Giving up on Calibration...

Ok, i know that it sounds sad but i just cant take it anymore. i have been trying to calibrate my Dell 30" for over a year now and i just keep making it worse. i am using Spyder3Pro and even after trying every setting and combo that you can possibly think of, everything still looks like crap. i have an old Dell 2007wfp right next to it and it looks great. when i print, the image looks nothing like it looks on the screen and i am just at a loss on what i can do next. my only option is to simply edit on the old 20" but it seems like such a waste.

Does anybody know if there are companies out there that can do this for you? at this point i am also willing to pay for somebody to help me out with this since i am so freaking close to just putting my fist through this monitor.

See if you can get someone to come do it for you, using different hardware.

Drop this guy a note: extremely knowledgeable and very helpful.

cdtobie@datacolor.com

Could you detail exactly what the issue (s) you are having and what computer hardware you are using?

Certainly don't give up. Color management is an important component of good photography. Yes, more details. Detail what "... looks like crap" means.

Interested to see where this goes...I recently bought the Spyder3Pro. I'm relatively certain that my shots are CLOSER to where they should be now, but I'm still second guessing myself.

I agree with Tim. You're in Boston... Zillions of universities and colleges in the area. Contact the art/photography/comput​er departments and see if some student wants to make some spending money for showing you how to do it right.

On that note, if there is anyone in the Albuquerque, NM, US and A area with a similar problem, feel free to contact me.

Could the hardware be bad? I know the Huey Pros had that issue and they replaced them free of charge. Also most printing places offer color correction. You could get it close and then have them tweak the images.

tim wrote in post #10247260
See if you can get someone to come do it for you, using different hardware.

thats what i will try and do. i am sure that there are some pros in my areas that can help out

Mark Vuleta wrote in post #10247308
Drop this guy a note: extremely knowledgeable and very helpful.

dtobie@datacolor.com

Could you detail exactly what the issue (s) you are having and what computer hardware you are using?

the issue is pretty simple actually. i just can't calibrate the Dell 3007wfp-hc monitor. no matter what i try, the color always seems off with strong magenta cast and even B&W looks way off. in contrast, i use the same exact calibrator on my Dell 2007wfp and it is perfect.

CannedHeat wrote in post #10247944
Certainly don't give up. Color management is an important component of good photography. Yes, more details. Detail what "... looks like crap" means.

I know which is why i bought the spyder in the first place. as for what "looks like crap means" look at my comment above but the gist is that the colors are always off. too much magenta and the color don't match the print at all.

ChasP505 wrote in post #10249269
I agree with Tim. You're in Boston... Zillions of universities and colleges in the area. Contact the art/photography/comput​er departments and see if some student wants to make some spending money for showing you how to do it right.

On that note, if there is anyone in the Albuquerque, NM, US and A area with a similar problem, feel free to contact me.

thats a great idea!! if i can't find somebody from the forum, i will give this a try!

blonde wrote in post #10249538
...i am sure that there are some pros in my areas that can help out

No, no, no... You don't want a "pro"... You want an enthusiastic and hungry genius college kid.

ChasP505 wrote in post #10249685
No, no, no... You don't want a "pro"... You want an enthusiastic and hungry genius college kid.

heheh, yeah but i think a pro would be easier to find. i already posted a WTB rigt here on POTN so lets see if somebody is interested. i would love to get this over it and keep my 30" screen.

I can't say that I know what to tell you other than what was suggested above. (I assume that this is set up as a dual monitor arrangement on a single PC)

Perhaps get a fresh pair of eyes to go over what you are doing or give David (from Datacolor) an email and go over the issue with him. He really is very helpful.

so did you get this straightened out, or what?

I have the Spyder3 and I had hard time trying to get it to calibrate my MacBook Pro, after so much testing and trying different settings I was not able to get it to work well. I was pulling my hair out.

Then I switched the software to "ColorEyes Display Pro" and what a difference using the Spyder3 hardware and the ColorEyes software I now have a great calibrated screen. The supplied Spyder3 software is very poor.

Try the coloreyes software, they have trial version

^ Sorry, to clarify, are you saying you used the Spyder3 hardware with 3rd party software?

It looks like you can do this.