+Matrix - MonacoEZcolor Hardware & Target Compatibility The table below details which versions of EZcolor are compatible with what hardware and with what types of targets. MonacoEZcolor v 1.0.x v 2.0.x v 2.1.x v 2.2.x v 2.5.x v 2.6.x LCD CRT MonacoOPTIX XR NO NO NO NO NO YES YES YES MonacoOPTIX NO NO NO NO YES YES YES YES DTP92 (a.k.a. Monitor Optimizer) NO NO NO NO NO NO NO YES MonacoSENSOR YES YES YES YES YES YES NO YES Pantone ® ColorVision Spyder NO NO NO NO NO NO MonacoEZcolor v 1.0.x v 2.0.x v 2.1.x v 2.2.x v 2.5.x v 2.6.x Monaco IT8 Reflection Target YES 1 YES 1 YES 1 YES 1 YES 1 YES 1 3rd-Party IT8 Reflection target NO NO NO NO NO NO 3rd-Party IT8 Transmission Target YES YES YES YES YES YES MonacoEZcolor v 1.0.x v 2.0.x v 2.1.x v 2.2.x v 2.5.x v 2.6.x MacOS X (10.4 Tiger) MacOS X (10.3 Panther) NO NO NO NO NO YES MacOS X (10.0. 10.2 Jaguar) NO NO NO YES 2 YES YES MacOS 8.6. 9.2 NO YES YES YES YES NO MacOS 8.0.

9.0 YES NO Windows TM XP NO NO YES YES YES YES Windows TM 2000 YES YES YES YES YES YES Windows TM NT YES NO NO NO NO NO Windows TM ME YES YES YES YES YES YES Windows TM 98 (2nd Edition) YES YES YES YES YES YES Windows TM 95 YES NO NO NO NO NO 1 v ersion (type) 1 targets may only be used with v1.0.x software. Version (type) 2 targets only with v2.0.x 2 Error in v2.2 Manifested itself in Jaguar.

Cropping screen had green field in place of image. Resolved in v2.2.2.

0 Comments If you want to obtain accurate colours in your photos in (or indeed any other software), no matter what you may read elsewhere, you need to calibrate your computer monitor. If you don’t, the colours in your photos won’t be accurate, and you will never produce a print (or any other form of output, such as a Blurb book) that matches the colours on your screen. If you undertake client work, or sell your photos through stock libraries, it is essential to calibrate your monitor so that you know the colours of your photo are as intended. The reason for this is simple.

When monitors are manufactured, the colour is set incorrectly. Most monitors have a strong blue colour cast.

The only exception seems to be Apple Mac computers. They still have a colour cast, but it’s not as strong. I have no idea why this is. Whenever I’ve searched for the answer all I find is vague references to blue computer screens looking better in the shops, or that the blue colour cast suits graphic designers. Neither of these ideas seems credible to me.

Regardless, even if monitors were calibrated prior to shipping, you would still need to calibrate your monitor yourself at regular intervals because the colour of monitors drifts over time. Take a look at these two black and white images. One is completely neutral in tone, the other isn’t.

Can you tell which is which? If you answered that Image 1 is neutral, you are correct. But it’s very difficult to tell on an uncalibrated monitor.

If your monitor is uncalibrated (making everything look bluer than what it is) you probably picked Image 2 as the neutrally coloured one. Using monitor calibration devices The only way to calibrate your monitor accurately is to buy (or borrow) a device that measures the colours emitted by your monitor. They are called and connect to your computer via the USB port.

If you research the topic online you will find articles that tell you how to calibrate your monitor without a colorimetric device. Pay no attention to them, their techniques don’t work. The only way to do it properly is with the correct device.

Colorimetric devices are easy to use, and come with software that guides you through the calibration process. It shows you where to place your device on the screen, then displays a series of colour patches for the device to measure. It then compares the colour values recorded by the device, against the true colour values of the colour patches and creates a profile that compensates for the inaccuracies of the monitor. The profile is saved on your hard drive and used by your computer’s operating system to control the way colours are displayed on your monitor.

Computers and colour profiles Once you have calibrated your monitor you can relax, knowing that the colours you see on your screen are as accurate as your monitor can render them. At least, that’s the idea. In real life, it’s a little more complex. Mac owners will be fine.

The Mac operating system (OS X) works very well with colour. Every program you use works with the monitor profile and displays accurate colour.

It’s one of the reasons that many professional photographers use Apple computers. If you have a Windows PC however the story is different. The operating system knows the monitor profile is there, but not all programs use it. It’s possible to have the same photo open in two programs, and for the colours in one to appear different to the other.

One program is using the monitor profile, and the other isn’t. All the professional level programs you use, such as Lightroom and Photoshop, utilize the monitor profile and display colours accurately. But not all software does. An example is ACDSee. It doesn’t use the monitor profile and won’t display colours accurately. If you’re unsure whether your software uses the monitor profile, a Google search should reveal the answer.

