Calibrating a laptop LCD

[Paul Shields]

I recently picked up a Lenovo Z61m for work, but want to play around with photo stuff now and again. The thing is, the colours seem all over the place compared to pretty much every other display I use. Playing around with the colour settings in Windows, and with the ATI Catalyst control center (X1400 display chip), I'm finding it impossible to get anything that's close to usable. Is there any other software out there that lets you control the RGB with any degree of precision?

[Max@Home]

...you could try the Spider2 from Colorvision calibrating device? Worked wonders on my Fujitsu-Siemens C-1020 LifeBook's TFT.

...I have the Suite, works for monitors and printers.

...not 'free', but IMHO affordable @ ~ €175...

...€0.02 from me...

Kindest regards,

Max@Home

[jfrancho]

I just leave mine at the default, and run the Spyder2 Pro on it. It's better, but still not as good as my CRT. Laptop LCDs are usually crummy.

[Mr. Pickles]

Maybe this will help some until you actually try a hardware calibration...

http://www.normankoren.com/makingfin...tml#QuickGamma

[Paul Shields]

Thanks a lot - the QuickGamma program has really helped. I've got rid of a horrid magenta cast and it's looking much more palatable. Still not anywhere near my iMac 24" in depth of colour but good enough for browsing. I'll have to start looking at a HW calibrator - I seem to be hopping around so many different screens these days.

[klaesser]

I just purchased a Spyder2Express. I am an amateur and (retired)= military) and I do editing strictly as a hobby.

Please tell me (truthfully) that I did not screw up by doing this. I work on three different PCs + a laptop and nothing is anywhere close to being the same

[Paul Shields]

You didn't screw up - you're just in the same boat as me . I suspect LCD quality must have something to do with it. I've just done a quick count and I've 5 different LCD monitor scattered around the house. The cheaper ones really do show limitations in displaying the full colour gamut so I'm starting to think that it's impossible to get any kind of consistency across them all...

[Max@Home]

Originally Posted by PaulS

...so I'm starting to think that it's impossible to get any kind of consistency across them all...

...then the more reason for a 'hardware calibration tool' (Spyder2, EyeOne), I think you would be surprised

(mail dc2, IIRC he has the Gretag EyeOne calibrator if that's more what you like )

Kindest regards!

Max@Home

[Paul Shields]

I will try that Max, but from initial testing on the laptop LCD it just doesn't seem to get anywhere near the tonality of my main monitor. OK, I'm doing a side by side comparison which is not particularly scientific, but I should be able to get something in the ballpark at least.