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Thread: Calibration issues? Help, please!

  1. #1
    Anita Rakestraw
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    Default Calibration issues? Help, please!

    I seem to really be having issues with my monitor display.....noted first when I posted my Calling RWBB the other day. Basically, it is displaying too dark. I can't see good detail in others' posts, esp. of dark areas, and I am processing my own so that they're too light; and apparently I'm missing, in my own images, noise and other negative detail because I can't see it!!

    I've recalibrated my monitor since that post, actually several times; seems to look different to me each time; I think I get it right and at a different time of day it doesn't look right.

    I'm using ColorEyes Display Pro. My current settings are: generic CRT Monitor (Dell Dimension 4600 series, 2003); ICCv4, 16 bit, White Point target 6500K, Max. Luminance; Gamma L* (recommended); Black Point absolute (recommended). sRGB color profile.

    Please, if anyone has any suggestions for me, I need them badly!! I'm at a loss what to do! Yes, I look at the calibration strip at the bottom of the page and see that my darks are too dark, but when calibrating, how do I get it right??

    Thanks so much for any help you can provide!

  2. #2
    Dave Taylor
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    I'm using a Mac, so it may be a bit different for you. Hopefully someone on the pc side can jump in here. When I calibrate my monitor using my Eye-One, it creates a profile that is automatically set as my default monitor profile. It sounds like even though you've calibrated your monitor, it is not selecting the monitor profile you've created. You may need to go into your "Display" setting in "My Computer" and manually select the profile you've created.
    Anyone else with more pc experience think that this sounds correct? Sorry I can't be of more help. You stated that you have the sRGB color profile selected, is this in Photoshop or a systems preference? In Photoshop, I always leave my working space as ProPhoto RGB. Then I'll convert the image I want to use for the web to sRGB using Photoshops Convert to Profile option. I hope this helps.

  3. #3
    Lance Peters
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    Hi Anita - a couple of tips.. I assume you are using a PC

    Make sure your screen is set to whatever brightness/ contrast is recommended by the program - some telll you to set the brightness at 100% before you start to do the correction.

    Make sure in your windows startup folder you dont have Adobe Gamma or something like that - Photoshop loads it - it will mess things up.

    If the software has a advanced mode - use that will give finer control over what is happening.

  4. #4
    Anita Rakestraw
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    Thanks, Dave and Lance. I think you've helped clarify some things for me....I was getting kinda confused. I think maybe I've got it now. :p :confused: :o

  5. #5
    Cliff Beittel
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    Since your issue is brightness, the key question is, what luminance value is your calibration program producing? I don't know the software you are using, but with Monaco's program, you get a report at the end of the process showing both white and black luminance. Monaco also shows you where it is saving the profile--I always add the date to the name so I can tell, if necessary, that my computer is actually set to the latest profile. If your software is giving you something in the 80 - 100 range for white luminance, the traditional range for graphics work with a CRT, you may need to work with dimmed room lighting. Do your prints look correct?

    Another potential issue is the age of your CRT. From what I'm heard, five to six years old is quite old for a CRT. I finally had to replace my last CRT when the blue gun started failing at about the five-year point (and the LCD I got is far better than my highly recommended CRT ever was). I believe CRT's lose brightness with time, so it's conceivable your software simply can't get enough brightness out of your monitor. What brightness and contrast settings is the calibration process establishing?

  6. #6
    Anita Rakestraw
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    Thanks, Cliff. I'm using ColorEyes Display Pro. I seem to not have enough understanding of all the terminology and number values. I may not even know the correct questions to ask, ha!! Here is what my end-of-calibration summary says:

    White Point: x = .3128, y = 0 = .3292, 6500K 48cd/m2
    Black Point: = .100 cd/m2
    rXYZ = .4765, .2497, .0256
    gXYZ = .3470, .6655, .1092
    bXYZ = .1416, .0840, .6900

    There is a chart called "luminance tracking" that shows the figure 59.2. (??)

    The monitor display is lighter now than it was, but looks to me a little washed out. My on-screen brightness is set to 80, contrast 100. I printed something yesterday that looks right to me....
    I've dated and saved this current profile and checked to make sure it is loaded as the default profile.
    I'm just not sure how it is looking to others???

