‘Calibration,’ in a word, means tuning. Monitor calibration refers to the adjusting and standardization of colors as they appear on your screen. This way, the photo on the screen is as close to what you saw on your viewfinder as possible. If monitor calibration is not done, there might be slight changes in the shades of color, which might not quite be what you hoped for. Also, if your job involves continuously staring at a computer screen, it is necessary that you calibrate your monitor, to avoid eye strain.
In this article, you will learn the best monitor calibration tools as on date. Let’s dive in.
#1 Datacolor SpyderX Elite:
Priced at
$269 a piece, this device is particularly useful for professional photographers. It offers the following benefits:
a. Much faster than all previous calibrators offered by the same brand.
b. Has an in-built all-in-one calibration control panel.
c. Compatible for multiple monitors.
d. Higher level of accuracy.
e. Instantly provides comparative before-and-after shots.
f. Compatible with latest screen types and resolutions.
Datacolor SpyderX Elite – Monitor Calibration designed for expert and professional photographers and motion imagemakers (SXE100) & Spyder Checkr – SCK100
#2 X-Rite i1 Display Pro:
Now, this device is a little cheaper than the device we saw above. It offers numerous benefits as well:
a. Very quick calibration.
b. Friendly user interface.
c. Unparalleled colour precision.
d. Offers two user modes – Basic & Advanced.
e. Works best on all screens – like computers, mobiles, projectors, etc.
X-Rite EODIS3 i1Display Pro – Professional display calibration
#3 Datacolor SpyderX Studio
This is a perfect all-in-one kit that is helpful to expert photographers and animators. You might need a larger budget and space for this equipment, but it is worth every penny. The package comes along with a monitor colorimeter and a spectrocolorimeter. It also comes with a tool to calibrate raw images. It has the following benefits:
a. Collective display and print result.
b. Friendly interface.
c. Best calibration and color assessment tools.
d. All-in-one package to bring you’re A-game in photoshop.
SpyderX Studio
#4 Photo Friday
This is a photography website. The special feature of this site is that it offers a one-page monitor calibration. It uses the technique of grayscale-tuning to improve precision in your photos. It has great reviews from budding artists and animators.
Here’s a link to the site – https://www.photofriday.com/info/calibrate
#5 The Lagom LCD Monitor Test Pages
This is also a website but not quite like Photo Friday. This site has a more wide-ranging tools and steps that helps you check your monitor’s contrast. There are a few tests involved and it is best that you undertake the tests in the order that it is given to you. It might look a bit confusing at first. But there are helpful hints at places where you may struggle.
Try it and see for yourself at http://www.lagom.nl/lcd-test/
Conclusion:
Frequently adjusting your camera settings can be painful. That is why color calibration is essential in your monitor. To make your black look like black (and not gray) monitor calibration is mandatory. Fortunately, this article should help you out in choosing what the right calibrator is for you.
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