Oversaturation in display (Windows Viewer vs SlideShow Mode)

[raj_damodaran]

<p>Hi,<br>

I saw a photo I took in <strong>Windows Viewer</strong> and it looked over-saturated.<br>

http://tpsnadar.zenfolio.com/p540155338#h3ac89377<br>

<img src="http://tpsnadar.zenfolio.com/p540155338#h3ac89377" alt="" /><br>

I then went to<strong> slideshow mode</strong> and the photo was more neutral and closer to what the actual scene was.<br>

http://tpsnadar.zenfolio.com/p540155338#h2d7382d1<br>

<a href="http://tpsnadar.zenfolio.com/p540155338#h2d7382d1"><img src="http://tpsnadar.zenfolio.com/p540155338#h2d7382d1" alt="" /></a><br>

I guess this means I need to calibrate my monitor.<br>

<strong>Questions</strong>:<br>

What exactly is the issue when the photos are different with a white background and a black background?<br>

Should (Can) I calibrate the monitor to match the camera (Canon T1i)?<br>

How do I calibrate to match a printer when my prints are sent to costco?<br>

I have heard of Huey, Sypder, and ColorMunki...but don't know which one (or which version) to get. Any recommendations?<br>

I am an amateur photographer and do make prints, but my priority is for the photos to look good on my monitor and online (website, facebook). I understand that every monitor is different and others won't see what I see...but I want to know the starting point is correct for my taste.<br>

Monitor: Gateway fhd2303l LCD<br>

Camera: Canon T1i<br>

Windows 7 Home Premium X64<br>

Thanks.<br>

Raj</p>

[acedigital]

<p>Hi Raj: You are asking a very good question.<br>

1. Here is an <a href="http://www.imaging-resource.com/ARTS/MONCAL/CALIBRATE.HTM">excellent article</a> on the basics...I am sure you can find some on here as well (Digital Darkroom)<br>

2. I use a Spyder 2 that does a good basic job, but just calibrates the monitor. For online work that is a good start. For printing, you want to get the ICC profile of the paper/printer you are printing to and use that in your output workflow in PS/Lightroom. For COSTCO, go to their website - go to the store locator on the Photo site and it will tell you what printer(s) they use and a link to the proper ICC profile. You "print" to a file (jpeg) using this profile to match your colors to the paper/printer combo, works well.<br>

Good Luck!</p>

[digitaldog]

<p>It sounds like one of the app's isn't color managed. Nothing you can do about that, it can't correctly preview the numbers as it doesn't understand basic color management. <br>

You DO need to calibrate and profile your display for color managed applications! This may help as a starter piece on why:<br>

http://tinyurl.com/kdgutmz<br>

I'd look into an X-rite solution (the best being the EyeOne Display-Pro) http://www.xrite.com/i1display-pro<br>

You can spend less for the ColorMunki Display which is the same hardware, running slower with pretty crippled software. </p>

[wayne_larmon]

<blockquote>

<p>It sounds like one of the app's isn't color managed</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Andrew, FYI, in Windows the Windows Viewer program is color managed and pays attention to embedded profiles. If you have three images with embedded profiles that are otherwise identical, in sRGB, in Adobe RGB (1996), and in ProPhoto, they will look identical in the Windows Viewer (like they would in PhotoShop.) </p>

<p>The Slideshow app (that is launched from the Windows Viewer) is not color managed. (At least for Windows 7. I don't know about Windows 8.) The above mentioned three images would look drastically different from each other.</p>