Affordable Calibration?

[JoelBelmont]

I am looking for an affordable monitor calibration device (under 1k). I am currently printing on a 9880, and what the screen sees and what prints are two very different things. I am mac based, if that matters.

Thanks for your suggestions.

~Joel Belmont

[Kirk Gittings]

Under 1k????? Get a used Eye One Display. I've bought them new for $125. On Ebay used they must be considerably less.

[JoelBelmont]

Is this an option that will work well? http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/484459-REG/Xrite_EOPLT_Eye_One_Photo.html

And is a primary difference between a model like this and a more expensive model, automation?

Thanks.

[JoelBelmont]

Under 1k????? Get a used Eye One Display. I've bought them new for $125. On Ebay used they must be considerably less.

Do I need the software, and the rest of the stuff that comes with the package I listed, or would I be able to make it work with just the spectrometer?

Thanks.

[Kirk Gittings]

Ahh! You are talking about a spectrometer for generating custom profiles, not just monitor calibration. Never mind....... I'm not the right one to reply as I use ImagePrint.

[JoelBelmont]

Ahh! You are talking about a spectrometer for generating custom profiles, not just monitor calibration. Never mind....... I'm not the right one to reply as I use ImagePrint.

sorry... mostly just monitor calibration, not profiles. Unless there is a system for not much more that does both... :)

[Marko]

Perhaps something like Spyder 3 Studio (http://spyder.datacolor.com/product-pp-s3studio.php)?

[Ted Harris]

For monitor only calibration you need a simple device like the eye 1 tat Kirk mentioned. They all come with software. The Monaco Optix xr which has been relabeled since both Monaco and Greytag go gobbled by I-Rite is an excellent unit and you can get it new fom Jim at Midwest for around 125 new if he still has some.

The higher units have much more functionality but none of it relates to calibrating your monitor.

[JoelBelmont]

Would it be worth the extra $400 for the Spyder 3 studio (listed above) since it seems to be able to make paper profiles? Or would something in this price range not produce good profiles?

If I can accomplish both things, it would be better.

[Ken Lee]

www.chromix.com (http://www.chromix.com)

[Henry Ambrose]

I use Color Eyes --- http://www.integrated-color.com/
I'm really pleased with it.

[Lenny Eiger]

I am looking for an affordable monitor calibration device (under 1k). I am currently printing on a 9880, and what the screen sees and what prints are two very different things. I am mac based, if that matters.

Thanks for your suggestions.

~Joel Belmont

Lots of reasonable suggestions. I use an EyeOne and can say that Gretag's products are quite terrific. The only thing I would add is that what the screen sees and the printer prints will always be different. I have a fortune in profiling equipment and software and it is never perfect. Transmissive and reflective are two different mediums, and will never meet. Just a quick note to say don't expect perfection...

Lenny

[wmdyer1]

I'm using a Spyder 2 Suite and find it works very well, producing very accurate prints on my Epson 4800. As Lenny said, the prints aren't 100% perfect, but they are very close, using manufacturer's profiles for the various papers that I print on.
I would imagine the Spyder 3 is as good or better.
Bill

[Ted Harris]

The Spyder 3 is a good solution but you do need to exercise a good deal of care when using it to insure accurate profiles. Exercise that care and it will serve you well.

Ease of use doesn't really come until you move up to the Isis unit and that is getting really expensive.

[Harley Goldman]

Monitor calibration is certainly essential. In addition, I find custom paper profiles very useful. For me, they produce far more accurate prints. You can find profiles quite cheap and they are good. A forum member, Michael Gordon (http://www.michael-gordon.com/ did my paper profile and charged a very reasonable (read low) amount. It works perfectly, far better than the manufacturer profile.

[Joanna Carter]

Try this : http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/496186-REG/Xrite_XRCE_EZ_I1D2_EZ_Color_with_Eye_One.html

It will do monitor, scanner and printer (using the scanner). Until I splashed out on the SpyderPrint, I got perfectly acceptable profiles from this.

[Ted Harris]

Joanna,

It's not clear to me that package you noted contains a spectrophotometer (Reflective densitometer). If it doesn't how do you profile papers?

[Joanna Carter]

It's not clear to me that package you noted contains a spectrophotometer (Reflective densitometer). If it doesn't how do you profile papers?
Ted, the package contains the "puck" for monitor calibration but, as I mentioned, uses your scanner to create profiles for papers. Although the profiles produced might not strictly be as accurate as those produced by something like the SpyderPrint, they are eminently adequate for someone wanting to create profiles on a restricted budget.

[Ted Harris]

Got it, not sure I'd trust it but, as you said, definitely better than no profile at all. However, I'd question whether it is better than a canned profile.

[Joanna Carter]

Got it, not sure I'd trust it but, as you said, definitely better than no profile at all. However, I'd question whether it is better than a canned profile.
Well, from my experience, there was very little difference between the profile I produced and the canned profile for Epson Semi Gloss. And that gave me the confidence to use EZColor for papers to which I did not have "canned" profiles; Hahnemulle Photo Rag for example, with very acceptable results that gained awards in competitions.

[rugenius]

My wife was going to pick up a Spider 3 Elite and she is having second thoughts in comparison to the purchse of the Eye one. The reason we need this is for color calibration of the two 24" LCD monitors. Although we really have frustrations with the difference in screen representation of identical Pantone swatches viewed between the different Adobe products, Quark, Etc,.... Does anyone have any suggestions or comments with regards to those colorometers?

[Joanna Carter]

I would agree with the several reviews that prefer the EyeOne over the Spyder; fast easy and reliable.

http://www.drycreekphoto.com/Learn/monitor_calibration_tools.htm

[Peter De Smidt]

I only have the Spyder 3. It's a significant improvement over the earlier Spyder's. Recently I bought a monitor from the company I work for. They profile with a Gretag product. They said that they weren't able to profile the monitor well. Using the Spyder 3 and some monitor adjustments it profiles just fine.