If I told you that for the first five years of owning a camera I never calibrated my computer screen, you might have thought I was losing my mind. I couldn’t figure out why everything looked so horrible on my screen. I started to question if I was “getting” the concept of photography and white balance.
Things got even crazier when I started to try and print some of my images. It wasn’t until my friend and fellow author Levi asked if I had calibrated my computer screen. I think my jaw hit the floor! I mean I knew you had to calibrate lens to your body, but computer screens were a whole other thing.
Why it’s important
I assumed that since I had spent a small fortune on my computer that it was automatically set up to know what color was. Boy was I incredibly wrong. So cue my introduction into X-Rite.
The X-Rite i1Display Pro is the fastest, most accurate and easiest to use monitor calibrator from X-Rite. The i1Display Pro helps you achieve the most precise color, shadow detail and white balance. They believe that what you see on the screen is the most accurate representation of the shot you took. So, when you start editing and then printing, your output will match what you are seeing.
How it works
First, you need to go to the X-Rite site and install the software application onto your computer. Then, plug your device into the USB port on your computer.
After that, the software gives you a few easy steps to walk through, like making sure the room is lit by ambient light and that no direct sunlight is hitting the screen. Then it will prompt you to place the device on your screen. It then will start its process.
The whole thing takes about five minutes, start to finish, and once it’s done you can instantly toggle back and forth to see the before and after of your screen. Let me just say this — the moment I saw the before and after it was like seeing McDreamy shirtless! It was beautiful and glorious and I was ticked it had taken this long to happen. A bit exaggerated but you get my point, it was a moment.
I went on to learn that most calibration software suggests that you calibrate your monitor every 2-6 weeks to ensure that everything is accurate. This is because color temperature and screen brightness will gradually change over time. I am going to be incredibly honest with you right now — I did not have time for that. I am a working mother with an insane schedule at times and remembering to calibrate my monitor was just something that always got pushed to the side.
Enter BenQ
Now fast-forward to a few years down the line to when I learned about BenQ monitors and let’s just say this, I will never go back. BenQ AQCOLOR technology delivers “Accurate Reproduction.” This translates to the display of color precisely as it is intended to appear.
Their monitors cover 99% of the Adobe RGB spectrum. This results in more realistic color representation, particularly for photography. They recently sent me the SW270C monitor which also covers 100% sRGB and Rec.709, as well as 97% DCI-P3 and Display P3. That right there is surpassing existing color standards!
I love that they are dedicated to continuing to be the industry leader in color accuracy. For me, as a working mom who needs my monitor to be accurate 24/7 this is a huge deal. They have eliminated one whole step for me and I couldn’t be more grateful.
