Why and How I Calibrate My Monitor (Using a SpyderX)
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- čas přidán 12. 09. 2024
- What is monitor calibration? Why should you bother? How do you do it? In this coffee break length video, I will try to answer all those questions. I'll tell you what monitor calibration is, why it is important and also how I calibrate monitor using a SpyderX calibration device.
If you want to pick up a SpyderX you can do so here:
amzn.to/2XS9OOS
Please also do take the time to check out my blog where you will find some additional links on information about monitor calibration:
julianbaird.me...
If you are interested, here is some of the gear I used to create this video:
Video shot with a Panasonic G80 (amzn.to/2BnKoPx)
Audio recorded using a Gyvazla Lav Mic (amzn.to/2PWnFjJ)
Video edited in Adobe Premiere CC (amzn.to/2iX4la4)
The links used are Amazon affiliate links. By buying through the links I may receive a commission for the sale. This has no effect on the price for you.
julianbaird #Datacolor #photographytips
Good video and tutorial Julian
Thank you Lyn! :-)
Hi Julian. A timely reminder! Haven't done mine for a while. The default brightness setting for iMac out of the box can be seen from the moon and was the first thing I changed. Haven't printed for a while but need to re-calibrate before I do. This is really helpful Julian. Many thanks for sharing.
Hi Tim, happy to have reminded you and glad you found the video helpful. I've seen some of default brightness measurements of the iMac screen and I was amazed how high they were! Thanks for watching as always Tim. Cheers
Useful stuff Julian...very easy to forget about the images for magazines etc...always farmed out my A3 printing to one of two pro labs and only with a couple of recent ones have I had an issue so calibrating may be a good first step to ensuring consistency
Thanks Nigel. It's worth looking at. I would imagine that you would want the colours of your owls (if you print them) to be as accurate as possible. It's all relatively easy to do now as well. Thanks for watching mate :-)
Hi Jules: Like you, I have been calibrating my iMac Retina for years with the Spyder Pro device. I have watched your recent video on printing with your new Canon printer and I am wondering if you see any value in calibrating your printer or do you simply rely upon the ICC profiles that are created by Fotospeed when you send them the test prints. Cheers, Keith
Hey Keith. While you calibrate your monitor, you don't do the same with your printer. Instead you create a custom ICC profile which is based on the printer, the ink, and the paper. Apologies if I've not understood your comment correctly? Check out these two blog posts....www.fotospeed.com/blog.asp?SeriesID=51&TextID=4 and www.fotospeed.com/blog.asp?SeriesID=51&TextID=2
Hi Jules: I agree with your comments. It seems that you send your paper samples to Fotospeed to have them construct the ICC profiles on your behave. DataColor sells a separate device that is used to self-scan the test print to create your own ICC profiles whereby eliminating the need to send the test-prints to FotoSpeed to have them create a custom ICC profile for you. In Canada, we don't have that ability to get custom ICC profiles directly from the paper companies so many people simply create their own with these devices. Upon reviewing the Fotospeed website they appear to also show ICC profiles for Hahnemuhle and Canson papers. Do you know if these three companies are all the same company but simply branded 'Fotospeed' in the UK? If so, that would be great as we can get both of these papers in Canada. Regards, Keith
Hey Keith. Yes, Datacolor do indeed have a device to do it. I choose to have Fotospeed to do it because it's free, quick, and accurate. I could do it myself, but as I only use Fotospeed papers I have no need to profile other papers. Fotospeed will actually profile any paper as along as you buy it from them. So yes, you will see generic profiles for Hahnemuhle and Canson. As far as I'm aware, Fotospeed are just stockists of those papers, and they aren't all the same manufacturer. :-)
Another useful video I have a calibrator just not got round to it tut tut me
Thanks Paul....you'd best your calibrator out then! :-)
Hello Julian, as always thank you for sharing your skills. I calibrate my monitor every 4 weeks. Sometimes! My Spyder may say the room is too bright and suggests that I use a monitor hood in my office even though the light does not change. So my question to you is Julian if I did purchase a monitor hood for my 27" should I keep the hood on - whilst I calibrate. Now there's a question for you lol
Thanks Allan. I have a hood for my Eizo monitor which is always attached. I use it because I have a window 90 deg to side of the display, and it helps keep reflections of the screen (not that the Eizo monitor is that reflective). I think for the vast majority of us though (i.e. those of us not working in a controlled lighting office), a hood isn't going to make a lot of difference to the light levels measured by a device. If you get one though, I would just leave it on (as I do). Not sure if I've helped there or not!?
