Mac Vs. PC Monitor Calibration

[jaijin]

I've noticed most of my friends keep on circulating the only monitor calibration our photography group has. They say the colors of their pictures really differ from when they have it on the monitor to the ones they have printed.

So I went ahead and took some photos this afternoon and picked one, and compared how it appeared on five different devices. The original on my camera, one from Aperture on my MBP, another one from Photoshop on my brother's PC, another on my mom's iPad, and last is on my iPhone 4.



First, the original version on my Nikon D300s. The skin tones are accurate from the actual skin of the subjects, and the skies are amber in hue. The leaves of the tree were a little detailed.

Now I've noticed that the iPad, MBP, and iPhone copies of the photo are a bit darker. The skin tone was pretty much the same, but the skies turned into a hellish red. The tree lost some details as well.

Now on the PC, everything just looked lighter. The subjects looked pale, the skies were "Zest-O-range", and the tree at behind them wasn't as cute anymore.

So which one should be the more accurate version of this photo if printed right out of the camera, with no post-processing done?

To mac-using photographers--Do you have your LCDs or monitors calibrated?

If so, what software do you use? (for mac only, no way i'm using slower PCs for editing )

Thanks.

[bacchus_3]

There is no point comparing how colors are rendered on different screens if they are not calibrated and profiled especially for printing. You need a calibrating device like the Spyder 3 Express. There are other calibration units available though.

If you intend to print and need to match what you see on your calibrated monitor/screen to your photo printer you'd need printer profiles for your intended output paper.

My workflow for printing my photos goes:

a) calibrate my MBP screen in a room with no lights at the back or dim-lighted
b) Post process my photos using a screen profile for my target paper. I use Canon Pixma printers and say I will print on a Photo Glossy Paper. In Photoshop I pick Onscreen Profile for Photo Glossy Paper for my printer.
c) Print with Photo Glossy Paper

[jaijin]

So how often should I calibrate it?

[bacchus_3]

When you move around and lighting conditions change you should recalibrate. Ambient lighting at noon and late afternoon can change how a color looks on the screen.

It's not a hard rule though

[angstly]

I learned this lesson the hard way. I had my pictures printed and the prints were way off the monitor display. After purchasing Spyder 2 Express, my prints now match the monitor display.

[cyberathlete]

i just tried manually calibrating my macbook display.. its "better" that what it was before but the calibration process is very tedious. spyders are the way to go..

OT: anybody what to rent out / sell theirs>

[cybersniper]

Php 5,300 - check THIS out.

[riverphoenix]

oh, but you left out one important aspect in the procedure. what about in-camera white balance? i prefer the Kelvin rating mode.