Colour Calibration, How to with and without a tool

AstroTurf

AstroTurf

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Hi,

What is a good quality cheap colour calibration tool? how much and where?

Until then, I am trying to print out an image of a orange cloth, it keeps printing out pink. How can I get it to a closer match? (It looks orange on screen but prints out a shade of pink).
 
I bought a colorimeter from Amazon.com a few years back - the Spyder2Express and it does the job pretty well.
 
The cheapest you are going to get local is the Spyder3Express or Pro. They are in the region of R1000 - R2000
 
And how do I calibrate (even roughly) without one as I will not have budget for one for at least 4 months.
 
You might need to calibrate the printer as well. I've calibrated my screens using the Spyder3 yet my printers prints are way off from the screen. I spoke to a canon rep (its a canon printer) and he suggested that if the printer has a direct print capability, then try to print an image directly from camera. If the colours are still not perceivably correct then the heads or catridges might be at fault.

I think my print head is to blame. Changed cartridges re-installed OS. Printed from different machines. Same result. So I'm just replacing my printer.
 
@AstroTurf - Find out from your local photographic store if they hire out the calibrator. Camerworld in Goodwood CPT apprarently do if you print your images there. There might be a deposit and a hiring fee.
 
Don't bother if you are on a laptop (PC) Not sure about Macs, Buts its next to impossible to get it right on a laptop.
 
SubliminalThought said:
You might need to calibrate the printer as well. I've calibrated my screens using the Spyder3 yet my printers prints are way off from the screen. I spoke to a canon rep (its a canon printer) and he suggested that if the printer has a direct print capability, then try to print an image directly from camera. If the colours are still not perceivably correct then the heads or catridges might be at fault.

I think my print head is to blame. Changed cartridges re-installed OS. Printed from different machines. Same result. So I'm just replacing my printer.
Click to expand...

That is disheartening as the primary use would be to get prints right as opposed to on screen viewing.
Keep in mind we use laser-jets, soluble ink-jets and ribbon based vinyl printer/cutter combo's.

I'll see if there is a shop in Pretoria that rents them out (ODP is here so that's my first stop).
 
stix said:
Don't bother if you are on a laptop (PC) Not sure about Macs, Buts its next to impossible to get it right on a laptop.
Click to expand...

Care to expand? eg did you use a colorimeter?

Also, if you have a laptop with a really crappy monitor, you're in the same boat as anyone with a crappy LCD monitor on a desktop PC.
 
bwana said:
Why?
Click to expand...

Old wives tale. It depends very much on the panel your laptop uses. My 6yr old laptop has a kuk panel and you cannot even get it close just by using your eyes & online charts but I blame old tech for that. All depends on what you buy.
 
I've had decent success calibrating my laptop. My built in laptop LCD is now close to my desktop LCD. While hardware wise, laptops only have color and contrast control, if you the laptop has a decent graphics card then you can use its control panel to adjust some of the more advanced options. Don't have any experience with MAC but I guess it would be similar.
 
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