[sany]

How to make a monitor caliberation for photography and make sure the laptop monitor and the camera monitor look same. Even some kind approximation will also be helpful.

Any ideas for free software that can do this - i dont need to be very accurate to go and spend bucks on these hardwares.

Home made solutions are welcome!

thanks

[Marc Sabatella]

There are no freewarer solution that do anything worth the time and effort - you need a hardware device called a colorimeter to actually measure the colors on your monitor. these usually come with their own software. The Spyder series is one popular option. They start at around $100.

Note you're unlikely to match the K-r LCD, though, since it isn't calibrated as far as I know. the point of calibration is so you monitor matches prints 9assuming you are also using a calibrated printer), and also other people's calibrated monitors.

[cats_five]

The LCD on the camera isn't much of a guide to how an image looks. It will show you how you've framed it, it will show you a histogram, don't think the K-r will display the blinking areas the K-7 will where the image is over- or under-exposed but you need to read the manual to check on that for sure.

Also, laptop monitors are not usually up to much. They are nearly always TN-technology and mostly can't display a wide enough colour gaumut. Even if you calibrate them with hardward you can't make them display a colour they can't display.

My personal advice would be to save up, buy an external IPS-technology screen for the laptop, then save up some more and profile that. There are finally some IPS screens at less than three arms and a leg - Viewsonic have some now.

When I brought an Eizo IPS screen I couldn't believe the difference in what I was seeing - the previous screen was calibrated with a Spyder, it simply couldn't display enough colours.

[Bill_R]

don't think the K-r will display the blinking areas the K-7 will where the image is over- or under-exposed but you need to read the manual to check on that for sure.

.

k-r will display it. It's unchecked by default but easy to check on and off with an image displayed.

[theunartist]

How to make a monitor caliberation for photography and make sure the laptop monitor and the camera monitor look same. Even some kind approximation will also be helpful.

Any ideas for free software that can do this - i dont need to be very accurate to go and spend bucks on these hardwares.

Home made solutions are welcome!

thanks

If you're on a Mac, the Monitor Calibration tool found in Preferences is not bad. System Preference > Hardware > Displays > Color > Calibrate

On a PC you can click on your Graphic Properties and depending on what you have, you may be able to calibrate monitor.

I am almost sure most software like Photoshop/Elements or Corel Paint Shop will have a Monitor Calibrating Tool.

These will calibrate your monitor so you can view images/color/contrast properly but this does not mean the same thing in regards to printing. Printing what you see on your computer monitor is another entire challenge.

Good link: Monitor calibration and setup for photography and printing

*One last thing, if you're finding the images displayed on your computer are different than on your camera, that is usually due on the software you are using to download and view your images. Some say, it is sometimes best to use the software that came with your camera outfit if you want to process your images similar to your in camera files...

[JeffJS]

Be aware that a lot of laptop monitors (don't know about Mac) are not really calibrate-able. You cannot adjust the contrast on them. I have a Huey Pro and it does somewhat correct the color but you have to (with my HP) take it on faith that the contrast is close enough.

So before you spend a hundred bucks or more on a calibration tool, have some prints made at your favorite place (or print them out yourself) and see if you're getting what you think you should. That would be my advice.

[sany]

thanks Jeff, will do so!