Monitor calibration ?

What is good for a keen amateur like myself

... AND ... will it also work on my macbook as well ?

I have seen the spyder2 express and the spyder 3 pro and not sure as there is $400 difference and someone said the version 2 was fully automated and you couldn't tweak with the settings.

hi big blue!

I've just got myself a Spyder2 for the same reason, and am quite happy with it. works with tfts (also laptops) and crts aswell (the tft part has a kind of filter in it in front of the calibrating device. goes with mac and pc alike. I don't know why would I want to tweak the settings myself.

I have a Spyder and it is fine; BUT when I started this I did not realize quite how crazy I was going to get about all this and if I were to do it again I would probably go with the Greta MacBeth. If you are pretty sure you just want basic calibration for web and simple printing then the simpler calibration tools will work fine. If you think you may be headed in the direction of two monitors, large prints on fancy papers etc, I would spend the money on the models that allow more adjustments etc.

Got the Spyder 3 Pro

Used it on 2 Cinema Displays and an MB pro.

Really stoopid simple, Good for my skill level

dunno about the Spyder 2 tho.

I use the Spyder 2Pro. I am exceptionally pleased with the results on both my CRT display and laptop. What I see on my monitor is what I get back from both pro Labs and in print when published. I'll probably upgrade when I get a new computer.

Cheers,

Marli

Score another one for the Spyder2. Very easy to use. Although I can't say I can see any difference on the before and after! The Spyder2 includes software for calibrating the printer to the monitor.

An alternative: I use a hueyPRO on my PowerBook and big Mac. It DOES make a difference. It works like a Spyder, but in its own way...

It retails for about $200 equivalent in the UK.

Tim

B)

After years of doing it by eye using tools like Adobe Gamma and Quick Gamma - and coming pretty darn close to "true" colors - I just bought the Spyder3 Pro.

Great results. I have used it on a 32" LCD, my ThinkPad t60P and my PowerBook - terrific and consistent results across all three.

Very happy to stop squinting at my monitors tweaking monitor settings ... also learned that my eye is pretty consisently too "cold". All three monitors needed a bit more "red" based on the hardware calibrations as compared to my eyeball'd settings.

I have mixed results with the Spyder 2 Pro. The first sensor always came out with a magenta color cast. Then I borrowed a friend's which went bluish. I finally got a replacement sensor from Colorvision and it still was crappy compared to the Greta. They finally upgraded me to Spyder 3 Pro because I bitched so much. The Spyder 3 is better and more accurate. Now I'm happy.

As for the MacBook Pro, is it true that you only have to calibrate once? Or do you have to do this on a regular base?

Cheers

Vincent

As for the MacBook Pro, is it true that you only have to calibrate once? Or do you have to do this on a regular base?

 

Cheers

Vincent

Not true unfortunately, every monitor I know of has to be calibrated on a regular basis.

Not true unfortunately, every monitor I know of has to be calibrated on a regular basis.

I would do it monthly.

I've got the Spyder2 Suite. It works great and lets me adjust what I need to match the printing company I go through.