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Calibrating monitors, is there a free and easy way?Moderators: Greg B, Nnnnsic, Geoff, Glen, gstark, Moderators
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Please ensure that you have a meaningful location included in your profile. Please refer to the FAQ for details of what "meaningful" is. Please also check the portal page for more information on this. Calibrating monitors, is there a free and easy way?
im pretty sure my moniter needs a good kick in the bum. its a sony lcd but im not convinced its displaying as best it could. so my question is, short of buying a spyder is there any easy way i can calabrate my moniter?
http://flickr.com/photos/jamesthomsonphotography/
http://ausrock87.deviantart.com/ D700 | D200 (retired) | F80 |
Go through the Adobe Gamma wizard... that's about all I can suggest.
I'm not sure why people buy Sony monitors... either LCD or CRT. In my experience, they're not that good and are usually just badge engineered Mitsubishis. Producer & Editor @ GadgetGuy.com.au
Contributor for fine magazines such as PC Authority and Popular Science.
Thommo,
Try Adobe Gamma, Quick Gamma... When you get sick of spending hours stuffing around, then buy a spyder! The above comment is intended to be constructive. For $200 you can have it all - monitor calibrated and profiled right, first time everytime, and it takes about 20 minutes. Spyders have never been so affordable. Visual tools are subjective. It relies on the user to make a decision as to what is right and what is not based on what is the screen and with no external reference. I am no fan of these tools. Cheers Matt
Matt,  Lot of these creatures are hanging around outdoor Birddog114
VNAF, My Beloved Country and Airspace
That's what I've done when I've got sick of these free tools. Birddog, Those spiders don't have a proper interface to connect them to PC or Mac 
And, yes, I'm back Mikhail
Hasselblad 501CM, XPAN, Wista DX 4x5, Pentax 67, Nikon D70, FED-2
They have built in wifi and virtual connection Birddog114
VNAF, My Beloved Country and Airspace
Well I tried Adobe Gamma. Went through and did what it said. Nothing changed when I use the profile
Oh and also Adobe Gamma, when it shows you a box that you have to adjust the slider with. The slider is broken. I ended up just putting a number in the textbox instead. Not sure if there is a newer Adobe Gamma that works better, but this is the one that comes with Photoshop CS I think. The Spyder thing is only $200? Maybe I should go out and buy one. I'll have to check my photo prints that I got the other day and compare them to the monitors interpretation first.
Uh-huh. So, I hope you'll show us how it works next mini-meet Mikhail
Hasselblad 501CM, XPAN, Wista DX 4x5, Pentax 67, Nikon D70, FED-2
http://www.ausmedia.com.au/calibration.htm I've got ColorVision ColorPlus spider from these guys. It doesn't give you too much flexibility as a Spider Pro with OptiCAL or PhotoCAL but it's straght forward, simple and gives me good results Mikhail
Hasselblad 501CM, XPAN, Wista DX 4x5, Pentax 67, Nikon D70, FED-2
Thommo
A couple of threads to look at: http://forum.d70users.com/viewtopic.php?t=2297&highlight= http://forum.d70users.com/viewtopic.php?t=2530&highlight= http://forum.d70users.com/viewtopic.php?t=2921&highlight= As Hlop says the ColorVision is not to bad and it's a reasonable price. I have one and am happy with the price. Like you I originally tried free solutions, but could never get the results I wanted. Now I can, but it cost  Peter
Disclaimer: I know nothing about anything. *** smugmug galleries: http://www.stubbsy.smugmug.com ***
However, it could cost more.
Be happy you're a PC user. Mac users don't get it as inexpensively as we do. Producer & Editor @ GadgetGuy.com.au
Contributor for fine magazines such as PC Authority and Popular Science.
Just gauging interest... anyone want in a bulk buy? If I'm able to source them from HK - and shipped to Birdy. Should be able to get the Spyder 2 for around the price of the lowly Spyder.
I'd certainly be interested in this Onyx.
Thanx for offering to facilitate. Hope you are enjoying HKG. Trevor
Let's see what you can do Am certainly interested if I can afford it at the time.
