Monitor calibrators

[Miss Jane]

I want to get a monitor calibrator. I have read reviews on spyder 4 and some of colour munki.
I don't want to spend more than $150 which I know isn't much ( I did find the spyuder 4 for $156) but wondering what other people use and what you recommend?

[I @ M]

Miss Jane, how about telling us which make / model monitor it is that you want to calibrate and then let's see what recommendations would be most relevant. :)

We have been using a Spyder 3 pro very successfully on an ancient Eizo monitor for a few years now.
It doesn't alter colours very much between calibration ( about once every 2 months or so ) and consistently returns images from the printers looking just as they did on the screen.

The cheaper and nastier the monitor that you are using, the more frequently you will have to calibrate it with a good calibration device.

[ricktas]

Agree with Andrew. All of the current calibrators do a good job, but some screens are more reliable than others : http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/showthread.php?89862-The-different-types-of-monitors-available-for-photo-editing

There is a list of calibrator producers here : http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/showthread.php?91096-Monitor-Calibration-Devices

[Miss Jane]

I bought a BENQ LED BL902 late last year when my old monitor died. Running windows 7 64 bit.

[ricktas]

I bought a BENQ LED BL902 late last year when my old monitor died. Running windows 7 64 bit.

According to the BENQ website: Panel Type TN

TN (twisted nematic) TN screens are very cheap and have the fastest response times, but suffer from inferior colour reproduction, contrast ratios and viewing angles. Low end, inexpensive. The big issue for photographers with TN screens is that the same red can look a different colour on the left of the screen to how it looks on the right. There is inconsistency across the TN screen. Calibration cannot fix this, as calibration looks at one part of the screen to ensure colour accuracy, but the TN screen can be different elsewhere. TN screens are commonly used in laptops!

So you will find you probably need to calibrate quite regularly and you could find even then that the same colour does not appear the same across the entire display.

[Miss Jane]

Bugger! I bought this one as I wanted a square monitor and it was the only brand I could find that made a 19".

I have found 2 eye one display 2 for sale for $100 ea. They are about 3 years old. Would this suit or should i go with the spyder 4 pro that I found for $156?

Also what are the most suitable monitors for photography?

[ricktas]

monitor calibration devices were fairly static in tech for quite a while, but in the last few years they have jumped forward. The Spyder and Spyder 2 use old tech and the Spyder 3 and 4 use the new tech. Namely the actual colourimeter that reads the colours has beem improved. So I would look at getting a reasonably current calibration device for more accurate results. Just like DSLRs and older model will still work, but some of the features on newer models make them better.

[Miss Jane]

Can't decide between colour munki smile - the basic model that doesn't adjust precise whitepoints and luminance settings, and it only produces profiles at one setting (D65 and G2.2)
and the next one up colour munki Display which is equivalent in price to the Spyder 4 pro.
Considering the monitor I have I am not sure if I have the choice to play with the gamma settings.
It says the Smile is
"Ideal for photo hobbyists, design enthusiasts, gamers and any other users looking for the easiest way to colour correct their computer monitors, ColorMunki Smile offers a simple and affordable option for beginner colour perfectionists."

Any advice on this please?

[ricktas]

My advice. bu the best you can afford, cause a good calibrator should last you quite a few years, and probably through a few future monitors as well.

[Miss Jane]

Thanks Rick. I was just reading your thread on the different types of monitors...wish I'd seen that before I bought this new one.

[JM Tran]

I use the full Color Munki on my DELL IPS Ultrasharp monitors, more accurate IMO than all versions of Spyders, which I never really liked anyway.

Aim for D65, 2.2 gamma, at 120 lux as that is the common studio standard for many across the world. I prefer 120 lux as opposed to getting the Color Munki to calibrate according to my ambient room light.

[Miss Jane]

Thanks JM I will come back to this when I get my munki