Hello guys, I just bought Dell U2711 for heck of deal (new $628) and have question in mind regarding calibrating again since I print my own now via canon propixma 9500. So do
i need to get a calibration software (like spyder data color) in order to get best result?
The only way that you can be certain that the monitor is properly calibrated is to calibrate it yourself using a hardware calibrator. How much of a difference a custom calibration/characterization will make depends upon how well calibrated it was when it left the factory. Some of the professional (and expensive) monitors such as Eizo and NEC tend to be better calibrated than do other monitors that are sold in stores. Most monitors that are sold in stores tend to be setup with high luminance values. The bright displays look good in brightly lit stores, but are far from being correctly setup for critical color viewing and print matching. While there is no absolute correct luminance value for a properly calibrated monitor (it depends upon your viewing environment), it generally falls in the range of 90-120 cd/m^2.
Mine was way too warm. Everytime after boot when the profile kicks in, I think "whoa, feeling blue today" Seriously, the u2711 is a great device but if you leave the srgb color space - which is the sense in buying a wide gamut device - you really should calibrate it. Otherwise you simply can't be sure of what you see and what other people see when watching your images.
maxx9photo wrote:
Hello guys, I just bought Dell U2711 for heck of deal (new $628) and have question in mind regarding calibrating again since I print my own now via canon propixma 9500. So do i need to get a calibration software (like spyder data color) in order to get best result?
Yes.
Note: Calibration and profiling are two separate things often done at the same time when using software. Calibration brings all the tones into range so that blacks are black, whites are white, near blacks are distinguishable from black and so on for white and RGB.
Profiling makes curves for the response of the monitor so your monitor response can be recreated on other monitors and in printing. So that what you see will be seen the same by other people and via the prints the printer produces. So a low red might need a slight boost while a mid red a slight drop and a high red nothing. Profiles are inserted in the image metadata.
Your new monitor is probably reasonably or well calibrated (check with calibration images) but even so, others and the printer won't see exactly what you see without profiling.
Seriously, the u2711 is a great device but if you leave the srgb color space - which is the sense in buying a wide gamut device - you really should calibrate it. Otherwise you simply can't be sure of what you see and what other people see when watching your images.