Monitor calibration (For Dummy)

[WhiteD3]

The dummy would be me:angel:

My printed photos (Harvey Norman 8 x 12) continually come out darker than what I see on the monitor (Acer H243HX DVi).

In an attempt to fix this I have downloaded the colour profile file from Acer and tried to calibrate the monitor using Cambridge Colour's calibration tool.

Monitor Calibration for Photography (http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/monitor-calibration.htm)

For the life of me I cannot get any significant change to happen using the monitor's brightness control. It also has two temperature settings of cool and warm, but I'm not sure which one I should be using. There is an adjustable user setting which I've left alone for now.

The motherboard also has an ATI chipset that allows adjustment to brightness, contract and gamma but, having loaded the Acer colour profile I'm not sure I should touch these.

Yes, I should use a Spyder or some such but that expense will have to wait.

Any and all guidance will be gratefully accepted.

[bblaze]

My mate plays with his monitor setting and holds up a color chart next to his monitor and then matches the montitor to suit. I think he uses the setting on the vidio card to do the changes. Probably no help but you get that. I just leave mine alone.
cheers
blaze

[C0L0N3L]

If your going to be printing lots of stuff at Harvey's,
Id suggest lighting a couple of your printed pictures so they look good.. or in what ever light you'd normaly view them in and then compare and adjust so the ones on the monitor look the same/ or close.

I have noticed that many of your images look under exposed on my monitors.

I just used the colour callibaration tests in windows and adjusting with printed images and what I thought looked right.

X-Rite: Get exactly the color you need, every time, anywhere in the world. (http://www.xritephoto.com/ph_toolframe.aspx?action=coloriq)
that might also help, hurts your eyes though..

[dmdigital]

I use a Spyder and it works very well. From memory there is a cheaper option to Datacolor's Spyder now days. Can't recall the name of it though

[Cap]

I used this site, tho honestly dont know if it works... but I think it at least get you closer I think.

screen calibration (urban views · New York street photography by Markus Hartel) · street photography New York in black and white : urban views · New York photographs by Markus Hartel (http://www.markushartel.com/blog/tech-stuff/screen-calibration.html)

[dmdigital]

Just remembered the name of the other one: Pantone Huey.

They are around the $100 mark.

[5teve]

I have the Huey... well the huey pro... works well... but its the screen generally that holds you back unless you have a nice IPS panel... Most monitors (in our price range) are TN panels that have uneven brightness etc etc.. with a bit f work tho the huey can make a difference. TN screens also tend to have the brightness cranked through the roof.. and fake contrast enhancement..

Dell make a very hard to find cheap IPS panel.. i think its a 2209w or 2209wa apparently its very very good!

The main issue that you have tho is that the screen is lit in the sense that emmits the light. A picture is lit by an external source so always looks darker.. or generally so. in daylight the prints should look much better. i always try and review my prints under good lighting.

Steve

[WhiteD3]

Thank you to Steve (300+) for the loan of his Spyder2. The image on the monitor is definitely better and darker (if that's the right term).

Now to do the laptop, extended monitor, 2nd and 3rd home PCs............