Surface Pro - Color Calibration Needed?

[TheEyesHaveIt]

Hi all,

I recently got a Surface Pro 2017 to do photo editing on. I love the device (for the most part). I have, however, noticed the screen renders pretty differently from my iMac 5k. The Surface Pro shows colors much more saturated and so when I look at processed images on my iMac, they look pretty flat.

Been thinking of getting the Spyder color calibration tool and calibrating both screens. Would that be advisable? Not sure which screen is going to be more representative of "all screens".

Thanks!

 

[NAwlins Contrarian]

I recently got a Surface Pro 2017 to do photo editing on.... I have, however, noticed the screen renders pretty differently from my iMac 5k.

With the exception of a few high-end monitors that might come from the factory fairly-well 'dialed in' through their internal hardware, I don't find it at all surprising that two screens would look substantially different.

Been thinking of getting the Spyder color calibration tool and calibrating both screens. Would that be advisable?

Getting a calibration and profiling system that would work on both is very advisable if you're serious about photo editing. Between the X-Rite devices (various ColorMunki models and various i1 models) and the Datacolor devices (various Spyder models), there is much disagreement about which is better, and why. I won't rehash all that here, and simply report that my personal decision based on my research and my needs was to get an X-Rite ColorMunki Display (which unfortunately has gone from $125 not that long ago to $169 today)--and I've been quite happy with it.

Not sure which screen is going to be more representative of "all screens".

I would not aim for what is "representative of 'all screens' " and instead aim for what is accurate. Mass-market screens are all over the place, in both color reproduction and brightness. Most are not too accurate as they come from the factory.

 

[gipper51]

A monitor calibration device is something every photo enthusiast should own IMHO. My Surface Pro 4 changed colors after I calibrated it with my Color Munki. It was a much cooler tone before doing so.