Monitor calibration

[PSA DC-9-30]

Can anyone explain, or direct me to a website that explains, how to calibrate a monitor? (I have an old ViewSonic 19" CRT.)  Prints I've made recently look pretty close to what I see on the screen in Photoshop CS2, but are a bit darker and more saturated. I suppose I could just go into color correction tab (I'm using Windows XP) and mess around until my image on screen looks exactly like the print I have in hand, but I'm sure there must be a better way.

Thanks for your help.

Kevin

[feppe]

Can anyone explain, or direct me to a website that explains, how to calibrate a monitor? (I have an old ViewSonic 19" CRT.)  Prints I've made recently look pretty close to what I see on the screen in Photoshop CS2, but are a bit darker and more saturated. I suppose I could just go into color correction tab (I'm using Windows XP) and mess around until my image on screen looks exactly like the print I have in hand, but I'm sure there must be a better way.

Thanks for your help.

Kevin
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=122024\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

To get good results you need hardware. I use Spyder2 and am very happy with it.

[Lisa Nikodym]

What feppe said (and another recommendation for the Spyder).  Calibrators aren't cheap, but they are the only really good option, and the calibration software that comes with it will hold your hand through the whole process.

A cheapo calibration program is Adobe Gamma (free, I think), which relies on your eyes instead of hardware, but you get what you pay for.  It's harder to deal with and gives mediocre results.  Better than nothing if you don't have the $$$ for a hardware calibrator, though.

Lisa

[digitaldog]

Can anyone explain, or direct me to a website that explains, how to calibrate a monitor? [{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

[a href=\"http://www.takegreatpictures.com/HOME/Columns/Digital_Photography/Details/Color_Management_and_Display.fci]http://www.takegreatpictures.com/HOME/Colu...and_Display.fci[/url]

[Henrik Paul]

As a shameless plug, here's my review on a very affordable calibrator, Pantone Huey. http://www.henrik.paul.fi/articles.php?a=11.

There's also a hueyPro that's some 40 euros more expensive (and the standard Huey can be upgraded to hueyPro), supports multiple monitors and presumably has more knobs to play with for calibration. I, however, didn't get a unit to review, so I can't comment on the unit further.

[digitaldog]

I, however, didn't get a unit to review, so I can't comment on the unit further.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=123312\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I think its the same hardware, different software.