How Often Do You Calibrate Your Monitor?

[weltweit]

Because I recently got a new monitor, I tried just now to calibrate it using Calibrite Display Pro HL borrowed from my camera club.

It isn't the most intuitive piece of software / hardware but I think I covered all the instructions.

Once done, I went to find a photo of bluebells because they seem to be a good guide as to whether I got the calibration right, but there we have it, they are a sort of purple / mauve on my monitor.

I wish I had checked them before doing the calibration.

 

[moochedit]

Because I recently got a new monitor, I tried just now to calibrate it using Calibrite Display Pro HL borrowed from my camera club.

It isn't the most intuitive piece of software / hardware but I think I covered all the instructions.

Once done, I went to find a photo of bluebells because they seem to be a good guide as to whether I got the calibration right, but there we have it, they are a sort of purple / mauve on my monitor.

I wish I had checked them before doing the calibration.

View attachment 455855

They look purple on my phone. Are they not supposed to be?

 

[weltweit]

They look purple on my phone. Are they not supposed to be?

They are supposed to be blue

 

[weltweit]

 

[moochedit]

View attachment 455856

Still look purple

 

[RoyReed]

The first photo looks right on my (calibrated fortnightly) monitor. The second one looks oversaturated and a bit too dark.

And, yes, bluebells (at least the British variety and not the Spanish interlopers) are a slightly purplish blue.


Bluebells


Spanish Bluebells

 

[danny la rouge]

Here’s a screenshot of what I can see so you can compare.

 

[moochedit]

The first photo looks right on my (calibrated fortnightly) monitor. The second one looks oversaturated and a bit too dark.

And, yes, bluebells (at least the British variety and not the Spanish interlopers) are a slightly purplish blue.

View attachment 455858
Bluebells

View attachment 455859
Spanish Bluebells

Your second picture looks blue to me. All the others on this thread look purple to me.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Are you supposed to calibrate monitors?

 

[RoyReed]

Your second picture looks blue to me. All the others on this thread look purple to me.

It should, Spanish bluebells are blue (maybe even slightly cyan), British bluebells are slightly purplish.

 

[RoyReed]

Are you supposed to calibrate monitors?

Only if you're doing colour-critical work.

 

[danny la rouge]

Are you supposed to calibrate monitors?

If you prefer you can monitor Calipos.

 

[RoyReed]

When I'm photographing something that has to have accurate colour for reproduction I'll photograph a standard colour chart in the same light, so that I know the final output is the correct colour.

 

[JimW]

Surely screenshots from your monitor viewed on Welty's will just suffer the same distortion (or not)? Never calibrated a monitor since having flat screens.

 

[two sheds]

Also Spanish bluebells



I have two monitors, on the main one for some reason (for example) it's very difficult to see which tab is open on my browser, the other shows clearly that the open tab is lighter. I've tried adjusting the monitor controls with no difference whatsoever.

 

[danny la rouge]

Surely screenshots from your monitor viewed on Welty's will just suffer the same distortion (or not)? Never calibrated a monitor since having flat screens.

 

[RoyReed]

Also Spanish bluebells

View attachment 455864

I have two monitors, on the main one for some reason (for example) it's very difficult to see which tab is open on my browser, the other shows clearly that the open tab is lighter. I've tried adjusting the monitor controls with no difference whatsoever.

I've seen some Spanish bluebells like that as well - almost white.

I've got a quick and dirty test chart on my website that might help you set up your second monitor.

 

[two sheds]

Fucking hell I've done it - ta for that the brightness and contrast controls were maxed out

 

[RoyReed]

Whoever decided to call the controls brightness and contrast should be shot. Brightness should be used first to set the black level and then contrast to set the white level.

 

[two sheds]

I may get a tattoo of that to remind me

 

[danny la rouge]

I may get a tattoo of that to remind me

Then post it in the tattoo disasters thread pls!

 

[weltweit]

Well perhaps I will continue with this calibration for the time being.

Thanks for your input in particular RoyReed .. it makes me wonder though what kind the bluebells in that particular wood are because my recollection (which could be wrong) was that they were blue.

I will have to give the calibrator back later in January so could have another try before then.

 

[RoyReed]

Well perhaps I will continue with this calibration for the time being.

Thanks for your input in particular RoyReed .. it makes me wonder though what kind the bluebells in that particular wood are because my recollection (which could be wrong) was that they were blue.

I will have to give the calibrator back later in January so could have another try before then.

If the light is filtering through a lot of green leaves it will make the bluebells look less purple. The only way you could be 100% sure of the colour is to photograph them with a colour test chart, as your eye has far too much accommodation and will automatically compensate for any variation in lighting colour.

In the old days when I was doing it professionally and shooting on film I always had a colour temperature meter in my bag and nearly 100 colour compensation filters. These days it's so much easier (and probably more accurate) to shoot RAW correct it in post.

 

[weltweit]

If the light is filtering through a lot of green leaves it will make the bluebells look less purple.

Could be.
However could also be the light conditions under which I did the calibration of the screen I guess, though I held the sensor tight to the screen so ambient light shouldn't have made much of an impact.

The only way you could be 100% sure of the colour is to photograph them with a colour test chart, as your eye has far too much accommodation and will automatically compensate for any variation in lighting colour.

In the old days when I was doing it professionally and shooting on film I always had a colour temperature meter in my bag and nearly 100 colour compensation filters. These days it's so much easier (and probably more accurate) to shoot RAW correct it in post.

I sometimes shoot a white bit of paper as a grey-card to adjust later. But it probably isn't as good as a proper test chart.

 

[RoyReed]

Could be.
However could also be the light conditions under which I did the calibration of the screen I guess, though I held the sensor tight to the screen so ambient light shouldn't have made much of an impact.

I sometimes shoot a white bit of paper as a grey-card to adjust later. But it probably isn't as good as a proper test chart.

It's definitely better than nothing.