# Screen calibration frustration!



## Zv (Apr 28, 2013)

Aaaarrrgghh!!! My laptop screen is driving me insane! I tried calibrating it with i1 display 2 on easy four times and advanced twice and each time it looks worse. I finally gave up and loaded an older profile that looked OK. 

My issue is this - there are no contrast or gamma controls for my laptop only brightness. You can change gamma using windows built in calibration program but that resets everything. Is there any way around this? I want to manually change the gamma to 2.2 and color temp to 6500K, the closest I got through i1 was 2.0 and 6600K but it looked a bit blue. The advanced mode doesn't give me an RGB choice it just goes from luminance to flashing square mode. 

Also the luminance only goes up to 24 and the recommended is 90. I cranked the brightness to the max and it made no difference. 

Am I doing something wrong or do I just have a rubbish screen? Using a Sony VAIO VPC-F13WFX/B 16.4-Inch With 1600 by 900 screen resolution.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Apr 28, 2013)

Few laptops calibrate well, mine doesn't either.


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## Zv (Apr 28, 2013)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> Few laptops calibrate well, mine doesn't either.



Glad am not alone then! I have resorted to making the laptop screen roughly match my iPad retina. Seems like I wasted money on that Xrite calibration software. 

Does anyone have these issues with their macbook? I'm thinking of switching to mac next year.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Apr 28, 2013)

Zv said:


> Mt Spokane Photography said:
> 
> 
> > Few laptops calibrate well, mine doesn't either.
> ...


 
For a PC user, its a learning curve, and perhaps not having their favorite software in native Mac Mode. Then, there is the cost as well. Macs don't seem to have a 17 inch Retina Screen either.

I'd get a new laptop with better screen, but I really don't use a laptop much.


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## neuroanatomist (Apr 28, 2013)

Zv said:


> Does anyone have these issues with their macbook? I'm thinking of switching to mac next year.



I calibrate my 17" MacBook Pro, 13" MacBook Air, and 27" Thunderbolt Display with an i1, all work fine. 



Mt Spokane Photography said:


> Macs don't seem to have a 17 inch Retina Screen either.



Sigh. I really hope Apple brings a 17" MBP back into their lineup!


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Apr 28, 2013)

neuroanatomist said:


> to have a 17 inch
> Sigh. I really hope Apple brings a 17" MBP back into their lineup!


 
I keep looking for one to appear. I've used Macs in the past, but most of what I knew is likely obsolete, unless they still work like the Lisa


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## Pi (Apr 28, 2013)

I have calibrated 7-8 laptops at different price ranges, and I always get an improvement.

Use native white point, and the software will do its part. Do not touch anything in the Windows settings.


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## Canon-F1 (Apr 28, 2013)

Pi said:


> I have calibrated 7-8 laptops at different price ranges, and I always get an improvement.



from shit to crap? 

there is a reason good monitors cost so much.
you can´t make a kobe steak from a pig.


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## RGF (Apr 28, 2013)

I have had only modest success with ipro tools - either on my laptop or desktop. In the end I found NEC spectraview system to work much better. I know this is not much help with your laptop problem


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## beckstoy (Apr 28, 2013)

I have a pimped-out Asus laptop for most of my editing needs and on both my laptop and desktop's monitor I use Spyder4Pro. Super easy, and the results are dang good. I've never had a problem. Ever. Prints are perfect from any source, and my clients are happy.


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## Mick (Apr 28, 2013)

I calibrated my wifes Asus with my Colormunki and it was crap. Did the same with my PC and its brilliant. Profiled the paper and printer and what I see is what I get. I really rate the Colormunki. Its so easy to use and gives excellent results. I was talking to a supplier of a top paper brand and he said todays screens are designed for gamers and are always to bright to contrasty. I bought a $400 LG HD monitor, got it calibrated and its excellent. But boy does it change over the course of a week.

That said my mates got the same set up as Neuro on here and hes never had a problem.


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## Pi (Apr 28, 2013)

Canon-F1 said:


> Pi said:
> 
> 
> > I have calibrated 7-8 laptops at different price ranges, and I always get an improvement.
> ...



I was always worth the hassle.


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## eml58 (Apr 28, 2013)

neuroanatomist said:


> Zv said:
> 
> 
> > Does anyone have these issues with their macbook? I'm thinking of switching to mac next year.
> ...



Similar set up, I have 2 15" Retina MacBook Pros, and the older 17" MacBook Pro, + My Mac Pro with 33" Apple display, + the 27" Wacom Display, all work fine with i1

Cant help with the PC arrangement, I gave up the Dark Side 15 years ago.


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## Nathaniel Weir (Apr 28, 2013)

Make sure you have reactive color settings like auto picture adjustments from your video card set to "OFF"


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## Halfrack (Apr 28, 2013)

Zv - have you tried it on an external monitor plugged into your laptop? I hate to say but you may get better results when using a better LCD.


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## Zv (Apr 29, 2013)

Halfrack said:


> Zv - have you tried it on an external monitor plugged into your laptop? I hate to say but you may get better results when using a better LCD.



I have a 32" LCD TV but it's an old model, far too contrasty and I don't know how to calibrate it either. I'll keep trying with the laptop. 

Thanks for all the help and advice. I know when I bought the laptop it was made for gaming which does explain the vibrant colors (especially compared to my iPhone!) I think that's why my images might look desaturated and washed out.



Nathaniel Weir said:


> Make sure you have reactive color settings like auto picture adjustments from your video card set to "OFF"



How do I check this? Under hardware settings or display?


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## wickidwombat (Apr 29, 2013)

i have the colormunki

it calibrates the mac book pro screens fine and the apple 30" cinema displays
however i have not had good results with the dell 27" u2711 displays i have
same issue you have too contrasty and too saturated or sort of get it calibrated so it looks ok in LR and PS then everything else looks like rubbish

maybe i should sell those


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## Zv (Apr 29, 2013)

wickidwombat said:


> i have the colormunki
> 
> it calibrates the mac book pro screens fine and the apple 30" cinema displays
> however i have not had good results with the dell 27" u2711 displays i have
> ...



Hmmm seems that the macs calibrate well and cause less headaches! I like the look of the macbook pro, really light with a sleek design. The Sony's a brick in comparison!


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## Pi (Apr 29, 2013)

Zv said:


> Hmmm seems that the macs calibrate well and cause less headaches! I like the look of the macbook pro, really light with a sleek design. The Sony's a brick in comparison!



My 13 inch Vaio Z is noticeably lighter than the 13 inch Macbook pro and calibrates well.


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