    I don't really understand what most of these figures are telling me. :confused: :(

    Yes, I've wondered if my monitor is getting too old. I've noticed it seems to take a little longer to come to full brightness when turned on, but otherwise I've not noticed issues, except for trying to get this calibration thing right. I thought one calibrated and that was it, but to me it seems like there is more subjectiveness involved. Am I off base about this?

    Again, thanks for any guidance you and others can provide!!

  7. #7
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    I have also just calibrated my laptop for the first time. I see the ICC profiles that were created today in the Vista's Control Panel/Color Management tool:



    However, I see no difference in the display when I change the default or change the "Use my settings for this device". The before/after view in Eye-One Display2 showed a noticable difference. I feel like I am missing something very obvious here.

    Also, does anyone know how to calibrate a second monitor on the laptop? I have an HP 22" connected via HDMI.

    Thanks,
    Mike

  8. #8
    Dave Taylor
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    I know it isn't a perfect solution & doesn't fix all of your issues, but it may be time to upgrade to an lcd panel.

  9. #9
    Dave Taylor
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    I'd also recommend this book "Real World Color Management - 2nd Edition"
    http://www.amazon.com/Real-World-Col...1469824&sr=1-2

    It's very indepth but written in an easy to understand way. It's a good book that every digital photographer should read.

  10. #10
    Dave Taylor
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    I keep remembering good resources. The Luminous Landscape has a digital download "Tutorial" that is really quite good. It's called "From Camera to Print" & has a chapter on calibrating monitors and other devices. The whole video is very good, as is the Lightroom Tutorial.
    http://www.luminous-landscape.com/vi...ra-print.shtml

  11. #11
    Cliff Beittel
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    Anita,

    The two numbers that look like white luminance in that report are 48 and 59.2, both very low. The numbers I've seen recommended for high-end graphics monitors are 80 to 100. I have my LCD at 90, which is controversially low for a monitor that isn't high end (monitors made for graphics work tend to be less bright to start with, while monitors made for bright office environments are often very bright than thus need to have brightness and or contrast turned way down to achieve 80 - 100 cd/m2). Many people are running LCDs at 100 to 140, which could explain why their images don't look right on your monitor and vice versa. You might try setting your brightness and contrast all the way to 100 to see if your software/monitor combination can give you more luminance. But assuming your calibration sensor isn't broken or dirty, your monitor may be too old to achieve normal luminance levels.

  12. #12
    Anita Rakestraw
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    Thanks, Dave, for the resources; I'll do some more reading. Thanks, Cliff, for your suggestions; I'll try turning up the monitor's brightness; and then I need to run the calibration again?

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    I think you need to get a new LCD monitor. I have had several CRT monitors that after 5 or so years have pretty much reached the end of their usefull life (at least for graphics work). It is a shame, cause they were excellent. I have had no luck re-calibrating them as well. I'd get a 20 inch LCD (Samsung is pretty darn good) but I'd personally want a 1200x1600 native resolution. They are only about $300! regards~Bill

  14. #14
    Cliff Beittel
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    Quote Originally Posted by Anita Rakestraw View Post
    . . . I'll try turning up the monitor's brightness; and then I need to run the calibration again?
    Anita,

    Yes. Anytime you make a change in brightness or contrast, you need to re-calibrate or at least re-profile (the program I use, Monaco OPTIX, gives me the choice: with calibration, the software helps set brightness and contrast to levels that it thinks are correct, then creates a profile; with profiling, the software skips the calibration stage and just describes your monitor so that it can interface correctly with other devices). But I'm with William in thinking you will need a new monitor. My last CRT came highly recommended by Tim Grey, but the 24" HP LP2465 LCD I bought two years ago--a good LCD, but not a high-end monitor by any means--is far better.

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    Here is a way to test your monitor brightness: use your camera:
    http://www.clarkvision.com/photoinfo...an_LCD_monitor
    (works for CRTs too).

    (by the way, this thread should be under digital work flow.)

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