color profile calibration? SW or HW? Help

I am just starting to get involved in creating my own color profile calibration for my equipment, although I am very new to this subject. Can any of you offer advice as to how difficult this is and if I should use a software method or a hardware one? What would be the differences? anything would help, thanks.

Search for "color calibration" in the Forums Search feature, and you'll find many threads on this very issue. Most seem to prefer hardware calibration, using tools by Colorvision, Monaco and Gretag-Macbeth. Adobe Gamma and other software calibration doesn't work well on LCD monitors, and you'll usually get better results with hardware. Current options are as low as US$100-150, so it's worth it if you have a critical eye.

Chris

GWPHOTOGRAPHY said:

I am just starting to get involved in creating my own color profile
calibration for my equipment, although I am very new to this
subject. Can any of you offer advice as to how difficult this is
and if I should use a software method or a hardware one? What
would be the differences? anything would help, thanks.

Click to expand...

Assuming that you want to profile monitor and printer, and maybe camera and scanner, you will want some kind of hardware package. X-rite/Monaco or Gretag Eye-one would be the best choices! I'm now using Monaco software with a ColorMouse colorimeter, and a Spyder pro for the monitor. The Monaco Profiler is very easy to use, and makes great profiles, even from the less accurate ColorMouse. The scanner based solutions can be hit or miss, a lot depends on how your paper and ink react with the scanner. Many have found that buying profiles for you printer makes more financial sense, and just calibrate their monitors.

GWPHOTOGRAPHY said:

Can any of you offer advice as to how difficult this is
and if I should use a software method or a hardware one?

Click to expand...

You can't create a good profile without hardware and software. Colorimeters are necessary for monitor characterization - the human eye does not provide the level of accuracy or consistency necessary to analyze emmitive color. In order to build a printer profile you have to use a measurement device, either a flatbed scanner or a spectrophotometer. The price difference between scanner-assisted systems and spectrophotometer-assisted systems reflect the quality difference between the two.

Mike
Independent Color, Inc.
http://www.independentcolor.com