Basic question on LCD monitor calibration

[bill_akstens]

<p>Background: I'm using a NEC P221W LCD monitor with the included SpectraviewII calibration software and puck. This monitor has internal LUTs.<br>

When I calibrate (I'm using sRGB emulation mode) do I first need to manually tweak the monitor's on-screen brightness/contrast settings, and then go to the calibration? Or do I go right into calibration, and input a desired luminance value (for example 120 cd/m2) and let the software do its thing?<br>

My understanding is I should only need to tell the calibrator what luminance value I want (and what color temperature I want if I'm using aRGB, etc), and then let the calibrator do its thing. I never need to manually tweak any of the monitor's on-screen settings, and in fact I should probably disable the on-screen display so they can't be changed. Does that sound correct? Thanks.</p>

[brad_smith8]

<p>What does the user's manual say?</p>

[buri]

<p>Bill,</p>

<p>I have done this a number of times (by the way, great monitor choice), and I have found it is best to reset all monitor settings to factory default and then 'let the software do its thing.' It is really pretty easy.</p>

<p>Also, I would recommend calibrating about once a month. It just seems that it stays more accurate that way. Slight changes can start to make a big difference.</p>

<p>Let me know if you have any other calibration questions and enjoy your new experience with color accuracy....OH YEAH, also make sure to use the printer profile from the lab you use on your images. Otherwise, calibrating your monitor won't do you a lot of good with your printer results.</p>

[patricklavoie]

<blockquote>

<p>also make sure to use the printer profile from the lab you use on your images. Otherwise, calibrating your monitor won't do you a lot of good with your printer results.</p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>i do not agree 100% on that. I have a calibrated monitor a NEC 2690wuxi, and when i save my file to print them on a lab i save them as sRGB. From there, what i send and what i receive match pretty closely what i have on my monitor eveytime.. even without having there printer profile for softproofing. Its a matter of finding a good reliable lab that make constant check up to assure you quality control, and you also need to ask your lab not to color corrected your image (all the lab do this by default if you dont ask them not to do it).</p>

<p>Calibrating a display is important even if you dont own a printer or dont print your job.. this is the only way you can trust what you see and what other can see IF they also ahve a calibrated monitor.</p>

[buri]

<p>Ok, well...I am glad you have good luck with that, but every printer is different. I can hold shots up to my monitor and it is a perfect match everytime. All I do is run a batch job in Photoshop that assigns the printer profile to the converted JPEG file (a copy specifically for printing). It is a very, very easy step. Why not run the batch job and be sure?</p>

[patricklavoie]

<p>Why? because sRGB work well for many lab i try (not that i use many) ; )</p>

<p>Saving a jpeg as sRGB give you the advantage of not being lock with one particualr printer.. If i produce 100jpeg in sRGB color space, and go to lab A.. let say when i arrive that lab A is close for no reason.. i simply go to lab B and give them the same CD.. since no printer correction have been applied, any lab A-B or C can print it.</p>

<p>Also, by converting to sRGB you can use the same file for a projection, for a web site, for a commercial press (where they will make the appropraite CMYK conversion out of it) and also when you give this CD to a client and dont know where they gonna use it... as you see sRGB have many advantage over a dedicate printer icc profile.</p>

<p>I use only 2 lab when in need, i normally print everything with my epson printer 99% of the time.</p>

<p>Oh and believe me, im always sure of the result before seing the print...100% of the time ; )</p>

<p>*i sent 120 different 8x12 this morning to my local lab, and during my lunch i got them back here.. they match my monitor AND my epson proof test.</p>

<p>_____</p>

<p>But that was not the quesiton of the OP ; )</p>

<p>Simply set your monitor to is default, and let the software do is job, of copurse you need to tell him what cdm2 you want gamma and K.. but you know that.</p>

<p> </p>

[chas_frady]

<p>This article should help you:<br>

http://www.imagescience.com.au/kb/questions/142/How+To+Calibrate+An+NEC+Monitor+With+SpectraView+II</p>

[Ed_Ingold]

<p>Some calibration kits have both a long form and short form procedure. X-Rite (nee Gretag-MacBeth) Eye One Match leads you through hardware adjustments in the "long form" calibration procedure, then finishes with software to measure displayed patches and generate a calibration curve. Subsequent calibrations can use the last part only (the "short form" procedure). The idea is to do as little correction as possible in the monitor profile (software).</p>

<p>Most laptops don't have much flexibility in color adjustments, which is yet another reason they are hard to calibrate.</p>

<p>You should always use a device-independent color space for editing (e.g., sRGB or Adobe RGB). If you make a separate image file for commercial printing (recommended), it's usually safe to convert that file to sRGB. If you print yourself, Photoshop (and any color-managed application) can interpret any color space accurately, then print it using a print profile. Print profiles are printer/paper/ink specific, and should not be used as a color space.</p>

[buri]

<blockquote>

<p>You should always use a device-independent color space for editing (e.g., sRGB or Adobe RGB). If you make a separate image file for commercial printing (recommended), it's usually safe to convert that file to sRGB. If you print yourself, Photoshop (and any color-managed application) can interpret any color space accurately, then print it using a print profile. Print profiles are printer/paper/ink specific, and should not be used as a color space.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Ok, I DO NOT USE PRINTER PROFILES FOR MY COLOR SPACE. I use a batch to assign them to a new jpeg file before sending to the lab. It isn't rocket science.</p>

[brad_smith8]

<blockquote>

<p>Why? because sRGB work well for many lab i try (not that i use many) ; )</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Indeed why would you with those printers!?<br>

Patrick (a little off-topic) when you do color prints in-house, do you use a larger gamut? The reason I ask is because I'm noticing some really nice, rich color output from a 2880 using ProphotoRGB (from RAW all the way through). Comparing the print to the monitor, I can see definite color differences, so there's a little "shootin' in the dark" when editing, but I generally leave hue and color balance alone.<br>

I'll be getting a "96% AdobeRGB" monitor soon (Dell U2711), so it will be closer but still a little off.<br>

I respect your opinion, and thought I'd ask.</p>