Calibrating with Spyder 2

[Charles Knapp]

Happy New Year!

Can anyone give me some advice about which product is worth buying for this purpose?
I have heard good things about the Spyder 2 by Colorvision. Is the Spyder Pro 2.0 worth the extra $$?
I have a Apple Powerbook G4, 15" as well as a Dell Desktop, HP 7690 Photoprinter.
I will mainly want to fix up my photos and then have them printed off site, although I may print a few at home as well.

Thanks for your time.

Charles:)

[vintage]

I bought a Spyder 2 Plus. It was easy to do. So far I have been ok with it.
It's been a short time since I calibrated and have not had many pictures printed since doing the calibration. I also have all my pictures printed off site. I have an LCD monitor but it was not very hard to calibrate. Don't know enough to tell you anymore. Sorry! So far ok with what has been printed.

Vintage Mimi

[bayhli]

I have the Spyder 2 Plus for my LCD monitor, and I'm happy with it. I'm also inexperienced but I do see a significant improvement and I found it whaaaaay easier than trying to use the Adobe Gamma. (I just couldn't get it with the Gamma).

I'm happy I purchased it.

[Wendy]

Hi Charles ...

... and welcome to the forum :)

If you do decide to buy it then I would be really interested to know how you go on calibrating the Powerbook ... so please do let us know :)


Wendy

[sandie]

I am definitely interested in how it is actually done. I have the program etc that we won but have not set it up or done it. We have two computer moniters to do but I am hesitant, I do not want mess up the moniter, it works pretty well now so do not want to worsen things.

[Dean]

I have used the Spyder for calibrating for about two years. I have only used it on LCD monitors. I have calibrated two iMacs, an Apple Powerbook and a Windows system. The monitors range in size from 14 inches to 21 inches.

I do all of my own printing and found that the calibration system works very well and is consistent. I also have saved a great deal of paper since having done the calibrations.

I found the calibration process very straight forward and pretty much takes care of itself. I found the it is essential to have good, but delicate, contact with the LCD screen to get good results.

I also found that recalibration does not have to occur very often. My systems stay calibrated for 6-9 months.

I use a standard set of photos for comparison of my prints to the monitor. I happen to use those available on Tim Grey's web site.

I consider this to be one of my better investments for consistent printing.

[bayhli]

Hi Dean,

Are the photos you use for comparison from Tim Grey's web site, specifically for the purpose of callibrating or do you just select at random from those that are available in the articles?

I looked around but did not find any mention of callibrating or specific photos for comparison but there is lots to see and may have missed it.

Thanks for the site(s); I enjoyed my visit there.

[Wendy]

Hi Dean ...

Thanks so much for the information ... it really is useful to get the views of someone who has used the Spyder over such a long period. :)


Wendy

[Dean]

Hello Pat,

I was looking for the file name that Tim Grey uses and have misplaced it. Will keep looking. However, there is a similar photo on the ColorVision site. I recently, last week, downloaded the PhotoCal 2.7.6 update and in the file there is a test photo which is very similar.

Hope this helps.

Dean

[bayhli]

Will have a look - thanks Dean.

[Dean]

Pat,

The Tim Grey site I was looking for is www.timgrey.com/ccdownloads.htm

Hope you can use it.

Dean

[sandie]

I went to a talk about just this sort of thing. One thing I learned is that you calibrate for each lighting situation you are in. So, if you manipulate your pictures in a room with certain light then you calibrate there with that lighting etc and name it as such when it asks you to name it, then if you are going to use your office to do some manipulation work with different lighting then you calibrate in that room as well and name it OFFICE or some designation so you know when you are going to one of these rooms that you go and put the computer program in that room sort of speak so the calibration is good for the lighting you are using. Hopefully that was not too comfusing. You can calibrate for more than one lighting situation and then call on that particular calibration when working in the particular room with lighting as it is.
I have not done mine yet, worry I will screw things up but will bite the bullet and do it one of these days, maybe Monday, it is a holiday here so will have time to fool around maybe.

[Wendy]

Hi Sandie ...

... and thanks for letting us know about about the talk you went to. It sounds really interesting.

Do let us know how you go on with the calibration :)


WEndy