Question about the Spyder3 calibration

Hey everybody. I am using a pretty old monitor currently....17" dell ultrasharp lcd. I have an HP wide format printer that is not delivering when it comes to prints. The colors look very muddy. I am thinking about getting the spyder3express to try and fix this problem, but I am curious how this actually changes your colors. My monitor is about 5 years old and has no contrast/sharpness/refresh rateselector, so will it tell mesomething like "increase sharpness to this level" or will it do it automatically. I know I will eventually have to cough up $600 for a nice monitor with better calibration settings, but Iam trying to find something that works for now.

The color calibration settings will be applied through your graphics card's and monitor's software. They will be saved as so colled color profile somewhere around advanced display settings. I do not think that color calibrating device can change sharpness per se.Your calibrated colors may be more saturated, vivid or contrasty,which may makeyour images "pop".You will have to color calibrate your printer as well.

piioo is right. It creates an ICC profile for the monitor and applies it (through the video card / on board graphics) at startup. He is also right in that you'll have to calibrate your printer as well to match (can't help out here unfortunately) but I assume you have to apply that ICC profile to the printer somewhere.


I use the Spider 3 express and find it makes the monitor slightly warmer than the factor default of my Dell u2401 monitor. I don't own a printer myself but I have found that colour reproduction from prints I have had made arevery closeto what it looks like on screen.


I think some sort of hardware calibration is essential for anybody serious about their photography. The Spyder3 express is great value for money.

Hi matrixman,


Go get yourself a Spyder 3 calibrator. It is impossible to make great prints without a calibrated display. I have been using Spyder 3 Elite for a couple of years and it is worth every penny. ($$)


- Johnny