Anyone have a Spyder?

[oohlala]

I just read an article about calibrating your monitor, and it recommened a Spyder. Anyone have one? Do you find it useful?

[g8rbeckie]

I have one!

If you do photos, you DEFINITELY should do it.

You only use it periodically to calibrate the way your monitor displays color, but it makes a huge difference. Most monitors are very cool - meaning, the color something appears to be on your monitor is much bluer - or cooler - than what it would be if your printed it.

The software reminds you to re-calibrate every now and then, otherwise you never really touch it after you calibrate.

[newfiemountiewife]

I have one, and it works great! The colors are much more true than they are on my laptop.

[kresta]

Okay, do either of you who have it use a laptop?

[ColleenSwerb]

I really really want one of these.

[Shawna]

After doing lots of reading online and researching monitor calibration devices I ultimately decided to go with the X-Rite Eye-One Display LT. It is more expensive than the Spyder's (which are also good) but has really good reviews along with their next model up the Eye One Display 2. Mine should be here next week so I'm excited to get it set up!

[rach3975]

I just started using one. There's a HUGE change in my monitor color, it's much more yellow and less bright now. I bought it because everything I sent out to be printed came back badly, much yellower than I thought it would. I haven't printed at a lab since calibrating, but I think it's going to help a lot. I'll admit that I'm having a little trouble getting used to the look of things on my screen now, but it's not because there's anything wrong, it's just different from what I was used to.

I use it on a laptop, and it calibrates well. The one frustrating thing is that when the laptop wakes from hibernating it reverts to the uncalibrated coloring and I can't find a way to get the calibration working again. I have to restart before I edit photos. I have a Spyder 2 because I could get it much cheaper than the Spyder 3, and I figured it would do a good enough job for what I wanted it for.

[DawnMarch]

I have the Eye One 2. It's excellent and makes a big difference in ensuring that what you see on your computer screen is going to match what you get back in printing (and making sure that you aren't posting stuff online that looks fine to you but looks funky to others!)

[oohlala]

Thanks ya'll. I was wondering if the expense was worth it. I thin I will definitely have to put this on my holiday list!!

[Megan Turnidge]

I have one! I have the Spyder3Elite. It has made a HUGE difference in how I edit my photos. I consistently received prints that were too yellow and too dark, so I knew I needed to do it. Now I have this urge to go back and re-edit every photo from before I got calibrated. haha

[g8rbeckie]

Originally Posted by kresta

Okay, do either of you who have it use a laptop?

YES - I work exclusively on my laptop. Works great!

I recently got a new laptop, and I will say that the new screen is freakin' gorgeous. That also made a huge difference in the appearance of my images on-screen. But the spyder worked for color profile management on my old laptop and my new one.

[sprauncey1]

Originally Posted by DawnMarch

I have the Eye One 2. It's excellent and makes a big difference in ensuring that what you see on your computer screen is going to match what you get back in printing (and making sure that you aren't posting stuff online that looks fine to you but looks funky to others!)

I use this one too and I use it on my desktop and my laptop computers. It really does make a difference!!

[kim21673]

I have one....that reminds me I really should dig it out and calibrate this laptop!!! I don't think I have yet...oops!

[Nettio]

So for those of you who use laptops, how does it work when you change the angle of the screen? Do you have to recalibrate?

[g8rbeckie]

I scrap every night with my laptop on my lap! so the screen angle changes quite often

the angle of the screen only changes MY view of the colors displayed, not the way the laptop actually displays them since the spyder sits right on the surface of the screen when you do the calibration.

when I'm doing photo editing I make sure I'm looking at it pretty straight-on, but for regular scrapping, I don't really worry about it.

[sprauncey1]

Originally Posted by g8rbeckie

I scrap every night with my laptop on my lap! so the screen angle changes quite often

the angle of the screen only changes MY view of the colors displayed, not the way the laptop actually displays them since the spyder sits right on the surface of the screen when you do the calibration.

when I'm doing photo editing I make sure I'm looking at it pretty straight-on, but for regular scrapping, I don't really worry about it.

Pretty much what she said. It will matter what ambient light is there, but I'm usually at night with the lights off so I made sure DH did it when the ambient light was like this for the calibration.