Monitor Calibration Help

[RobbieG]

Hi everyone,

I'm after some advice on calibrating monitors and if this is something I should be concerned about?
I am a beginner DSLR user having just bought a canon 500D
The thing that I am noticing is there is a big difference on monitors other than mine with the photos from this camera. So much so I am disappointed with the camera, which may not be the culprit.
The question is, for me to learn and properly evaluate images correctly, how important is it to get my monitor correctly calibrated?
Is it something I need to spend a lot of money on to achieve? and what is the best software to achieve this?
I have a Dell e228WFP 22" monitor that seems to only be able to adjust brightness and contrast.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[LeeR]

Proper moniotr calibration is essential when it comes to printing your images as you want to be able to see what the end results will be. It is not as essential when working with computer images because, as you have pointed out, very few people calibrate their monitorrs so there is no gaurantee that an image that looks perfect on your screen will look good on thiers.

For calibrating your monitor you might want to start here. This site will show you 26 shades of gray and your monitor should show them all. There is another free online tool here that includes color adjustments.

The best color calibration tools come with a sensor to measure color depth and intensity right off your screen and make adjustments in the software. Spyder 3 is among the best, and while not as well acclaimed the Huey from Pantone is made by a leader in the color industry and gets good reviews at a fraction of the cost.

[MovingStill]

Please take a moment to read this post:

Monitor Calibration Tool Advice

[RobbieG]

Thank you for your advice/assistance.