Monitor settings calibration - any tips?

[Neohet]

Hi all,

I had adjusted the settings on my TFT monitor, and in the software for my display driver to produce what I considered to be the most realistic image as regards colour, contrast and brightness.

I have done some restores that I was quite happy with while working on them on my monitor and subsequently posted them.

However, while viewing one of my recently posted restores, on my computer at work (which has an antiquated CRT monitor that I've always thought gave a rather inferior image) I have realized that there is some detail in both the original and my restore that was hardly visible when I was working on it at home!

Has anybody had this problem, and does anybody have any suggestions on the best way of calibrating monitors?

Does anyone have a 'Test Card' type image that they can recommend?

Any suggestions welcome, (apart from "Get a better monitor" as I cannot aford it at this time of year) 

Regards,

Matt.

[Pels.]

Hi Matt, 

Have a try with this one :

http://www.displaycalibration.com/color_depth.html

Pels.

[Neohet]

Thanks for that Pels.

I have had a look and one of the charts is the same as the one that comes with my graphics card.

Using the brightness & contrast page, my settings already seem to be at their optimum, so i'm still non-the-wizer

Think I may have to purchase a color calibration card from a photography supplies shop as your link mentions.

Regards,

Matt.

[mike175]

Sadly, flat-screen monitors (well, the affordable ones, anyway) are a poor substitute for an old-fashioned CRT. There is no way to get the same high resolution because of the limited number of pixels on the screen.

I just can't understand why everyone seems to be satisfied with flat screen TVs either . . . whenever I see one in the shops the picture looks like a bad jpeg image . . .   

If ever there was a retrogressive "improvement" it was the demise of the CRT . . . I can only assume most people are just obsessed with having the latest technology, good or bad.

[Paul Caswell]

Lots of advice and sample images here:

http://www.normankoren.com/makingfineprints1A.html

I don't use QuickGamma (as recommended there) I use Adobe Gamma and find it quite effective.

Paul