Monitor Calibration tools

[Scott Davis]

Anyone have a recommendation/preference for monitor calibration tools? I'm looking for something on the less-expensive side (under $200) but I can't tell the difference between them. Is the Spyder better than the Pantone Huey or the Xrite?

[Dominique Labrosse]

From what I've read, the Huey is the worst of them all. But it is better than nothing.

I bought the Spyder2express for my stepdad. It is software limited, gives you no choices, and therefore calibrates only to 6500K gamma 2.2. If I were buying for myself, I would buy at minimum the Spyder2 Suite.

At work we bought the EyeOne Display2. I am very happy with it and would recommend it. Chromix presently has it listed at $219.

[Ron Marshall]

Another vote for Eyeone Display 2, very easy and quick to use.

Try B&H.

[Lazybones]

UTSF, my friend, and you will find lots of info...

...but again, I'm satisfied with the Eye-One Display 2.

[AlecMoody]

Lacie blue eye pro. Much better results than the cheaper alternatives.

Edit:
Just noticed this is a bit of a necro post. Sorry.

[paulr]

eye one is excellent; i found one on ebay for cheap a couple of year ago and it works perfectly. i was able to download updated software for free from greytag macbeth.

[cyrus]

I am curious about these tools. WHy not take a digital photo of a card or something that has several colors on it, view the photo on the monitor, and compare it next to the original - thus saving yourself $200?

[D. Bryant]

I am curious about these tools. WHy not take a digital photo of a card or something that has several colors on it, view the photo on the monitor, and compare it next to the original - thus saving yourself $200?

You're pulling our leg, right?

Don Bryant

[Leonard Evens]

I have been trying to figure out just how these devices operate, in particular the Eye One. I work under Linux. There is a profiling package that runs under Linux that I installed, and it supposedly can use data from the Eye One, but it is not clear how. I think you somehow have to take readings and input them to the program.

[neil poulsen]

The most sold is the Eye-One Display 2 by X-Rite/Gretag MacBeth. It currently sells at B&H ro $207.

It would be nice if you could find the discontinued Monaco Optix XR. For awhile, they were going for around $125 at B&H. That was a really good model.

If doing an LCD, check to see if it has RGB controls. Some LCD's have six color adjustments, like a Samsung I recently saw. If there are no color controls on your monitor, don't worry. If it has six colors, or the color controls aren't RGB, check with the mfg to see what they recommend. Some of them provide software that works on their LCD with existing colorimeters . (Like the Display 2 colorimeter.)

Regardless of whether or not it has color controls, one can still profile the monitor. If no controls, consider using the monitor's native white point instead of 6500. Without controls, or with non-rgb color controls, one can use 6500 white pt., but the profile won't be quite as good. Best gamma is 2.2, regardless of computer.