Just to make things even more complex, some PCs won’t load the monitor profile you created in the first place. It seems to be a problem with Windows Vista and Windows 7. Describes the problem in more detail and gives you a work around. Another thing to watch out for is that the colours on your monitor drift over time. For that reason it’s a good idea to calibrate your monitor at monthly intervals, or before you carry out any critical work. The software that comes with your device can be set up to give you a reminder.

How to choose a monitor calibration device Colorimetric devices are made by several manufacturers. The main players seem to be (who make the Spyder models) and (which makes Colormunki). For many photographers, the least expensive model in each manufacturer’s range is probably sufficient. That’s good news because it means that you don’t have to spend a lot of money in order to calibrate your monitor. But before you rush out and buy the cheapest device you can find, ask yourself these questions.

Some photographers will require the features found in more expensive models. Do you use a dual monitor set up? Some colorimetric devices only profile a single monitor. Do you have a printer to profile as well? Some devices can calibrate printers as well as monitors, although they are a lot more expensive.

Do you want to adjust the gamma or white point of your monitor? Not all monitors let you do this, but if you have a monitor which allows it you will need a more advanced device to enable this feature. The Spyder 4 Express I use a to calibrate my monitor. Here’s how the process works.

If you have a different device, the process will be similar. Run the Spyder4Express software that comes with the device The first screen gives directions. The important points are that you should let your monitor warm up for half an hour before calibration and that there should be no intense light falling on the screen. It also asks you to reset the contrast setting and set white balance to 6500K. This isn’t possible on all computers, especially laptops, so don’t worry about these settings if you can’t adjust them. The device will still work.

Then it asks you which type of display you have 3. Next enter the manufacturer and model of your display I selected Apple and the display model was filled in automatically. The Color LCD setting seems to be sufficient (confirmed by checking the monitor specs in System Information). Set the Gamut This next step is very important. Gamut is fairly easy. You’ll know if you have a wide gamut monitor because it will say so in the specs (that’s probably why you bought it).

In fact, I tried setting wide gamut here to see what would happen and the software recognised that I didn’t have a wide gamut monitor and sent me back to change it. The backlight setting is crucial. The instructions recommend that if you’re not sure what type of backlighting you have that you should set it to Unknown. I tried that and even I could see with my naked eye that the colour was wrong (the screen had a magenta cast). If your monitor has the model number printed on it, simply Google the model number. You should find the spec sheet for the monitor which will tell you exactly what type of backlighting it has.

If you have a laptop it’s harder to verify. I found these I’ve been unable to find any for Windows laptops, so if you how to do this I’d be grateful if you could let us know in the comments. Once you have the model, you can Google it for the spec sheet. That’s how I confirmed my laptop has a White LED backlight. Placement of the device The next screen shows where to place the Spyder 4 Express unit. It has a counterweight to hold it in position.

The software then displays a series of colour patches for the device to measure. A new profile is created When it’s finished, the program creates a new monitor profile that’s used by the computer from that point on. It also lets you switch between calibrated and uncalibrated versions to see the difference.

Gamut comparison Finally, the program shows a graph comparing the colour gamut of the monitor compared to sRGB, NTSC and AdobeRGB colour spaces. Conclusion Monitor calibration is an essential part of your workflow as a photographer. Indeed, it’s an essential part of all post-processing. There’s no way around it, but luckily the process doesn’t have to be difficult or overly expensive.

I use the Spyder 4 Express, and it’s a great little unit. It’s easy to use and relatively inexpensive. The only potential sticking point seems to be working out what type of backlighting your LCD monitor has. It’s crucial to get that right or the calibration won’t be accurate. Also, if you need more advanced features, such as the ability to profile more than one monitor or set the colour temperature or white point, then you need a more advanced model of device.

Have you used a different model to calibrate your monitor? How did the device perform and how did you get on? Let us know in the comments. Mastering Lightroom: Book Four – The Photos My new ebook takes you through ten beautiful examples of photography and shows you how I processed them step-by-step in Lightroom. It explores some of my favourite Develop Presets and plug-ins as well as the techniques I use in Lightroom itself. Click the link to learn more.

I have a question. Let’s say you buy the spyder 4 (or any other similar product), and you calibrate your monitor ONCE. Colors Profile file is stored somewhere in windows (or Mac os). So the next time you need to calibrate you monitor is when you install the os from scratch, of when you buy a new monitor Am I correct so far? Why is that monitor manifacture companies don’t calibrate their monitors?

Correct colors is not about “taste”, it something scientifically objective, right? If only one customer calibrate his monitor, and give the file to open, any other owner of the same model can use this file and get his monitor calibrated with no cost? Screens shift colors over time as the LCD starts to wear.