Thanks Onyx - good that you can stay in touch while over there *** When getting there is half the fun! ***
Oynx, I would also be interested in this.
Let us know what sort of price you can achieve this for. Any pictures from HKG yet? Nikon F80D, FM2n
RRS BH-55, 055XPROB Smugmug
Aw. That's intersting. If the final price will be $250 australian or less I'd buy one Mikhail
Hasselblad 501CM, XPAN, Wista DX 4x5, Pentax 67, Nikon D70, FED-2
Onyx - terrible, terrible idea - don't do this to me. I've just bought a lowly Spyder and now this  I might have to buy another one  Peter
Disclaimer: I know nothing about anything. *** smugmug galleries: http://www.stubbsy.smugmug.com ***
Would the Spyder come with both Mac and Windows drivers?
Producer & Editor @ GadgetGuy.com.au
Contributor for fine magazines such as PC Authority and Popular Science.
You've gone too quick! and we're going to get the new ver. 2.0 Birddog114
VNAF, My Beloved Country and Airspace
Gee thanks birddog, you really know how to cheer a guy up
Peter
Disclaimer: I know nothing about anything. *** smugmug galleries: http://www.stubbsy.smugmug.com ***
Stubbsy - If I have learnt one thing from this forum, it's this:
If you are about to buy something, stop - look - wait. For sure, within a week of you buying it, you'll be able to get it at a fraction of the price from this forum! *** When getting there is half the fun! ***
Count me in
Please put me on the list of interested parties for a bulk buy
I'd love a Spyder to help calibrate my monitor
Cheers, John
Leek@Flickr | Leek@RedBubble | Leek@DeviantArt D700; D200; Tokina 12-24; Nikkor 50mm f1.4,18-70mm,85mm f1.8, 105mm,80-400VR, SB-800s; G1227LVL; RRS BH-55; Feisol 1401
I'm trying to negotiate in a deal of 20 or 50.
Stay tuned Birddog114
VNAF, My Beloved Country and Airspace
Just got an email back from "Jacky Leung" of Shriro (HK). I initally asked about the cost for quantity of 10 - I might extend the order to 20 to cover members' demand so far. I'm enquiring about the Spyder 2, as seen here:
http://www.colorvision.com/profis/profi ... jsp?id=101 US RRP is $189, street price of $179. Jacky hasn't given me an indication of price so far, but I'm hoping to get it landed in Aust for $AU240-250ish. Cross yer fingers.
Hey Onyx, Watch out at that price in Aussie dollar, you don't take in account of shipping, GST + Customs charges, if you ship it by individual, so not too worry, but do the bulk shipping (10 or 20 or 50) then you have to think of the guys in blue, they never let you go free! Birddog114
VNAF, My Beloved Country and Airspace
Yes Birdy, my estimate was inclusive of postage, GST, customs duties. etc etc. per unit. (ie. as mentioned "landed in Aust" price, not "straight HK converted to Aust $" price).
Onyx,
Street price is US$179.00 = AU$231.00, GST = $23.10 = AU$254.10 Then add freight + Customs Charges of $52.00 if the total cost of shipping is exceeded AU$1K, so my estimate is around AU$270.00 - $280.00 with today rate at 0.78. Birddog114
VNAF, My Beloved Country and Airspace
Is it street price for one piece? If it is, then take in account some bulk buying discount and we'll have price about 250. I hope Mikhail
Hasselblad 501CM, XPAN, Wista DX 4x5, Pentax 67, Nikon D70, FED-2
I seached some Aussie sites, Vanbar have it at $AU378, Kayell at $360. I'm hoping price in HK to be less than street price of US (as consistent with every other item here, including US sourced snack food - eg. Pringles), plus volume consideration... hope to be able to get it landed at ~$100 less than AU street prices.
Onyx, Yeah, I know what you meant, but you have to be realistic, the exchange rate won't settle there, conversion fees in between US$ and HKG$ same as other factors, you have to allow at least 5-10% variation in importing goods into Australia today. Birddog114
VNAF, My Beloved Country and Airspace
PM/emails sent to all indicated interested parties above - plz email me at dr.cbtan@gmail.com for confirmation of numbers, and any others that want to order a Spyder 2 email me there so I have definite numbers for the order.
