Calibrating Dell laptop with Spyder 3 Pro

[carmen_m]

<p>I just got the Spyder 3 Pro and tried calibrating my Dell 1520 laptop (I know laptop screen are less than ideal for photo processing but budget won't allow getting a separate screen). Contrast and brightness and other controls were set to default via the nVidia panel under the 'Display' section. Backlight was set to max using the laptop keys. Went to a darkish room with no windows with minimum light coming in from the other room (from behind the laptop).<br>

Before calibration: the white was very bright (without being hard on the eyes), grays (like firefox menus) were cool<br>

After calibration using 2.2 gamma/6500k: considerably darker, got an overall bluish cast (the white looked the most bluish) and much cooler colours than the uncalibrated version<br>

After calibration using 2.2 gamma/native white point: somewhat darker than the uncalibrated version but brighter than the 6500k version, warmer tones, especially grays and white looks like a warm white without being as bright as the uncalibrated bright.<br>

To my untrained eye the Native point calibration looks best but I've read many threads where 6500k calibration is recommended over the native white point one.<br>

Any advice?<br>

Thanks</p>

[vee_kay]

<p>I am in the same boat but calibrating Dell's 9400 (1705) Inspiron monitor (LG matrix). Whites look very warm after 2.2-native calibration and I can't choose between the two (-native or -6500). I wish I had someone with a trained eye and/or properly calibrated monitor to tell me.</p>