So no, a single one-time calibration won’t cut it. One calibration per month is standard for most people. Therefore calibration isn’t “set and forget”. Why don’t most manufacturers pre-calibrate: each display – even the same make and model – is different from another display.

X-rite Colorvision Spyder 2 Colour Correction System With 0

So in order to provide the customer with a pre-calibrated display it is necessary to calibrate them all one by one. This is an extra step in manufacturing which requires extra equipment and time, all adding to the price. There are pre-calibrated displays available -which are quite a bit more expensive than a regular monitor- but re-calibration is even required for those monitors. This also answers question two.

And for it not being about taste: true, it is scientific. Hi Don, I’ve no idea why that would be, unless your monitor has White LED backlight which I don’t believe the Spyder 3 can handle. I’ve used both the Spyder 2 (back when it was the newest model) and Spyder 4 and not had a problem with either one. The only way I was able to induce the Spyder 4 software to give the wrong reading was when I set Backlight to unknown. I had to set it to White LED (the type of backlighting my monitor has) for it to give the correct reading. Could be worth giving Datacolor’s consumer support a try?

I’m sure they could help you get to the root of the problem:. I hate to be the wet blanket but my experience was nothing short of HORRIBLE. A complete WASTE of $250. I installed and ran Spyder4 for my Viewsonic VX2703MH-LED. It could not find the proper white balance. After a couple of lame attempts from their tech support “try this, try this” I get the big kiss off: “In the end, all this depends upon the quality of your monitor. If you can’t reach the target luminance within the 4%, try to get as close as physically possible, than simply hit CONTNUE.” Not reaching the target luminance likely came from a defective Spyder as the readings were completely whacked every time (20+ times) I tried calibrating and then adjusting.

I asked for a replacement — which request was totally INGNORED. THEY DO NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. SO I AM NOW OUT $250, for a piece of garbage that left my system worse off than I started.

X-rite Colorvision Spyder 2 Colour Correction System With Key

It totally tweaked something within either Photoshop or the profile Photoshop accesses. I work as an Art Director / designer and now my system is flawed!!

At risk of sounding a little pedantic, it would be more accurate to distinguish between calibration and characterization. Calibration basically consists in setting up the monitor adjustable parameters. For most monitors that means choosing the White Point (that is the color temperature of the monitor “white”), the luminance and the gamma curves. The best monitors allow for all these parameters to be adjusted at the hardware level by acting directly on the monitor’s dials and controls. Less expensive monitors do not allow for such fine adjustements and the user’s only option is to act at the software level (like for example implementing the new gamma curves through the graphic card with the downside of the possible introduction of banding). Once the monitor is calibrated it’s time to profile (or characterize) it. Profiling is necessary to determine the exact response of that specific sample of monitor to the signals sent by the computer and to account for any discrepancy.

That’s the purpose of measuring the color patches during the profiling procedure: the calibration software sends a signal that tells the monitor to reproduce a specific known color while the instrument measures the color that the monitor actually reproduced. In the end a monitor profile is created that tries to minimize the measured differences. Since correcting for one color will usually lead to a change in the reproduction of all the other colors, the profile will be the result of a compromise (mathematically defined). Anyway, you are right: the luminance of the monitor is chosen by the user during calibration and to try to best match the brightness of the image shown on the monitor to that of a print is the responsibility of the user, who has to choose the correct luminance setting for his monitor. In my experience that’s pretty much a nightmare since the ambient luminance (that changes with ambient light), the specific laboratory that prints the image and the viewing conditions under which the print is examined are all factors that can dramatically affect the final result. Most people familiar with calibration seem to suggest a luminance value in the 80-110 cd/m2 range, but in the end I think the best method to obtain consistent results is to try to stick with the same printer so that, with experience, it becomes possible to predict the final result and account for any correction in advance. A point of view I feel missed is that the express versions of the spyder does not allow for the surrounding area from the room.

X-rite Colorvision Spyder 2 Colour Correction System With Dvr

First couple of times i did it the room i was in had green curtains. This affected the calibration process ending up with a tinge in the completed look.

I suggest that you keep the background colours as neutral as you can. DO NOT have any noticeable colours surrounding you. This includes what you wear.

Only the higher versions of the spyder will take surrounding ambient light into consideration. If the pocket can afford it get the elite. GET DAILY free tips, news and reviews via our RSS Feed Sign up to the free DPS PHOTOGRAPHY COURSE Subscribe. Guaranteed for 2 full months. Atheros xspan drivers for mac. Pay by PayPal or Credit Card. Instant Digital Download GET DAILY free tips, news and reviews via our Sign up to the free DPS PHOTOGRAPHY COURSE Subscribe. Guaranteed for 2 full months.

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