[JonPB]

Preface: I just installed a new (wide viewing angle) monitor in my laptop. The default calibration was horrible. I know that I should use a colorimeter to get proper color, but here's what I did without one.

I'd like feedback on this process.

1) I opened my system's built-in monitor calibration tool. (Windows 7 has Control Panel > Calibrate display color. Mac has a similar tool, although I haven't found a GUI for Linux.) Run through the basic gamma, brightness and contrast settings. Get to the screen that removes color cast from gray bars.

2) Now, I break out my pseudo-colorimeter: my camera. I set the white balance to 6500K, I make the focus slightly blurred, and I take a picture of my monitor. I then review the RGB histogram, make adjustments to the sliders on my setup program, and take another picture. Repeat until the the red, green, and blue histograms peak at the same places. Save the profile.

3) Post on Pentaxforums asking whether this is a decent approach until I drop the money on the appropriate tool.

This strikes me as an effective way to get close-to-accurate color with no-extra-cost tools. I'm pleased by looking at my monitor, but I haven't made any test prints yet.

Any thoughts?

[dave kitson]

I used this technique recently during attempts to calibrate wide-gamut and normal LCDs (https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/digital-processing-software-printing/1252...libration.html).

It helped considerably with setting colour temperature, but you don't get the benefits of calibrating over the wider spectrum that correct calibration would give.

dave