Monitor color calibration software/hardware?

[Savistik]

Anyone have any recommendations for color calibration tools for a Windows PC monitor that won't break my bank?

[Freejack]

Don't monitors usually come with this software?

[Barbedweir]

My nvidea has all sorts of software that came with the vid card for doing that sort of stuff.

[WapleSpunK]

I'm assuming you want a REAL color calibration that uses an external colorimeter that's placed over your monitor. Spyder 3 is probably the most commonly used. Color Munki (I think that's how it's spelled) is something I've heard good things about. Also the Huey is innexpensive and there's another one made by the same company that makes the Huey.

[Savistik]

Have you used the Huey and/or the Spyder, Waple? The Huey is $67 at NewEgg and the Datacolor Spyder3 Pro is $170. From the reviews I've read online, it seems like the Spyder is about worth the extra $100, but if you've got experience with either, that'd help.

For me, it's about having my monitor have accurate color so that when I Photoshop something and have it printed by a lab, I know the only factor I have to consider is what paper they're using and not whether what I gave them is what I saw on my screen.

[Savistik]

Just found the Spyder 2 for $69 at NewEgg. I think that's the one I'll get. Their products get better reviews than the Pantone ones.

[WapleSpunK]

The Spyder 2 Pro is the one I have. To be honest, calibration still confuses the crap out of me. From whether to use 6500 2.2 or 5500 1.8 to when you change what setting to who.

When I buy my big $2500 printer I'm thinking of having a pro come out and calibrate everything for me.

[Savistik]

I found out that the only difference between the Spyder 2 and Spyder 2 Pro is software.

Fortunately, my other expensive hobby, reef keeping, gave me a thorough education on lighting and Kelvin ratings. :D I'm guessing the 6500 and 5500 figures are Kelvin ratings which pretty much correspond to slightly different white sunlight temperatures (like you get on a uniformly light overcast day).

[WapleSpunK]

I found out that the only difference between the Spyder 2 and Spyder 2 Pro is software.

Fortunately, my other expensive hobby, reef keeping, gave me a thorough education on lighting and Kelvin ratings. :D I'm guessing the 6500 and 5500 figures are Kelvin ratings which pretty much correspond to slightly different white sunlight temperatures (like you get on a uniformly light overcast day).

Yup, that's right. However, I never know which one to use. Sometimes I have daylight that comes in here on the walls, other times it's dark out.

[Joxer]

I've been using a Spyder2Pro for 3 years and love it. It has really saved my ass on more than a few print runs where I needed screen to print color accuracy - without having to resort to adjusting color on the press which I really don't like to do.

[Savistik]

Does the Spyder 2 not adjust for ambient light?

That might be an argument back for the Huey.