katherineivey Loc: Corinth, Texas

I just got a new Dell laptop with 3456x2160 native display and Windows 11. Just looking at my wallpaper photo, which I took myself, it seems to display a bit over-saturated and it was also too bright. The colors look good. I adjusted the brightness down a bit, but am unsure whether to calibrate it. When I started to calibrate using the Windows tool, I got a warning that changing it might prevent it from displaying the full gamut of colors. What do you UHH peeps recommend?

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

You need to look into a calibration tool like Spyder or Color Checker.

Don’t trust an image that you developed yourself on an un-calibrated monitor. It might be a little off.

katherineivey Loc: Corinth, Texas

Thanks. I regularly calibrate my large monitor, which I connect to when I edit photos. I didn't find the need to calibrate my 4-year-old Dell laptop. The difference was very slight between them (less contrast and a hair warmer on the monitor vs the laptop screen). The prints that I sell (generally 16" x 24") come out very good. I do want my new laptop to be close because I am blown away by the difference in detail that I am seeing on its display and I do use it to edit when I am traveling and can't connect to the big monitor. Now that I have seen what 3456X2160 looks like, I want a new large monitor!! Guess I'll save up my money!

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Let's say the UHH community is using calibrated monitors. Point some eyes to your website where a variety of all 'properly calibrated' might see the same or different.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

The rest of the world is viewing with uncalibrated monitors.
I wonder what they think the images look like......
Wrong? Weird? I'll bet they don't really care. They think that's the way it's supposed to look.
Only the photographer knows for sure.

Other than some people here, I know no one who has a calibrated monitor.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

I didn't say put it on DPREVIEW. Rather, here with the experts and all the finest tools ....

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

That's okay, I didn't mention DPReview anyway.

Glad they have the finest tools. That way I know what I view is the best no matter what it looks like on my system. Even on my 15 year old monitor.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

A calibrated workflow for me is all about producing prints that are correct off my printer or from my printing service every time, not about viewers using uncalibrated monitors.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

And the only other people who can view the image as intended are those who view the print.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Now we're back to trees and forests.... how about a little less Cartesian doubt and more URL links.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I have one.

tcthome Loc: NJ

Which DELL? XPS? Dedicated graphics card? 100%ADOBE color gamut? I would check with Dell & Xrite or whatever brand calibrator you are using & find out if your screen can be calibrated.

dave.m

sense a growing amount of sniping on UHH over recent months - a great shame as I always regarded it as a refreshing place to ask questions and get answers.

So to the original question, and touching on some points already raised: a number of years ago I was highy frustrated by the differences I saw between my laptop/ desktop screens and printed results on my Canon photo printer. I finally invested in a Colormunki for calibrating screens and printer. The results on screens were and are excellent - both look visually alike. The printer, not so much. Before, the laptop looked cold (I now know that some laptops and almost all phones use a blue colour cast so it looks 'whiter than white' (remeber that soap powder advert!)

For the printed imager compared to a screen view a lot more than colour differences are at play - a screen can display a lot more of the colour spectrum (be it sRGB or adbobe RGB); contrast ratio of a screen way outshines a print etc. This article started me on the right track https://www.northlight-images.co.uk/why-dont-my-prints-match-my-screen/ . And for the printer I finally used a professional profiling service for the 4 or 5 papers I use

On screens there is plenty of evidence that blue white can cause headaches and tiredness, so much so that Samsung that I know of have a blue light filter option on their phones. When I first used it the screen looked decidedly in the 'hint of brown' spectum but now I'm used to it I much prefer it to the 'ice blue'.

So - irrespective of who else views your images and on what, perhaps calibration will at least make your screens consistent, and if you print, calibration (and the same colour space throughoit your workflow) across your screens and prints will at least satisfy your aesthetic preferences (and may have eyesight benefits if one of the screens is on the blue side.)

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

Calibrating your monitor would be my guess.
I personally make frequent use of the "White Balance" eyedropper.
I am a STRONG DEUTAN. "This type of red-green color blindness has the green cones in the eye detect too much red light
and not enough green light."
This is according to the "ENCHROMA COLOR BLIND TEST" @ https://enchroma.com/pages/strong-deutan-test-result
I guess that I just didn't "learn my colors" as a child, grin.
So please go figure, make constructive comments, and . . .
Smile,
JimmyT Sends
Have a Merry Christmas
and a Healthy, Happy New Year

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

The only thing it's good for.