Calibrate in normal usage lighting or something else?

scorpius

scorpius

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Alistair
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I know this might be a daft question but should you calibrate your monitor in the normal lighting conditions you would use it in or some other conditions?

The reason I'm asking is that I've bought a Spyder 3 that I think is faulty, giving a colour cast, but the seller says I'm using it wrong by not calibrating in the correct lighting.

Thanks for any assistance
 
Hi Alistair,

I think a bit more information like the following may help the people:

1.Are you on Windows or OSX?
2.PC or laptop?
3.If on PC which monitor do you have?

I had an issue with my spyder3pro on osx with the Dell 2209wa's. I have also bought a daylight balance bulb which I now use in the room.

Kev
 
Kev ,

I've tried it on my PC running W7 and laptop running Vista.

Monitor is a Samsung Syncmaster 245B
Laptop is a Compaq PresarioCQ60 - only tried this to determine if it was just an issue on my main PC

On both setups it's given the same results, a noticeable green cast, and after performing the calibration in daylight and at night with artificial lighting.

I'm using latest software version available Spyder3Pro 4.0.2
 
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If you are getting the same results on both then it well may be an issue with the spyder.

Are you using the latest software from the data colour website?
 
My room faces South and I can't do reliable colour correction unless it is dark or a cloudy day.
I've also got daylight bulbs and white walls.
I reckon it all adds up...

Probably the best test is to view a print under a full spectrum daylight bulb; if it looks remotely like your screen then everything is bob-on and it's your room that needs sorting.
If the print looks a different colour, then get a print from a trusted source and try again.
If the trusted print looks a different colour, then it's time to look at screen profiling problems.

I've had bugs in my display driver hardware leading to double profiling; that's possible to check and much harder to fix, but at least you know where the problem is.
Some versions of OS have bugs like this too (Yup I had them too).

Short version is - if a print viewed under a full spectrum daylight bulb looks like the screen.
THEN DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING!!!!
 
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Yes it's the latest version of the software available for the Spyder3 Pro.

I've spent the last couple of hours reading up on calibrating and trying various options including running the calibration in the dark as a number of places suggest and it's always the same result. The process reckons my monitor is too blue and not green enough but if I adjust the RGB sliders as suggested I get a definite green cast.

I reckon it's faulty but can't prove it
 
DuncanDisorderly said:
Short version is - if a print viewed under a full spectrum daylight bulb looks like the screen.
THEN DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING!!!!
Click to expand...

That's the annoying thing prints I've got recently look very similar to the uncalibrated screen and nothing like the calibrated version, but I thought I'd go that extra step and calibrate just to be sure and be spot on.

Oh well you live and learn I should have left it alone.
 
On the phone apps so not sure where you are based, might be worth seeing if you have anyone near you with another calibrator.

I moved from the spyder to the i1 display pro and am happy with it.
 
I'm in Edinburgh but unfortunately I don't know anyone with a calibrator :(
 
scorpius said:
That's the annoying thing prints I've got recently look very similar to the uncalibrated screen and nothing like the calibrated version, but I thought I'd go that extra step and calibrate just to be sure and be spot on.

Oh well you live and learn I should have left it alone.
Click to expand...
The key is getting a print from a trusted source. If it is out of your own printer, then the OS could be inadvertently profiling the print for you, even when you think it isn't set up that way (I had this problem too, in fact the whole thing was a massive problem at one time).
Any reputable print lab should be good enough to create you a trusted print.

Use the trusted print as your reference - both the screen and your printer should match it as closely as possible.
If you correct anything - it ought to match the trusted print; nothing else matters :)
 
scorpius said:
I know this might be a daft question but should you calibrate your monitor in the normal lighting conditions you would use it in or some other conditions?

The reason I'm asking is that I've bought a Spyder 3 that I think is faulty, giving a colour cast, but the seller says I'm using it wrong by not calibrating in the correct lighting.

Thanks for any assistance
Click to expand...


