chippy
Contributor
Has anyone got any experience with using the Colour Spyder, monitor and printer calibrator?
If so, did you find it useful and easy to setup?
If so, did you find it useful and easy to setup?
Colour Spyder - (monitor/printer calibration)
- Thread starter chippy
- Start date
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chippy:
chippy, before i respond i need to know do you want a nontechnical or technical explination of the spyder and my reccomendation?
let me know and i will be glad to give you the details
Tooth
OP
chippy
Contributor
Go for it.....i like to get technical..... :banana:
I know several of the photogs on DD use it for help in printing their photos. But Tooth will have to give you the technical jargon. 
OP
chippy
Contributor
The reason behind asking, was that I ordered a book from an online bookmaker of all my best UW pics from this year, but when the book arrived the photo's were way different (much darker) to how they appear on my screen + printer.
The spyder looks very good, and even if it turned out to be bookmaker's printing that was the problem, and not my calibration settings, the spyder looks very useful indeed.
The spyder looks very good, and even if it turned out to be bookmaker's printing that was the problem, and not my calibration settings, the spyder looks very useful indeed.
chippy quick question while i build a explination to you on spyder.
do you use a CRT or LCD screen, and then which model
also is your monitor in direct sunlight/ or not or are there any flourescent or icandesent lights in the room or in your monitor ?
do you use a CRT or LCD screen, and then which model
also is your monitor in direct sunlight/ or not or are there any flourescent or icandesent lights in the room or in your monitor ?
OP
chippy
Contributor
It's an LCD - Eizo L685 18.1" powered by a Geforce FX5200 256mb Card - Hooked up by DVI connection.
I was fairly careful with the placement of my workstation, I'd read about it previously in the Drafahl's book, so I don't think it'll be that to blame.
I was fairly careful with the placement of my workstation, I'd read about it previously in the Drafahl's book, so I don't think it'll be that to blame.
chippy:
ok thanks for the info on the video card and monitor, but could you answer the 2nd question, as with this i can be more certain on whats causing the shift.
i will have the technical explination and basic explination today
OP
chippy
Contributor
The PC is situated opposite a large window, so its got plenty of natural light but not in a harsh way, as it's north facing so it's never in direct sunlight.
ok Chippy
sorry foir the long delay but i have been busier then a 1 arm paper hanger but here goes.
if your looking at gettting a a calibrator the spyder is the entry level model as it wont get the colors dead like much expensive models, but close(1-3 RGB or CMY points) as it isnt directly talking with the Ray guns in the CRT monitor but more in just taking readings from the screen then adjusting the tube, yes the sypder does use a spectrometer to get readings but its the software that is mainly doing all of the processing this is were it differs from higher level calibrators, but for the price you cant beat it but get the sypder pro as the package has more options in it. also spyder does have the ability to calibrate LCDs but for the most part it cant it comes close but the profiles seem to have a green or yellow cast to them. this us usually a result of the screen being a older LCD, were as a newer one (<15 months old) are easier to calibrate as the technology has rapidly improved in color definition. also remeber that once its calibrated the color may be good at that time but things change over time and you will need to recalibrate every so often to keep it up. on average i redo my setting about every 2-3 weeks of regualr work and more often on major projects.
overall the syder is a good starting place for getting used to calibrating and as time goes along you and you get profient in calibration or need to take it to the next level you can upgrade to a eye one (average package is in the $1500+ range) or other higher level calibrators.
if you have anymore questiosn feel free to ask
Tooth
also go to www.dpreview.com and look in the forum and do a search on eye one, and callibration to get a good feel for what you need, personally i have a lacie blue eye for my monitor but will be getting a eye one with in the next year, once i finish working on my annual fall project.
sorry foir the long delay but i have been busier then a 1 arm paper hanger but here goes.
if your looking at gettting a a calibrator the spyder is the entry level model as it wont get the colors dead like much expensive models, but close(1-3 RGB or CMY points) as it isnt directly talking with the Ray guns in the CRT monitor but more in just taking readings from the screen then adjusting the tube, yes the sypder does use a spectrometer to get readings but its the software that is mainly doing all of the processing this is were it differs from higher level calibrators, but for the price you cant beat it but get the sypder pro as the package has more options in it. also spyder does have the ability to calibrate LCDs but for the most part it cant it comes close but the profiles seem to have a green or yellow cast to them. this us usually a result of the screen being a older LCD, were as a newer one (<15 months old) are easier to calibrate as the technology has rapidly improved in color definition. also remeber that once its calibrated the color may be good at that time but things change over time and you will need to recalibrate every so often to keep it up. on average i redo my setting about every 2-3 weeks of regualr work and more often on major projects.
overall the syder is a good starting place for getting used to calibrating and as time goes along you and you get profient in calibration or need to take it to the next level you can upgrade to a eye one (average package is in the $1500+ range) or other higher level calibrators.
if you have anymore questiosn feel free to ask
Tooth
also go to www.dpreview.com and look in the forum and do a search on eye one, and callibration to get a good feel for what you need, personally i have a lacie blue eye for my monitor but will be getting a eye one with in the next year, once i finish working on my annual fall project.
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