BIOS: Technology Means Business

Monitor calibration devices were once the preserve of professional image editors and photographers, but Pantone and ColorVision have now made it possible for entry-level enthusiasts to afford this necessary component of the digital darkroom. If you work with digital images on a regular basis, a calibrated monitor is essential in order to produce prints that resemble their on-screen counterparts. Although its features are limited compared to high-end solutions that cost around £200 (ex. VAT), ColorPlus is one of the most intuitive and effective solutions we've tested and is an essential purchase if you're interested in getting the best image quality from your CRT, LCD or laptop monitor.

Pros: Breeze to use; produces great results; uses standard ICC profiles
Cons: Windows only; no customisation options; no printed target

ColorPlus is the latest addition to ColorVision's range of monitor calibration tools. Targeted at photo hobbyists and those that work daily with images, the hardware and software solution holds your hand through the process of calibrating your monitor to help produce the best possible image quality. You also get a copy of Adobe's entry-level imaging application, Photoshop Album Starter Edition, in the unlikely event that you don't already have an application of this type installed on your computer.

Those who work with imaging devices will appreciate the fact that peripherals such as monitors, digital cameras and scanners reproduce colours differently. As a result of this lack of standardisation, colours which look fine on one device might look totally different on another device - especially printers. One of the most effective way to try and standardise colours between peripherals is to calibrate your monitor, which is the process of matching an RGB-based colourspace with a white-point and gamma. This process can be a little technical for casual users, which is where ColorPlus comes in.

ColorPlus is a Windows-compatible hardware colour sensor (7-filter, emissive colorimeter) that adjusts the calibration parameters of CRT, LCD and laptop monitors for more accurate, reliable and consistent colour so that they look their best and brightest. Used correctly, ColorPlus will help you to setup your display so it produces a wider range of colours, better flesh tones, more defined shadows and realistic highlights.

The ColorPlus sensor connects to your computer using USB and is then attached to your monitor. The device is driven by a step-by-step software interface that guides you through the process of balancing your screen's brightness and contrast (black and white balance), gamma (midtone lightness) and colour temperature (warmth and coolness of white). In fact, in just a few minutes, you'll notice that colours on your screen are more accurate, brightness and contrast levels are more balanced, and it should better match the colour output of your printer.

Unfortunately, unlike high-end solutions such as TypeMaker's Colour Confidence Studio Pro (£245 ex. VAT), you don't get a digital test image, embedded profile software or a reference print. There's no pre-calibration utility either, which when used to adjust a monitor's own colour controls prior to calibration, ensures that the screen displays the widest possible colour gamut. In addition, there's no option to matching different monitors to the same target, and there are no custom targets, curve manipulation, colorimeter, or reporting tools. Gamma and white-point settings are also predefined, so there are no advanced customisation options.

The process of calibrating your monitor couldn't really be any simpler. After installing the software, you then place the sensor on your display (counterweight hangs over the top of your screen for balance), select the type of monitor being calibrated (CRT or TFT) using the software, and then sit and wait. During this time, which takes around two minutes to complete, the hardware sensor initialises and takes measurements of your screen. Finally, there's a Before/After window that lets you see the effect of ColorPlus on your monitor. Each custom ICC profile you create with ColorPlus is automatically stored by Windows, so at any time you can view, edit or print through your digital imaging software using that custom profile.

Links:
ColorPlus Web site