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What screen calibrator do you use?

A

AppleHater

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 9, 2010
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When I use 32 inch LG TV/monitor to edit photos with Lightroom, the color is quite off compared to my Mac screen.

Neither one is calibrated and I want to know which screen calibrator people use for photo editing. I don't use it for professional purpose.
 
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A

Attonine

macrumors 6502a
Feb 15, 2006
744
58
Kent. UK
As a first step, and without throwing any cash about, I use display preferences>color and choose the calibrate tab. Would be a good first step for you to see how close you can get the displays. After this you will be able to evaluate whether you need to invest in a 3rd party device.
 
Apple fanboy

Apple fanboy

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Feb 21, 2012
57,006
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Behind the Lens, UK
AppleHater said:
When I use 32 inch LG TV/monitor to edit photos with Lightroom, the color is quite off compared to my Mac screen.

Neither one is calibrated and I want to know which screen calibrator people use for photo editing. I don't use it for professional purpose.
Click to expand...
I use an i1 photo pro. However neither your LG TV or a Mac screen are ideal for photo editing. I use an NEC Spctraview, so I can do a hardware calibration.
On a budget, look at the ColorMunki Display.
 
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phrehdd

phrehdd

Contributor
Oct 25, 2008
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I use as well an NEC monitor and the excellent sensor that comes with it.

Let's be clear, the NEC does real calibration to the monitor. ColorMunki, Spyder and others don't calibrate the monitor but rather create profiles for the monitor which is a bit different but often "good enough." Given what you are using, consider ColorMunki as a pretty good choice for creating a profile. Also remember to use it on regular intervals (your choice of how often) as you might find that your profile needs to be adjusted from time to time as the screen has "drifts." i1 is a nice option too.
 
Apple fanboy

Apple fanboy

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Feb 21, 2012
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Behind the Lens, UK
Isn't the NEC SpectraSensor Pro just an i1 Display Pro with a different badge? You will find the Profilemaker software (which is what gives you access to the LUT) to do as you call it a proper calibration will work with a range of calibration tools.
Also all screens drift. You need to calibrate every 4-6 weeks.
 
A

AppleHater

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 9, 2010
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Thanks for all the suggestions. I currently prefer to keep using my LG TV although not quite accurate as long as it's reasonably accurate.
smiley.gif


I'm considering Spyder 4 Express or Spyder 5 Express. Any opinions or ideas on these?
 
Apple fanboy

Apple fanboy

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Feb 21, 2012
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Spyder 5 Express is the same as the four with a different outer case and software interface.
I'm pretty sure you won't be able to have two ICC profiles at once. Try to step up to the Spyder four Pro or ColorMunki Smile.
 
sarge

sarge

macrumors 6502a
Jul 20, 2003
597
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Brooklyn
Datacolor Spyder Pro has worked well for me - and yes, you do need the Pro version in order to create profiles for more than one monitor
 
A

AppleHater

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 9, 2010
788
104
Apple fanboy said:
Spyder 5 Express is the same as the four with a different outer case and software interface.
I'm pretty sure you won't be able to have two ICC profiles at once. Try to step up to the Spyder four Pro or ColorMunki Smile.
Click to expand...
It looks like with Spyder5express, I can save 2 instead of 1 profile. So, probably, I'll be comparing Spyder4Pro to Spyder5Express.
 
JDDavis

JDDavis

macrumors 65816
Jan 16, 2009
1,242
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AppleHater said:
It looks like with Spyder5express, I can save 2 instead of 1 profile. So, probably, I'll be comparing Spyder4Pro to Spyder5Express.
Click to expand...

Yup...It's the Spyder 5 Express or the at minimum the 4 Pro if you want to do multiple displays. Which...ironically, I failed to notice in my "detailed research" of the 4 Express. I only have one monitor to calibrate but if I had read everything I probably would've gone for the 5 Pro just for future proofing. :cool: Oh, well. The 4 express does a good job on my monitor and it's very easy to use. Gives me a future upgrade to look forward to.
 
H

halfcamerageek

macrumors member
May 31, 2011
44
7
I’ve been working on a detailed review of the new Spyder5, including a direct comparison to X-Rite’s i1Display Pro. My results with the new Spyder are very good, to the point that I think it’s a real contender to i1 Display Pro and the Colormunki Display.

All new Spyder5 versions can profile multiple displays, including the least expensive Express model. This version is a steal at $129, specially if paired with the free open source dispcalGUI + Argyll CMS package. Profile quality is 99% as good as the i1. All I could notice in terms of difference were slightly harsher transitions in the blues and reds and a tiny bit more banding. The only drawback is that Argyll CMS is not yet optimized for the Spyder 5, so measurement times are super long, taking up to a couple of hours to generate a profile. I just let it run overnight.

Keep in mind, though, that it’s very difficult to achieve good results when profiling lower quality TN displays. i1 was better and more consistent than the Spyder5 in those cases, but still bad and unacceptable for any color critical work. This is due to the various limitations in TN displays, not to the calibration hardware itself.
 
A

anotherscotsman

macrumors 68020
Aug 2, 2014
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16,735
UK
I've used the i1Display2 - the Gretag software for this model is no longer MAC compatible but the combination of dispcalGUI and Argyll (as noted by halfcamerageek above) works fine giving some more life to what would otherwise be defunct hardware.
 
Apple fanboy

Apple fanboy

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Feb 21, 2012
57,006
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Behind the Lens, UK
anotherscotsman said:
I've used the i1Display2 - the Gretag software for this model is no longer MAC compatible but the combination of dispcalGUI and Argyll (as noted by halfcamerageek above) works fine giving some more life to what would otherwise be defunct hardware.
Click to expand...
But with a plastic filter that's 5+ years old, aren't you worried about it yellowing. The new i1 Display Pro has a glass filter which is better.
 
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H

halfcamerageek

macrumors member
May 31, 2011
44
7
Apple fanboy is absolutely right. Those older i1Display 2 models are notorious for fading and giving totally inconsistent results. Maybe it's time to invest in a new unit. The i1 Display Pro is top notch. If you're on a tight budget, try the Spyder5 Express with dispcalGUI + Argyll CMS. I was surprised with the great results of this combo.
 
A

anotherscotsman

macrumors 68020
Aug 2, 2014
2,369
16,735
UK
halfcamerageek said:
Apple fanboy is absolutely right. Those older i1Display 2 models are notorious for fading and giving totally inconsistent results. Maybe it's time to invest in a new unit. The i1 Display Pro is top notch. If you're on a tight budget, try the Spyder5 Express with dispcalGUI + Argyll CMS. I was surprised with the great results of this combo.
Click to expand...

Scottish by name and by nature....:) but you are right, I've got one on the list for Christmas:) No sign of yellowing yet so it will see me out until then.
 
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