Laptop monitor calibration

DayDreamer

DayDreamer

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John
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Just bought a new budget laptop and yes I know not so good as desktop for photo work but I can only use a laptop. So without having to go to the expense of buying a Spyder type of gadget what is the best, least expensive and most effective way of calibrating the screen.

Also when I do try and make adjustment I am finding (for the second time) the colours etc revert to default which in my case is a blue cast over all the screen. I had this in October, and sent the laptop back as faulty, and happening again now. A Samsung again thinking (when I bought it) it can't happen twice with a branded named but it has :(
 
Listen, there is a way that you can do before you go to buy a calibration device for almost accurate colors or whatever, choose few of your best shots in colors, look at them on your monitor, send them for printing, don't use same one company, send it to at least 2, or 3 to print your photos, then check them with your monitor, do they came out nicely done with nice color almost same as in your monitor or not?

I did calibrate my monitors all with Spyder3Elite, and i have one big problem with that calibration, when i printed some photos, all the printed photos came out even better than what i see on my monitor, lol, i was thinking to remove the calibration too.
 
Calibration of a laptop screen is possibly a pointless exercise unless you can guarantee to always view the screen from the same angle - give or take a few degrees. Try it for yourself, changing the viewing angle by opening up the screen more or less has a dramatic effect on colours, contrast and brightness.

@TareqPhoto: How do you know which of the prints is right? The point of calibration is not to get the best print but to make the print and the screen look the same. Unless you can achieve that your editing is guesswork ... that's not to say you're not a good guesser, of course :)
 
Steve I know the problems with a laptop but I have no choice as I can't sit at a desktop PC due to my bodies limitations. So I have to compromise which is a B-ugger.

It's a bit like editing a photograph - spend time on it - get to a point where you feel happy - next day comes - and you think its needs a bit more fiddling - and so on :nuts:

But thanks for all the help so far and any more would be good:thumbs:
 
Bristolian said:
Calibration of a laptop screen is possibly a pointless exercise unless you can guarantee to always view the screen from the same angle - give or take a few degrees. Try it for yourself, changing the viewing angle by opening up the screen more or less has a dramatic effect on colours, contrast and brightness.

@TareqPhoto: How do you know which of the prints is right? The point of calibration is not to get the best print but to make the print and the screen look the same. Unless you can achieve that your editing is guesswork ... that's not to say you're not a good guesser, of course :)
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I was kidding, i was meaning that what i get from the print is better than what i look at monitor to show how great amazing is the calibration, but sure i get prints as i look at monitor, just the print is shining or vivid to me or the paper i use[luster] give me that beautiful look of my prints.
 
TareqPhoto said:
Listen, there is a way that you can do before you go to buy a calibration device for almost accurate colors or whatever, choose few of your best shots in colors, look at them on your monitor, send them for printing, don't use same one company, send it to at least 2, or 3 to print your photos, then check them with your monitor, do they came out nicely done with nice color almost same as in your monitor or not?
Click to expand...

Unless you can guarantee that the printing is perfect, that's a very sloppy way of ensuring accuracy.

I did calibrate my monitors all with Spyder3Elite, and i have one big problem with that calibration, when i printed some photos, all the printed photos came out even better than what i see on my monitor, lol, i was thinking to remove the calibration too.[/QUOTE]

Now matter how well calibrated your screen is, it can still be a poor screen in terms of contrast range and colour gamut. Not all screens are equal. There's no reason to remove your profile if it was done correctly. If your prints are consistently more vibrant and better than your screen, then you need a new screen.


As others have said though, profiling a laptop has some issues. Viewing angle is never constant so that hugely effects gamma response and colour accuracy and also, many laptops adjust the screen brightness with changes in ambient light, and that is a definite no on as well, as luminance levels should be static once calibrated. Same with silly dynamic contrast features on monitors. Anything that changes the screens values is a very bad things once calibrated.
 
