My serious photo editing takes place on a Dell SP2309W monitor, I know its nothing special compared to what is out there, but I always thought it looked very good compared to anything else I have used, since the time of buying (4 years ago) up until now.
Monitor specs: Display Type LCD monitor / TFT active matrix
Diagonal Size23 in
Aspect Ratio Widescreen - 16:9
Native Resolution 2048 x 1152
Pixel Pitch0.249 mm
Brightness300 cd/m2
Image Contrast Ratio 80000:1,
80000:1 (dynamic)
Response Time 2 ms
Horizontal Viewing Angle 160
Vertical Viewing Angle 170
Features TrueLife, 98% color gamut
I had 3 A3 sized prints ordered for xmas from photobox:
1. http://www.flickr.com/photos/41379151@N03/10315417064#
2. http://www.flickr.com/photos/41379151@N03/9618410496#
3. http://www.flickr.com/photos/41379151@N03/9608006889#
The first image, I think on the print isn't really in focus, whilst it is maybe, acceptably in focus on my screen, certainly the print isn't. The real issue is that all 3 prints look under exposed, with poor contrast and slightly off white balance. The fins on the ailerons on picture 3 for instance are creating deep shadows on the print, but not the monitor.
I haven't got a second good monitor to check the images on, nor any access to one elsewhere. I have previously used an online calibrator to try to set my monitor up as well as I can, that at the time was my choice as a student and lack of money was my main restriction.
The photobox website states they use: For all our larger prints we use a Polielectronica Laserlab. This is a world–class laser-based photographic device, which also prints onto FujiFilm Crystal Archive digital photographic paper, at 254 DPI.
I had to send the file in JPEG with file sizes under 7MB. I have used them 2 years ago and was very happy with those results, since then the website has changed and they no longer accept TIFF files (they told me via twitter they have never accepted TIFF files, but I would not have created TIFF files of my order 2 years ago if they didn't), it didn't even allow me a sharp preview image before I ordered, just a heavily pixelated preview with no possible details there.
So I guess what I am asking is, if there a good online calibration tool, or maybe a non too expensive piece of hardware to calibrate it? Is it even worth calibrating it? I can't really afford a new monitor, and certainly couldn't justify the expensive given how infrequently I use it (no space for my desktop to be set up, parents don't like my monitor due to the size and lack of speakers so I use their rather poor one for every day use). Photobox do have a calibration print to send out (http://www.photobox.co.uk/content/quality-advice/calibration), but they didn't send me one, and I don't know how accurate it would even be.
I did have 2 other 7x5 prints ordered (intended to be christmas presents, but they were so poor I decided not to give them), which uses a different printer and whilst one was poor due to it being cropped from an iphone, the other was from my 7D, but the contrast was too high and like the A3 prints it was under exposed.
I could photograph the prints and post them if it helps?
Monitor specs: Display Type LCD monitor / TFT active matrix
Diagonal Size23 in
Aspect Ratio Widescreen - 16:9
Native Resolution 2048 x 1152
Pixel Pitch0.249 mm
Brightness300 cd/m2
Image Contrast Ratio 80000:1,
80000:1 (dynamic)
Response Time 2 ms
Horizontal Viewing Angle 160
Vertical Viewing Angle 170
Features TrueLife, 98% color gamut
I had 3 A3 sized prints ordered for xmas from photobox:
1. http://www.flickr.com/photos/41379151@N03/10315417064#
2. http://www.flickr.com/photos/41379151@N03/9618410496#
3. http://www.flickr.com/photos/41379151@N03/9608006889#
The first image, I think on the print isn't really in focus, whilst it is maybe, acceptably in focus on my screen, certainly the print isn't. The real issue is that all 3 prints look under exposed, with poor contrast and slightly off white balance. The fins on the ailerons on picture 3 for instance are creating deep shadows on the print, but not the monitor.
I haven't got a second good monitor to check the images on, nor any access to one elsewhere. I have previously used an online calibrator to try to set my monitor up as well as I can, that at the time was my choice as a student and lack of money was my main restriction.
The photobox website states they use: For all our larger prints we use a Polielectronica Laserlab. This is a world–class laser-based photographic device, which also prints onto FujiFilm Crystal Archive digital photographic paper, at 254 DPI.
I had to send the file in JPEG with file sizes under 7MB. I have used them 2 years ago and was very happy with those results, since then the website has changed and they no longer accept TIFF files (they told me via twitter they have never accepted TIFF files, but I would not have created TIFF files of my order 2 years ago if they didn't), it didn't even allow me a sharp preview image before I ordered, just a heavily pixelated preview with no possible details there.
So I guess what I am asking is, if there a good online calibration tool, or maybe a non too expensive piece of hardware to calibrate it? Is it even worth calibrating it? I can't really afford a new monitor, and certainly couldn't justify the expensive given how infrequently I use it (no space for my desktop to be set up, parents don't like my monitor due to the size and lack of speakers so I use their rather poor one for every day use). Photobox do have a calibration print to send out (http://www.photobox.co.uk/content/quality-advice/calibration), but they didn't send me one, and I don't know how accurate it would even be.
I did have 2 other 7x5 prints ordered (intended to be christmas presents, but they were so poor I decided not to give them), which uses a different printer and whilst one was poor due to it being cropped from an iphone, the other was from my 7D, but the contrast was too high and like the A3 prints it was under exposed.
I could photograph the prints and post them if it helps?