As indicated, my estimates were a little aggressive - perhaps I think too optimistically and Birddog the pessimist was right. Birddog's also bankrolling this operation, so let's have this wrapped up and quickly as possible so he's not out of pocket for long, and we can all enjoy correctly calibrated monitors ASAP.
* Compat with Mac & PC (need a USB port). * All OS supported (as indicated by Colorvision website). * ver #2 probably a slight revision on the original Spyder, however I don't know what so what you can read off the website is all I know too.
Could you give us bit more details and symptoms? What operation systems are? Video Cards? Monitors? I've got ColorPLUS Spyder and use it on LCD monitor and on laptop - works well on both. But before I've bought this one, I borrowed Spyder with PhotoCAL and OptiCAL software from my mate (he uses it on CRT screen) and tried on my LCD - very good results. OS: WinXP Video: ATI radeon 9700 PRO Monitor: old and simple BenQ FP767 Mikhail
Hasselblad 501CM, XPAN, Wista DX 4x5, Pentax 67, Nikon D70, FED-2
Hilop, hehehe! perhaps he used the ones I mentioned earlier in this thread virtual with wifi built in Birddog114
VNAF, My Beloved Country and Airspace
I've just been informed of a MUCH better deal via PM. PS. If you find something that may be of benefit to others, please post in public! I'm sure no one will mind the potential to save money.
Anyway, Adorama currently have it tagged at $179.95 and out of stock. However clicking the 'buy now' button yields a much more favourable price of $149.95 plus $40 UPS International to Aust. As it is backordered, you may be left waiting for an uncertain amount of time, but it's a significant cost saving than what I was tentatively able to achieve even in quantity. So, I propose to cancel the bulk buy and instead urge those members who're interested to patronise Adorama instead. (yes, you will be asked to fax your CC and proof of address by Adorama before shipment; but it's a necessary evil and they're doing it for YOUR benefit). NB: I have no affliation with the company Adorama other than being a repeat customer.
Onyx
Adorama is where I bought the ColorVision ColorPlus. Their price for that is US$99 http://www.adorama.com/catalog.tpl?page=searchresults&searchinfo=colorplus and it's in stock. Add freight of $40 makes US$139 - makes it close to aussie price (esp if + GST + Customs), but if there are other goodies you want then it's an attractive deal (which is what I did). Same if you buy multiples since the freight only goes up slightly. Peter
Disclaimer: I know nothing about anything. *** smugmug galleries: http://www.stubbsy.smugmug.com ***
Let's get this thread going again...
I have just found that AusMedia have the ColorVision Spyder 2PRO for only $375.77 AUD (Delivered). They are out of stock but apparently getting them next week. I am not sure what their price on the ColorVision Spyder2 is though (they only have the PRO listed on their website). From my research this is a pretty good price as most of the other australian sites have them listed at $560!!!!! Hopefully I'll order one next week. Cheers, W00DY Andrew
Nikon D3 and lot's of Nikon stuff!!
W00DY, I bought the Colorvision Spyder2 from Adorama, US$189 including shipping to my door, around AUD$250. Only took a few days to get here too (ordered Wednesday IIRC, received it Tuesday). Couldn't recommend it more, one of the best things I've purchased!
Do you get the Spyder 2 or the Spyder 2 PRO??? Do you know if there is much difference (other than price)??? Andrew
Nikon D3 and lot's of Nikon stuff!!
Scrap my previous posts...
The AusMedia website is very confussing... They actually list the Spyder 2 as the Spyder 2 PRO and the Spyder 2 PRO as the Spyder 2 PRO Studio.... So it is still cheaper to buy from Adorama (which I will be doing). Cheers, W00DY Andrew
Nikon D3 and lot's of Nikon stuff!!
From my experience ordering my Spyder from them you'll have it before the end of next week. Peter
Disclaimer: I know nothing about anything. *** smugmug galleries: http://www.stubbsy.smugmug.com ***
Heap of them in your garden, and quick! also FOC Last edited by birddog114 on Thu Mar 17, 2005 2:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Birddog114
VNAF, My Beloved Country and Airspace
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