Monitor Calibration Myths & Facts

Calibrating your monitor is the best way to ensure color accuracy in addition to streamlining your post-production workflow, yet there are misconceptions about calibration that make some people hesitate to perform this simple task. While color performance and accuracy are dependent upon the physical capabilities of a monitor, calibration maximizes the color performance and accuracy of a display for a particular workflow (such as photography, videography, digital design, content creation, etc.). Here, we dispel some common myths with actual facts about calibration so you can get the most from your monitor, plus, work more efficiently.

Myth: Calibration will permanently change my display.

Fact: Spyder calibration of a display is done through an ICC profile. This profile is used by the color management feature of a computer’s operating system and the Look Up Table (LUT) of the video card. Color managed programs on a computer will use the profile to correctly render colors within the application and the video card will correct the signal going to the display so it renders colors correctly.

Myth: Calibration is difficult and requires a technical background.

Fact: With Spyder X/Spyder X2, calibration couldn’t be simpler. In fact, you can calibrate your monitor in under 2 minutes! The Spyder X/X2 software offers one-click calibration options with industry set standards if you’re new to calibration, plus fully customizable settings for experienced users looking for complete color calibration control. The creation of the calibration profile is done automatically by the Spyder software and saved to the correct place on the operating system to be used as the display profile.

Myth: Calibration and color-critical work should be done in a well-lit room.

Fact: Calibration and color critical work should be done in a dimly lit room. Overhead lighting and desk lighting should be turned off.

Your lighting environment can impact how you perceive color on your display. A brightly lit room can also make the proper brightness for photography and printing workflows appear too dim. Keeping the environmental lighting low, whenever possible, will ensure you see your monitor as accurately as possible.

Myth: Recalibration is needed even with small changes in room lighting.

Fact: You don’t need to recalibrate with small changes in environmental lighting. You should keep environmental lighting low but your eye, and the calibration, will not be impacted by small changes.

Myth: Calibration only needs to be done once.

Fact: Calibration is done to maximize the color performance and accuracy of a display for a particular workflow (like photography, videography, graphic design, etc.). This needs to be done regularly to maintain the accuracy of a display. Like a musician tuning an instrument before a performance, you want your tools functioning at their optimum level before you start your work, so calibrating before each shoot is a good habit to get into.

Myth: I don’t need to calibrate if my monitor is already factory calibrated.

Fact: Calibration needs to be done even if a display is factory calibrated. Calibration when manufactured is important, but the manufacturer may not calibrate for your specific workflow, so accuracy isn’t guaranteed. Also, screen brightness, contrast, color accuracy and color temperature gradually change over time. Performing and maintaining the correct calibration and brightness settings yourself ensures the display is calibrated for your specific needs.

Myth: Mac monitors don’t need to be calibrated.

Fact: In fact, Mac monitors do need to be calibrated just like any other display.

Myth: Calibration will match all monitors.

Fact: Different monitors used with the same computer can display different results, so the appearance doesn’t match. A monitor can have a different look depending on what computer it is connected to. This is due to factors such as:

• Different factory-set calibration settings.
• Different backlight technologies. A monitor is a light source, and our eyes are able to identify the difference in light sources when viewing monitors next to each other. For example (think about how different an LED and a florescent bulb look next to each other).
• Different gamuts. Viewing monitors next to each other that have different physical abilities to render color can make one display appear more saturated.
• The angle of the monitor. Monitors perform at their best when viewed directly in front of the user, including IPS monitors. Monitors should be placed next to each other so the user views each as directly as possible.
• Biology of the viewer. We all perceive color differently. The Spyder X2 is an unbiased device but our eyes are biased by our biological make-up, the food or drink what we have consumed – even our mood!

The first step to get the best continuity between monitors is to use the same calibration settings (Gamma, White Point and Brightness) for each in the SpyderX2 software. Your particular workflow will determine the calibration settings.

Spyder X2 Elite and Spyder X2 Ultra have two features called Spyder Tune and StudioMatch. These tools are used to achieve the best continuity between monitors on the same computer or on multiple computers. Learn more about our Spyder X2 calibrators here.