Specific Huey Question

I'm using a Toshiba Laptop that I have to regularly cart between my home and an

apartment in another city, and occasionally to hotels in OTHER cities. You have

to adjust the screen via software settings in the display setup program residing

in the control panel.

 

It is slowly dawning on me that people who use this forum and my printer aren't

necessarily seeing what I See on my laptop screen. Clearly some sort of color

management is in order, and the Huey sounds like an easy and inexpensive solution.

 

My question is this. Will I have to calibrate the screen for both locations? Or

will the built in ambient light sensor be enough to handle this multi location

set up. Is the software sophisticated enough to handle multiple locations if I

have to have two sets of calibrations.

 

Also, is the Huey sufficiently rugged to withstand any minor knocks my laptop

bag is likely to recieve(I'm reasonably careful, but not saintlike).

 

If you think the Huey won't meet my needs, are there any other lowprice (and

EASY!) products that youmight recommend?

I would advise to turn the ambient light adjustment off. It's a gimmick that is not (and in forseeable future will not be) used in professional calibration solutions.

 

Not only any adjustments via display control settings would require a recalibration, they often conflict with the internal logic of color management. Describe exactly which adjustments you find necessary, maybe there's a way of doing it while still sticking with a proper colormanaged workflow. Like, if you mostly adjust brightness, you can create profiles for specific (numbered) brightness levels. Then rename those profiles and switch between them in XP color control panel applet (an optional Powertoy for pro imaging) when changing brightness to those levels.

 

Also, which Huey settings do you use?

Serge,

 

I haven't purchased the Huey yet, just trying to get a feel regarding its suitability to my specific situation. I've been 'eyeballing' my stuff. but my prints seem way off in terms of colorcast and contrast and some in brightnetss.

 

For instance, I had a photo of a Prarie flower taken in the late afternoon when the sun ws still bright but definitely lighting the flower from the side. I had added a warmer color cast to the scene that I found pleasing, but when I printed it, the photo was much less warm than I intended and the contrast was softer than I wanted. I then tried to adjust my screen to match the photo so I could re edit, but this seems like a slow and expensive way to go about getting a print I like.

OK. I would not recomment Huey at all then.

 

Describe the adjustments you make to your monitor at different locations, so I could tell if colormanaged workflow is possible in your situation. You need to get several aspects of it correct.

 

Also - are you happy how your monitor generally looks but without "software calibration" (which is the main source of your problem as I see it) right now? Are there any color casts, for instance? Does white look off-white?

I suspect you think I'm a bit more advanced than I actually am. Other than what I described above, I simply havn't been making any calibration adjustements what so ever.

 

I haven't been doing much printing and since I modified the image to my liking on the screen. I was fat, dumb, and happy. But then I looked at my stuff on wy wife's PC screen and have been doing some printing recently and I've realized I've been ignoring an important part of the digital process. I don't know, I guess I thought the Physical laws of the universe didn't apply to me. Well, they haven't, up till now!

 

At any rate because I travel, a LOT, I have to rely on as portable set up as possible. I simply DON'T have the luxury of a single stationary workstation but I'd like to keep the hassle factor down to the absolute minimum if I can. An automated device of some sort seemed like a viable solution.

OK.

As a beginner it's difficult to determine your colormanagement needs.

 

Don't adjust the display via the control panel. Use a colorimeter and use image-editing software to adjust colors. Also get the workflow right so your printer also uses an acceptable profile.

 

If you don't adjust the display settings between calibrations you don't have to carry a colorimeter around.

 

Huey is the most portable-looking device, but the colorimeter itself is not pro-grade. Also the software is very enty-level and you can't upgrade to pro software.

 

i1 Display2 is a rather portable full-featured solution, but it's $180. i1 LT looks same but is detected by the software as LT and only has a reduced set of features ($110).

 

Spyder2 Express is $80 and with a pro colorimeter, a bit too big to call portable. But it's the same colorimeter as Spyder2 Pro and is technically upgradable .. I'd recommend it for a laptop over Huey.

 

I think if you get i1 Display2 you'd be happier about your investment in the long run because you'd have enough settings to learn more about color management. i1 LT is OK too but you'd be stuck with no upgrade options and no settings.

 

Huey is better than nothing, definitely. I haven't seen anything about it's accuracy though.

 

Some reviews

http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/reviews.html

I got an Eye-One display one for under $70. I think this device compares favorably to a Huey in terms of quality. The more expensive and better devices mentioned above are also worthy of further investigation. DryCreek Photo rates the top calibration devices on their site- definitely read before you buy.