Monitor calibration / gamma

For anyone who tweaks image levels etc. in PSP or PS, one thing I'm sure you've encountered is that your photo looks great on your monitor, but when you show someone in work on their monitor it looks terrible! (usually too dark)

This is the science/obsession/infuriation of calibration. In other words getting the brightness, gamma, and colour balance of your monitor just right. Okay, it's not going to fix everyone elses monitor, but at least you know yours is set up as 'industry standard'

Here are a few good sites I found to help with this;

www.normankoren.com/makingfineprints1A.html
www.bberger.net/rwb/gamma.html
trikuare.cx/art/tut/gamma/ <-- this is a good one
www.photoscientia.co.uk/Gamma.htm <--- this I found to be the best. Check out the ''gamagic' test patterns naer the bottom of the page

Also, I found LCD more difficult, as it varies depending on your viewing position etc. But, try to put the calibration image in the middle of the screen, and keep your head still!

This is something which concerns most of us who produce astrophotos, for we seek to have each visitor warned about proper calibration so as to ensure the maximum enjoyment of the work displayed.

What I have done is to create a special page on my website which addresses this issue using a grayscale colouring scheme. Please see www.perseus.gr/Astro-Monitor-Calibr.htm .... of course, if anyone is interested in the grayscale bar, they are more than welcome to take mine for use elsewhere.

Anthony.

For Photoshop users, have a look in the Adobe Programme Folder- There's a little application in there called Adobe Gamma that will bring you through some simple steps that will allow you to callibrate your monitor-
remember that this will change depending on the lighting conditions of where your PC Monitor is- i.e. tungsten bulbs or daylight/daylight simulation bulbs.
If you're using CRT monitor, turn it on for about 10 minutes before you start adjusting.
You can create seperate Monitor profiles for different conditions.

Dave P

As you pointed out John, this needs to be addressed, though I can see Anthony's grayscale shading quite easily, can you?

Keith..

As you pointed out John, this needs to be addressed, though I can see Anthony's grayscale shading quite easily, can you?

Keith..

Yea, I can see these levels fine now.

I also adjusted the colour gamma balance a bit on my monitor (apparently the default settings are sometimes too 'blue')

Oh, and I adjusted for gamma of 1.8 (not 2.2); this site convinced me -

www.photoscientia.co.uk/Gamma.htm
My personal preference is to set a system gamma of 1.8, even though I use a PC.
I'll explain why I made this decision, and you can choose to agree or ignore me, as you wish.

Reason 1, and most fundamental, is that a gamma of 2.2 is just too damned dark!

Reason 2. A gamma of 1.8 agrees fairly well with the output of most printers.

Reason 3. The majority of graphics professionals and pre-press proofing rooms use a gamma of 1.8, and who am I to argue?

Reason 4. Most monitors, graphics cards and associated gamma correction software can easily cope with a gamma of 1.8.
(Try forcing a gamma of 1.0 on an old or cheap monitor, and you'll see why it's wise to stay well within the
limitations of your hardware!)

Reason 5. If you go much lighter than 1.8, then you run the risk of highlight detail becoming difficult to distinguish, and
of colour matching problems.

Reason 6. It gives Mac users one less excuse to sneer, and they do enough unwarranted sneering as it is.

It's pretty obvious that my recommendation is to aim for a gamma value of 1.8, but you may equally want to stick to the sRGB / PC standard of 2.2, or compromise between the Mac and PC with a value of 2.0, or something else entirely.

Hi Guys,

As someone who does a lot of photo work, monitor calibration is a must. I use a hardware based calibration system and would recommend this route to people that process and print on regular basis.

I use this Colorvision device:

www.colorvision.com/products_colorplus.shtml