WDCash Loc: Milford, Delaware, USA

First a disclamer: I'm working with a 2011 hp laptop. it's not an great older laptop
It's an average older laptop. Running Windows 10.
Last night I printed, for the first time, one of my sunsets. My swift quickly pointed.out that it is much darker that the screen image, and she is correct

This am I compared the print with the pc image and not only is it darker but some colors are very off from what I would have expected.

more disclosure. My photo printer is also not what would be called top of the line. Average at best. HP Envy 1570, I think. That being confessed it does a nice job.

So last night I began looking at monitor calibration gizmos on Amazon and B&h.
Then THIS am I started looking at the laptop and how/if I could begin the tweeking.

Windows 10 like a to hide things and I can not find the utility that is supposed to be there by HP to calibrate
After over an hour ofrarching all I have found is in Setup the ability to alter the screen britness.

Anyone have a secret decoder ring that might help
I don't mind buying the calibration gizmo but would be disappointed it it needs me to halo and I couldn't or if there is something I'm missing
Thanks
Bill

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

You cannot calibrate a monitor with any form of software. Screen brightness makes it easier to see, not to accurately transmit color to a printer. Computer displays are set up for surfing the web and games, bright and bluer. This is particularly important for aging hardware where color representation may not be what it used to be.

Look on Ebay for a Spyder Pro Elite.

ken_stern Loc: Yorba Linda, Ca

Little confused regarding your equipment issues --
My current "Decoder Ring" is the datacolor Spyder 5 PRO --- It re-calibrates my screen once a month -- Have been using datacolor products for about the last 12 years or so
Works well

DMGill Loc: Colorado

As was stated, you need a display calibrator. I'm using the X-Rite i1Display and have found it satisfactory. You may find that your current laptop's screen is old enough that you may not be able to be calibrated. I just had to replace the monitors on my desktop that were about the same age as your laptop because they were no longer able to be calibrated accurately.

Meganephron Loc: Fort Worth, TX

Before spending money on a calibration devices, remember screen brightness and image brightness are two different issues. Try to match screen and image brighterness. Screen usually much brighter than image. Screen brightness will throw colors off too. Check your color space too. Default internet is sRBG. Adobe RBG 1998 wider and most printers can handle it. Is your printer a three color ink plus black or a 6-10 ink device.? Three color printers underperform.

charles tabb Loc: Richmond VA.

I have to agree with Ken Stern.
I also have a Spider 5 pPro and calibrate monthly.
It will even measure the light in the room to calibrate with greater detail.
I got mine from B&H.
Wish you well.

htbrown Loc: San Francisco Bay Area

I concur with everyone else who's recommended the datacolor spyder or its like. It makes life far easier.

The way I did it before I got the spyder was to use a picture with color blocks of known values. Print it out and adjust the display until it matches, by eye, the print. Works better than nothing, but not nearly as well as the spyder.

Another thing to be aware of, particularly with laptops, is that the color you see can be highly sensitive to viewing angle. Make sure you're viewing the monitor at right angles to its surface. Any other angle can affect the color you see dramatically. Try it: Put a photo on the screen and move your position around, and observe how colors and brightness change.

G Brown Loc: Sunny Bognor Regis West Sussex UK

If you are only printing a few images.....
run a test print of your image, see what needs doing compared to screen image and post processs (a copy called print). You should be able to do this 1st or 2nd try. !
lot cheaper than buying stuff....Now you know how much 'brighter or darker' you need to be ! try approximating that with your other 'gooduns' that you want printed.

WDCash Loc: Milford, Delaware, USA

Thanks all for the input.
BRown, Thanks for confirming what I thought would be a usable shoemaker fix in the interim.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Printing an exact duplicate of what you see on the screen is easier said than done. I have a Canon and an HP connected to my computer, and the HP does a much better job of printing pictures. For text, it doesn't matter. If you're going to do a lot of printing, Google "Best photo printers."

I've never bothered to set up my computer screen with one of those devices, and the pictures I print are acceptable. Perfection requires time, patience, and money.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Surprisingly, not much -
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.XSpyder+Pro+Elite.TRS5&_nkw=Spyder+Pro+Elite&_sacat=0

Nothing on Amazon -
https://smile.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dtools&field-keywords=Spyder+Pro+Elite&rh=n%3A228013%2Ck%3ASpyder+Pro+Elite

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

X-Rite or Spyder are probably the two most common monitor calibration tools. I believe since X-Rite makes the ColorChecker Passport they offer a package that includes both. B&H should offer them all...

Best,
Todd Ferguson

Seagull54

Do you need to calibrate your monitor if you are NOT printing on a printer that is connected to your computer, but sending out to print?

TomV Loc: Annapolis, Maryland

Absolutely

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

As far as I know all monitors loose brilliance as they age, one of the many reasons monitors need periodic calibration. Not all papers intended for printing behave the same, you could have a perfectly well calibrated monitor and still your prints could be dark or slightly off colors. In your particular case use only HP paper till you venture into other brands to test them.
I would suggest buying a color calibrator and forget the HP set-up to calibrate. This is even more important if you send your files periodically to be printed by a service lab.