Colour Calibration for XXP?

[Improv]

Does any one use one of the colour calibration devices/software with XXP?

I'm thinking of getting something like a Pantone Huey (Pro?) or a Colorvision Spyder for Corel Painter X and was wondering if anyone used one for XXP.

Thanks

[mg.architect]

Hi Improv,
I have the Spyder. I've used it a couple of times but I think it's a waste of money. Even after using it, the printed output doesn't match what's on the screen any better than before the calibration (in fact it may be worse).

Where color tones are important for digital pics I print one out, see what needs to be adjusted, make the adjustments, print another one out...it's ridiculous.

But, unless you are willing to spend the time and money on printer profiles, monitor calibration, and camera profiles you will not get a perfect match between what's on screen and what's printed. There doesn't appear to be a universal standard that facilitates the wysiwyg ideal. So you settle for a compromise. Don't get me wrong, it's still better than what you used to get from the mass market 1-hour consumer film developers, but it's not where it should be either, too many variables.

mg

[Improv]

Hi Improv,
I have the Spyder. I've used it a couple of times but I think it's a waste of money. Even after using it, the printed output doesn't match what's on the screen any better than before the calibration (in fact it may be worse).

Where color tones are important for digital pics I print one out, see what needs to be adjusted, make the adjustments, print another one out...it's ridiculous.

But, unless you are willing to spend the time and money on printer profiles, monitor calibration, and camera profiles you will not get a perfect match between what's on screen and what's printed. There doesn't appear to be a universal standard that facilitates the wysiwyg ideal. So you settle for a compromise. Don't get me wrong, it's still better than what you used to get from the mass market 1-hour consumer film developers, but it's not where it should be either, too many variables.

mg

Thanks, mg. Folks on various Painter forums have said much the same. I guess you'd pretty much need your own custom profiles for the screen, printer, scanner, etc. And even after all that, it depends what your print bureau uses. Then if you change to another bureau, you start all over. I think you just saved me some cash! :-)

I guess using the pantone standard colours in XXP would probably work better, and besides, they're already paid for! ;-)

Cheers

[gwpriester]

I have a hueyPRO that I reviewed for a graphics magazine. Even with help from their tech support people I had problems.

On the plus side, hueyPRO samples the room light as often as you want it to and readjusts the monitor brightness.

On the minus side, I have to run the fairly simple calibration routine several times, sometimes five or six times before I feel comfortable about the calibration.

[Improv]

I have a hueyPRO that I reviewed for a graphics magazine. Even with help from their tech support people I had problems.

On the plus side, hueyPRO samples the room light as often as you want it to and readjusts the monitor brightness.

On the minus side, I have to run the fairly simple calibration routine several times, sometimes five or six times before I feel comfortable about the calibration.

Thanks. It sounds like some pluses, some hassle.

Do you use multiple monitors, Gary? I noticed that the Huey only does one screen, and the pro does multi-monitors. I really can't see much advantage in that as I use both XXP and Painter X on my main screen only. Given that, it would seem that the only real advantage of the Pro is that ambient light adjustment. But then from what you said, I think I would find all that constant adjustment irritating and rather distracting.

[jen0dorf]

Hi

I've been down thw same route and found a solution, works but not cheap

http://shop.colourconfidence.com/pro...788&xSec=10057

I needed to produce colour matched cd sleeves on a laser and this piece of kit creates profiles for both the printer and the laser. That being said you have to repeat the profile fairly often but you do get a good result.

I also use an epson photo inkjet and the profile supplied works perfectly with the monitor profile I created.

HTH

Ian

[gwpriester]

Just one monitor. It's a 23" monitor though. And it's all I can handle.

[Albacore]

When I worked with a newspaper this is what we used: http://www.datacolor.eu/en/products/...pro/index.html
We were meant to use it about 3 times a week but normally is was done late on a Friday when we cruising down to knocking off time. The results of both the software and the hardware were accurate and fairly easy to use but I didn't have to shell out the money to buy it. For a small business to fork out the money would take a lot of serious production to see any benefit back. Better idea would be to get a colour sample back from your printer and correct your monitor to that by eye. The first time I got my work back from a printer was when I was using Art Works and it was an awful fright to see how off my monitor was and how hopeless the software was at handling CMYK. Now with a bit more experience and using the same printer for years I have reasonable consistent colours using Xara but still a few problems sometimes in the overprinting area. Hope this helps!

[Improv]

Better idea would be to get a colour sample back from your printer and correct your monitor to that by eye.

Best idea yet-and the simplest, and the cheapest! :-)

[steve.ledger]

My first LCD monitor, an LG (L1720B) came with a calibration card and Colorific Software which did precisely this.
Worked very well. The monitor is about 5 years old now and still in daily service. The panel quality and colour rendition is still better than some of the budget LCD's around now.