@@jbairdexp thank you, I read your reply a couple of times, I think I got the gist of it lol
Jules, what the main difference between the Spyder X Pro and the Spyder 5 Express? I've been using the 5 Express for years and it seems to work well. But am I missing something?
Mate, great to see a comment from you! The devices themselves are exactly the same, it's just the software that's different. Mostly around the level of control you have. So for example I think with the Express version you can only have 6500k, where with the Pro version you can have 5000k, 6500k etc, and possibly set different gamma settings. I think it can also measure ambient light. You can upgrade the software on Datacolors website as well if you feel you need the extra settings. :-)
When you get the calibration and see the difference, what do you do about all the photos on the computer that look all off, in my case, over saturated to the point of looking blocked up? It's not practical to re- work each one. How can we be sure the calibrated screen is really accurate?
Hi, good question. Actually I don't do anything with my older photos. However, I've been using a calibrated display for so long now that I don't really have a need to go back and edit any photos again. Anything pre-calibration probably isn't worth doing again. For you, you're really going to have to make that call yourself and decide if the image is worth editing again, and a lot of that will depend on what you plan to do with the image (e.g. print it). If the calibration device is used correctly there's no reason to think it won't be accurate. Of course, there are limits to calibration. It can't for example make your monitor display more colours than it was manufactured to. The calibration will at least allow you to have confidence that what it is displaying is accurate. Hope this helps.
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You convinced to me move forward, I am finally at that point where I believe I should calibrate my monitor. I checked the SpyderX Pro. Did you have a reason for not selecting the SpyderX Elite? As always, thanks for sharing.
Thanks Glen. I only got the Pro because I will actually use the device directly with Eizo monitor (and not using the supplied software), so I don't need some of the additional configuration options the Elite version gives. If my primary monitor wasn't an Eizo I would have got an Elite as you can be more granular with some of the values.
Thank You. @@jbairdexp
No worries!
I just ordered the SpyderX Pro. I tried your Amazon link. However, I am not in the UK and they don't ship to the US, I am in Arizona. Sorry I was not able to help.@@jbairdexp
That's great to hear Glen! Don't worry about the Amazon thing... you support me by watching my videos and for taking the time to leave comments. 👍
I'd like to hear more about the differences in the different models (Spiders). Why did you pick the model you have. Thanks
I only got the Pro because I will actually use the device directly with Eizo monitor (and not using the supplied software), so I don't need some of the additional configuration options the Elite version gives. If my primary monitor wasn't an Eizo I would have got an Elite as you can be more granular with some of the values. You can see the differences between the models here: spyderx.datacolor.com/about-spyderx/
Thank you sir
It's actually the same device - the difference is with the software and what it lets you do with the device. With the Spyder5, they used to offer an upgrade path but that's not available (at present) with the SpyderX.
What was selectred in imacs own color profile(Systems preferences /Display /Color /Display profile) before or after calibration? Does imac own color profiles have any effect on screen after calibrating by spyderx?
Hi, I'm running Windows 10 so can't comment on Mac, but in the Windows world the SpyderX creates the colour profile, installs it in the OS, and sets it as the default profile for that monitor on boot. No need to directly modify the OS. Hope this helps. 👍
@@jbairdexp Thanks
i screwed up my monitor once trying to calibrate mine
I think that used to be fairly easy to do....but the software has come on along way now and it's a lot easier to calibrate . Detailed knowledge isn't really a requirement. :-)