Computer Monitor and Images

I was reading somewhere that you should have your computer monitor screen calibrated so the camera images are true to the file. It makes sense. If your monitor colors are off, how can you tell what adjustments your images might need? Does anyone do that or is it overkill? Right now my monitor seems to have true colors, but I did calibrate my television monitor when I bought it.

To know if the monitors colors are correct right you need to have a print done by a photo store that does not auto correct like Wal-mart and others will do.

To calibrate I suggest Spyder Pro 4, or one of the other systems available. They will software calibrate at computer start up.

Most expensive, and generally most correct, is a color calibrated monitor.

No, it's not overkill if you need your photos to be correct - particularly whites being white. If you're doing photography for just geewhiz fun then don't worry about it.

Doing for fun agreed, but now that I'm retired I want to be the best photographer I can be. Within reason. Thanks

I started using dual monitors so getting the to match was important. I went with the Spyder Pro 4 also and it is so much better. When I send a photo out to get printed I konw how it will look when it gets back.

I use the aforementioned Spyer Pro 4 calibration system thingy and yes... Calibration makes a difference.

It should be mentioned the more adjustable the monitor itself, the better your calibration results will be; specifically if you have discrete Red, Green and Blue adjustment control. Some laptops and less-expensive desktop monitors may limit you to adjusting Brightness and Contrast only. While that's a big help, being able to dial-in the RGB specifics is what allows you to really blow out the digital chaff.

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You're monitor seems to have the right colours but they are probably off. To calibrate you're monitor you need a calibration tool and the software that goes with it. And even then you will have to re-calibrate. I do that once a month. To do this I use a datacolor spyder 3 but I'm thinking of buying a color checker passport so that i can make my own camera profiles as well as calibrating my monitor.

It's the basic Brightness and Contrast yada yada, so not sure Spyer Pro 4 would help me now. Sounds like a good program

It still helps allot. I've used my spyder on my low end laptop just for grins and on my high end laptop with an independent graphics card.

I just ran into this a week or so ago. I did do the calibration the monitor it's self performed but it's diff then what the spider offers. Having the Spider or equivalent is truly the way to go.

Just bought the Spyder Pro 4. Thanks for the advice everbody.