony Artisan bundeled set ups..

[Olegis]

Thanks for your replies !

JBillings, I'm afraid that the Spyder2 is too expensive for me - just checking that with the local distributor.

scottbergerphoto - do you have the original Spyder, or the Spyder2 ? Does Spyder come with OptiCal ? I saw that only Spyder2 is sold with OptiCal ... Or is it just new bundle version replacing the old one with the original Spyder ?

How about the Gretag Macbeth Eye-One Display ? No one uses it ?

[scottbergerphoto]

I bought mine a little over a year ago. It is the original Spyder with Optical.

[jukas]

Thanks for your replies !

JBillings, I'm afraid that the Spyder2 is too expensive for me - just checking that with the local distributor.

scottbergerphoto - do you have the original Spyder, or the Spyder2 ? Does Spyder come with OptiCal ? I saw that only Spyder2 is sold with OptiCal ... Or is it just new bundle version replacing the old one with the original Spyder ?

How about the Gretag Macbeth Eye-One Display ? No one uses it ?

If you aren't opposed to buying it used I'd suggest you post a message on the buy/sell forum of www.fredmiranda.com Here (http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic2/206038/0#1684498) is a link to one seller who was offering the original spyder with Optical for $145.

[Olegis]

I will gladly buy used kit, but the problem is the international delivery - not everybody will send their goods to the other part of the globe ... Thanks for the links !

[Pekka]

I got Spyder 2 Pro today. I'm happy with it. Slow. Supports RGB Gain settings on my Eizo which means very accurate colors. My old Eizo needs few hours (!) to get to full white point (not a big visual change but calibration compained about it) so I did few calibrations along the day and maybe I will try to change between 3 profiles each day - perhaps that is overkill because the "error" is in whitepoint only - color balance seems to hold perfectly. I'm happy that I still can calibrate the old monitor well and there is no real need to go to TFT yet (the TFT market seems to be maturing, but is not yet there). Contrast is at 100% (brightness 25%) so I suppose this won't last but few months :)

[PacAce]

I just got a new calibration kit myself. I went with the GretagMacBeth Eye-One Display 2 which I'm really happy with. It calibrated both my Apple Cinema Display and the Viewsonic LCD very well and they're both practically matched to each other now. The Eye-One is replacing the SpyderPro with Optical which I got last year. It' worked well with the Cinema Display but just couldn't handle the calibration of the Viewsonic which always ended up with a reddish tint and hence never matched the Cinema Display. One thing I like about the Eye-One compared to the SpyderPro is that the calibration process is a lot faster with the Eye-One.

[Olegis]

Hi Pekka ! I'm afraid that the Spyder 2 Pro version is too much money for me ... :(

PacAce - do you know what are the differences between the Eye-One Display and the Eye-One Display 2 ?

[Olegis]

I bought mine a little over a year ago. It is the original Spyder with Optical.

Thanks Scott. I'm still waiting for the reply from my local Colorvision distributor (regarding the prices and availability or different kits).

[Pekka]

Here is a good article about all this stuff:
http://www.drycreekphoto.com/Learn/monitor_calibration_tools.htm

[scottbergerphoto]

Why do I get that knawing feeling in my stomach and a twinge in my wallet whenever something comes out with a 2 after it? They know we just can't resist even though our eyes probably won't be able to tell the difference.

[PacAce]

Hi Pekka ! I'm afraid that the Spyder 2 Pro version is too much money for me ... :(

PacAce - do you know what are the differences between the Eye-One Display and the Eye-One Display 2 ?
No, I don't except that the 2 is a more improved version of 1 based on a review that I read (see the link Pekka referred to above). But they both use the same software (Match 3.1) though.

[HKFEVER]

Spyder 2 Pro works well with our Apple 23", Philip 19", Sony 19", Sony notebook 13", & Dell notebook 15".

But the Printfix, I never able to set it up right with our HP 9680, Epson 2100, Epson PictureMate nor Canon IR3100. Any help:oops:

[lostdoggy]

Bump

[Nabil-A]

Spyder 2 Pro works well with our Apple 23", Philip 19", Sony 19", Sony notebook 13", & Dell notebook 15".

But the Printfix, I never able to set it up right with our HP 9680, Epson 2100, Epson PictureMate nor Canon IR3100. Any help:oops:



Imk thinking of buying a 19" philips..but wondering which philip you were referring to

[jbkalla]

The Spyder 2 Pro is too much, but how about just the regular Spyder 2? here (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0006JMILO/ref=pd_cps_sw_1/103-5665750-5357418?v=glance&s=software). Is $140US too much? I use it and it works really well for me!

[lostdoggy]

The Spyder 2 Pro is too much, but how about just the regular Spyder 2? here (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0006JMILO/ref=pd_cps_sw_1/103-5665750-5357418?v=glance&s=software). Is $140US too much? I use it and it works really well for me!

A year too late!!!

[jbkalla]

A year too late!!!

Oh, bloody hell!!! I didn't look at the posting dates! Sigh... :oops:

[TooManyHobbies]

I took my stuff to a local high end camera store and they did my monitor and printer for $25. Of course I don't print on a lot of different paper types.

[lostdoggy]

Thats a good deal but they recommend to recalibrate about once a month. That would be $300 plus at least 12 trips to the store. It would be a nice market tool to get customer to the store if they offer a $25 store gift certificate toward the purchase of $150 or more.

[TooManyHobbies]

Thats a good deal but they recommend to recalibrate about once a month. That would be $300 plus at least 12 trips to the store. It would be a nice market tool to get customer to the store if they offer a $25 store gift certificate toward the purchase of $150 or more.
I guess I don't cal enough.

[HKFEVER]

Imk thinking of buying a 19" philips..but wondering which philip you were referring to

They are old model now 190S.

[StealthLude]

I am using the Monaco Optix XP system for $199 from B&H.

My local print shop uses this on their systems as well. Review from DryCreek give it a good review. So far so good, prints seem to amtch my system. Ive only had it a few adys so im still playing around with it!