I use a Spyder Pro on my desktop, but I have semi-calibrated my netbook using a cheap Huey device to create a profile precisely to get rid of the blue tint. I calibrated once (about a year ago) and have just left it. The colours aren't perfect, but they are closer to a natural colour than if I'd done nothing.
 
Pookeyhead said:
Unless you can guarantee that the printing is perfect, that's a very sloppy way of ensuring accuracy.

I did calibrate my monitors all with Spyder3Elite, and i have one big problem with that calibration, when i printed some photos, all the printed photos came out even better than what i see on my monitor, lol, i was thinking to remove the calibration too.
Click to expand...

Now matter how well calibrated your screen is, it can still be a poor screen in terms of contrast range and colour gamut. Not all screens are equal. There's no reason to remove your profile if it was done correctly. If your prints are consistently more vibrant and better than your screen, then you need a new screen.


As others have said though, profiling a laptop has some issues. Viewing angle is never constant so that hugely effects gamma response and colour accuracy and also, many laptops adjust the screen brightness with changes in ambient light, and that is a definite no on as well, as luminance levels should be static once calibrated. Same with silly dynamic contrast features on monitors. Anything that changes the screens values is a very bad things once calibrated.[/QUOTE]

And i am still searching for which better screen, but i don't want to spend too much money or very expensive monitor, i am still happy with the monitors i have, and my prints are great and consistent, i am now more thinking about buying a new computer machine more than a monitor, later next year if i can have enough budget i'll think about another screen.
 
I calibrated my old laptop when I first bought it some 4 years or so. Out of interest I reverted its settings to default and there was a blue cast on the screen. So I input my more recently used settings and got it back to where I feel it should be. Restarted and the settings held.

The problem on the new laptop is I can just about get rid of the blue cast but it doesn't hold the settings on restart. Now absolutely fed up with reading the help guides, searching Google and not in the mood to call an overseas call centre where I can never understand what they are saying. I'm not being racist but many just do not have a good enough command of the English language.

So will be ringing the CoOp, from where I bought, it and asking them their opinion.

I know the way the colours can change depending on angle of view but I tend to sit in the same position with the laptop open at the same angle so try and minimise the 'laptop' compromise.

Again thanks for the ongoing help :thumbs:
 
Bristolian said:
Calibration of a laptop screen is possibly a pointless exercise unless you can guarantee to always view the screen from the same angle - give or take a few degrees. Try it for yourself, changing the viewing angle by opening up the screen more or less has a dramatic effect on colours, contrast and brightness.
Click to expand...

Totally agree - it's a waste of time. It is like trying to play music through an iphone speaker.

You'd better buy a decent IPS monitor to start with. Dell 2007WFP can be had for less than £40 on ebay now
 
daugirdas said:
Totally agree - it's a waste of time. It is like trying to play music through an iphone speaker.

You'd better buy a decent IPS monitor to start with. Dell 2007WFP can be had for less than £40 on ebay now
Click to expand...

It may be a waste of time but I have no choice - I'd love to be able to sit at a typical Desktop set up. So I have to make the best of matters or stop using any form of computer.
 
DayDreamer said:
It may be a waste of time but I have no choice - I'd love to be able to sit at a typical Desktop set up. So I have to make the best of matters or stop using any form of computer.
Click to expand...

well you have a choice or retina mbp or using ipad3 or 4 as a screen. Nothing can make a cheap TN screen look good just like a donkey will never become a horse
 
Laptop sent back and new one coming tomorrow so hoping I have more success and no not a Macbook as my budget is like my body - buggered.
 
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I am sorted.

New laptop (Toshiba 17.3" screen) here this morning and colours straight out of the box are fine. I had a fiddle in the graphics options but just reverted back to default. Phew :clap:

The only issue now is that it is Windows 8 operating system which I can see will have a significant learning curve :thinking:

Thanks for all your help :thumbs:
 
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