Places to rent Colorimeter for monitor calibration?

WFMS

Anybody know any photo stores/ electronic stores that rent out colorimeters like Spyder/X-rite for calibrating monitors?
Appreciate any help in the matter!

almorris

When you calibrate a monitor, you need to re-calibrate it at a set schedule to ensure it remains calibrated. This is due to changes in the ambient lighting where the monitor is used, so a one off calibration, while useful, is limited. Not that I know anything.

Wabbit Ears

Check adverts.ie. Folk will do it for 25 quid or so

http://www.adverts.ie/for-sale/photography/196/q_spyder/

WFMS

almorris wrote: »

When you calibrate a monitor, you need to re-calibrate it at a set schedule to ensure it remains calibrated. This is due to changes in the ambient lighting where the monitor is used, so a one off calibration, while useful, is limited. Not that I know anything.

I'm well aware. Just don't have the cash to buy one right now.

Wabbit Ears wrote: »

Check adverts.ie. Folk will do it for 25 quid or so

Too much honestly, and too limiting considering I was planning to rent one out for a day or two and split the price with a mate so he could calibrate his screens too. That wouldn't be possible with the service provided here.
The guy seems to be charging a premium for "professional" calibration.
Using colorimeters is extremely simple, the program does most of the work for you. Anybody who can click a mouse can do it themselves.

Surely there must be a few shops in town that rent them no? Maybe there's even just a list of shops that specialize in photos/ cameras? As I could go in and ask myself if nobody knows if they rent them out.

Wabbit Ears

Perhaps bite the bullet and split the cost of just buying one?

stcstc

almorris wrote: »

When you calibrate a monitor, you need to re-calibrate it at a set schedule to ensure it remains calibrated. This is due to changes in the ambient lighting where the monitor is used, so a one off calibration, while useful, is limited. Not that I know anything.

actually the reason for recalibration is not changes in light and more to do with the light in the monitor changing. like a lightbulb as it ages the colour of the light changes

pixbyjohn

Wabbit Ears wrote: »

Perhaps bite the bullet and split the cost of just buying one?

That's the best way to do it.
We in Greystones Camera Club have 2 groups of 10 members who bought 2 calibrators between them which cut the cost down to about €20 each. Now it is available to the group anytime it is needed. If you feel you need to calibrate your monitor surely a €100 for the 2 of you is not expensive.

Effects

WFMS wrote: »

Too much honestly, and too limiting considering I was planning to rent one out for a day or two and split the price with a mate so he could calibrate his screens too. That wouldn't be possible with the service provided here.

Can't you both just have your monitors in the same place for the day? That's €12.50 each. Apart from what you think is a bad deal, do you really expect someone to travel to you and perform this service for less than €25?

r_carmona

That won't work, because the calibration is creating a profile for each display-computer combination that will be activated in the graphics card of the computer. ;-)

I would also consider buying one. Maybe you find some friends with whom you can share it?

Spyder4Pro is the one I use since two years and for mi it is a good value for money. It has all necessary functions and an ambient light sensor (which Spyder4Express, the low-range Spyder, hasn't and is important to calibrate the brightness of your display compensating your ambient light.)