You work in the same light you calibrate for.. otherwise what's the point? :)

Your perceived colour acuity will change as the lighting changes. This is why daylight coming through a window is the worst possible lighting to work with a calibrated screen. As an example, I have a hardware calibrated high end screen here, and in controlled lighting (blackout blind - or night time with D65 lighting) it's perfect. However... on a very dull cloudy day with daylight coming in, it looks very warm. As I face west, when there's a sunset... the screen actually looks green!


Control your lighting, or there's no point in calibrating. If you perceive the screen to be warm because ambient light is cold, you'll end up making your images colder than they should be because your screen looks too warm.. if the ambient is warm... you'll end up having images slightly too warm as your screen will look cold.

During the day... Get a black out blind, and get one of these....

http://www.bltdirect.com/prolite-en...0GAqdf2Dv00eTTikzlR1TnBKL_lNQBtRSkaAgrl8P8HAQ

...in a desk lamp or something. Bounce it off a white wall, and the light levels will be sufficient to work with a screen of around 100cd/m2 calibration.. calibrated to D65 (6500K).
 
Regarding printing that all depends on your printer set up. IMHO its not proof of whether a screen is set up right unless you're using a custom profile from your paper manufacturer. Why not email an image or post on here so those of us with calibrated monitors can see if we can see a cast? If we don't then we know your calibration is out.
 
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David,
Thanks for the informative and helpful info.
It confirms what I thought I should do with more detail on why.

My screen is in the darkest corner of the room possible with no direct light on it.

What I have found is that regardless of the lighting conditions, even at night with the light off, I carry out the calibration under I get the same very definite green cast. That doesn't change to any degree I can see when the light changes.
 
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Raptor Mike said:
Regarding printing that all depends on your printer set up. IMHO its not proof of whether a screen is set up right unless you're using a custom profile from your paper manufacturer. Why not email an image or post on here so those of us with calibrated monitors can see if we can see a cast? If we don't then we know your calibration is out.
Click to expand...
Mike, Thanks for the reply.
I don't really have an issue with printing, I very rarely get prints these days and don't do my own, the ones I have had done recently look pretty close to the uncalibrated screen view and to what I expected colour wise.
 
scorpius said:
David,
Thanks for the informative and helpful info.
It confirms what I thought I should do with more detail on why.

My screen is in the darkest corner of the room possible with no direct light on it.

What I have found is that regardless of the lighting conditions, even at night with the light off, I carry out the calibration under I get the same very definite green cast. That doesn't change to any degree I can see when the light changes.
Click to expand...


What monitor are you trying to calibrate with the Spyder 3? It's not a great device for wide gamut screens.

[edit]

Ignore... you answered in a post further up.

That's a very old screen if I recall. I've had issues trying to calibrate older screens. The old Dell screen I use for a second screen for PS toolbars just will not calibrate... I've tried it with a Xrite DTP94, LaCie Blue Eye Pro, i1 Display Pro and Color Munki... all to no avail. It always calibrates very cold. It's just a sh1t screen.... simple as that.
 
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Hi

I had the same results when I tried to calibrate my screen but using a Spyder2, all I got was a very green tint.

I contacted Datacolor and they said that the Spyder2 was not compatible with Windows 8, so I bought the Spyder4Elite and that worked fine.

Check with Datacolor that the 3 is compatible with your software, I have always found them helpful and prompt with there replies.

Paul
 
He's on Win 7, so there should be no problem using the Spyder 3 with the 4.0 software.
 
The monitor is about 7 years old so not the latest tech. The fact I get the same green cast on my laptop as well suggests to me it's either a fault with the Spyder or my eyes
One of my colleagues has taken the Spyder to try on his much newer monitor. Hopefully that will clarify whether it's faulty or user error
 
Paul-H said:
Well it was just a tought, but you know best, so we shall all bow down to your superior knowledge :exit:
Click to expand...
Paul and everyone else thanks for the help, I'd prefer to get asked the same thing twice than nobody trying to assist me at all
 
Paul-H said:
Well it was just a tought, but you know best, so we shall all bow down to your superior knowledge :exit:
Click to expand...


No real need for that was there? I know it works on Win 7 with the current software.. just saving the guy the hassle of having to contact DataColor. I can always pretend to not know in future if it helps...
 
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