Damien Symonds Posted March 24, 2020 Share Posted March 24, 2020 SpyderX Elite calibration tutorial – Macs & laptops This tutorial discusses using the SpyderX Elite to calibrate screens which have no adjustability other than their brightness. This includes all Mac screens, and all laptops. It might also include cheap desktop screens with no buttons or menus to control their colour; and the new breed of all-in-one PCs that try to look like Macs. Before you begin, please make sure you’ve read this article. Read it? Great, let's go >> Link to comment
Bec_W Posted May 20, 2020 Share Posted May 20, 2020 My Spyderx Elite arrived today. Can I clarify which tutorial to follow, laptop or desktop, as I have a laptop that DOES have controls for contrast, brightness and colours. Link to comment
Damien Symonds Posted May 20, 2020 Author Share Posted May 20, 2020 Then yes, Desktop. Link to comment
Dimundus Posted May 27, 2021 Share Posted May 27, 2021 (edited) I just purchased the Spider Elite using your link, and today it is showing up $100 less than last week! So I ordered it and don't have it yet. But I was reading the instructions, and I have a question: I have 2 monitors: a Mac (iMac 27") and a Asus ProArt monitor with controls, which is connected to my iMac as a second monitor. Should I use different instructions to calibrate each one? Is that even possible? Edited May 27, 2021 by Dimundus Link to comment
Damien Symonds Posted May 27, 2021 Author Share Posted May 27, 2021 26 minutes ago, Dimundus said: I just purchased the Spider Elite using your link, and today it is showing up $100 less than last week! Hooray! That's awesome! 27 minutes ago, Dimundus said: I have 2 monitors: a Mac (iMac 27") and a Asus ProArt monitor with controls, which is connected to my iMac as a second monitor. Should I use different instructions to calibrate each one? Is that even possible? It is possible, and yes, that's how you need to do it. After you've calibrated both screens, you can choose the one that gives you the very best print match, and that will be the one you do your editing on. 1 Link to comment
Yvonn.ie Posted September 16, 2021 Share Posted September 16, 2021 Hi Damien Is there any way to check that your calibration is working? Normally when I turn on my laptop there is a noticeable colour shift after a couple of seconds. I didn't notice that happening today and the colour of the whites look off to me, is there any way to make sure that it's definitely showing the calibrated view, without going through the whole process, as I only did it a few days ago! thanks Link to comment
Damien Symonds Posted September 16, 2021 Author Share Posted September 16, 2021 The little DisplayProfile app that I discuss in this article is what I use. Link to comment
Yvonn.ie Posted September 16, 2021 Share Posted September 16, 2021 thank you, you're very helpful, Link to comment
LydsinIA Posted October 23, 2021 Share Posted October 23, 2021 I'm using a macbook pro, but have a second monitor, a Lenovo L24-i20, attached to it which I need to calibrate (the macbook monitor is already calibrated). Which set of instructions do I follow? Laptop or desktop? The Lenovo only has controls for brightness and contrast. Link to comment
Damien Symonds Posted October 23, 2021 Author Share Posted October 23, 2021 Definitely desktop. 1 hour ago, LydsinIA said: The Lenovo only has controls for brightness and contrast. You're wrong. I looked up the user manual, it definitely has control for colour too. Link to comment
LydsinIA Posted October 23, 2021 Share Posted October 23, 2021 Ok, I found the color setting, but it's grayed out and unselectable. I suspect that the monitor doesn't allow calibration at that level of detail unless I'm using VGA and I'm connected by HDMI. Trying to confirm. Link to comment
LydsinIA Posted October 23, 2021 Share Posted October 23, 2021 Ok, finally figured it out. I had to change "novo vision" to "text" mode. OK. 1 Link to comment
LydsinIA Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 On 10/23/2021 at 3:08 PM, LydsinIA said: Ok, finally figured it out. I had to change "novo vision" to "text" mode. OK. OK, so I calibrated the monitor to the same settings as my Macbook pro -- 65k. But I kept getting an error at the end telling me that the brightness doesn't match the calibration, and it increased it. This happened twice, until it had set the brightness at 132. (Not sure what that means, but it's about as bright as my macbook). But they look WAY different color-wise, the two monitors. The Lenovo is way less yellow which is causing me to overedit toward yellow, and my people look jaundiced. Also, the Lenovo profile shows that it can show much fewer colors than my macbook can. How do I make them match? Link to comment
Damien Symonds Posted October 28, 2021 Author Share Posted October 28, 2021 Which one matches your prints? Link to comment
LydsinIA Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 Neither. The print I am using for comparison is more yellow than both. Link to comment
Damien Symonds Posted October 28, 2021 Author Share Posted October 28, 2021 Concentrate on the Lenovo. It's the one you have a better chance of getting right. And remember, don't use these instructions. There are specific instructions for desktop screens. Link to comment
LydsinIA Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 (edited) OK, so what's my next step? (unrelated: the software update switched my photoshop document profiles to adobe rgb. I can't find the instructions for how to switch it to sRGB... can you point me to them? -- ETA: nevermind, I found it! Oddly, all the settings were correct. Somehow just one photoshop file got into Adobe rgb... weird.) Edited October 28, 2021 by LydsinIA Link to comment
Damien Symonds Posted October 28, 2021 Author Share Posted October 28, 2021 These are the instructions for the Lenovo: https://ask.damiensymonds.net/topic/32025-xelite-01/ Link to comment
Melinda Almaguer Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 I am wondering if I chose the wrong calibrator. Will the SpyderXElite work with a MacBook Pro 2018? Link to comment
Damien Symonds Posted January 31, 2023 Author Share Posted January 31, 2023 It definitely will, yes. The SpyderXElite is the best available. Link to comment
Melinda Almaguer Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 Ok, I'm definitely doing something wrong. My prints are cooler and darker than my screen. I switched to the other side of my desk and got the reading of "moderately low" for my room light which was preferred according to the Spyder. I attached a picture of my editing area for reference. I did customize my screen color to be 6500, I read that somewhere and can't find where now because I have been through so many files and facebook posts. Switching back to "native" seems better Link to comment
Damien Symonds Posted January 31, 2023 Author Share Posted January 31, 2023 Your room DEFINITELY looks too dark. Link to comment
Melinda Almaguer Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 (edited) this was another option I tried. With my back to the light as shown in the pic, it said it was High brightness. Thoughts on this spot? Edited January 31, 2023 by Melinda Almaguer add image Link to comment
Damien Symonds Posted January 31, 2023 Author Share Posted January 31, 2023 Have you, or have you not, read the article? Link to comment
Melinda Almaguer Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 I have. I am working with a basement with the small windows. I block them off during the day to avoid weird ambient and inconsistent light. I don't have much option for more lights since it is an unfinished basement with only a few ceiling lights installed. I have the 3 head garage LED lights installed to make it as bright as possible down here. I have a lamp I could work with in that corner. Link to comment
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