Professionals: What Gamma do you use?

I work in graphics/design and because I'm freelance, I have to work in various places and with all sorts of equipment and set-ups.

I also work from a powerbook and find the screen (like all LCDs) over saturated in light tints and strong colours, washed out with skin tones and generally not very representative of the final printed result.

The only reliable result is found by learning what the percentage numbers given by things like the info pallet in photoshop actually mean in the real world.

no amount of callibration is going to make your screen look like anyone else's or like a printed document.

I have had two CRT laCie screens in a company i worked for next to each other, same model, same calibration, same age, displaying the same image and they looked different.

A guy who worked for this particular company was one of the best retoucher/artists I have ever met, he would use the screen as a rough guide and rely on the numbers for accuracy, It was only when I left the company after 3 years that i found out he was colourblind!

so, basically, the very vague answer is to go with whatever setup gives you the best result with your work!

I use 2.2 5500k, 2.2 5000k is what I see most experts say is the best for print, yes even on a Mac. The problem with that is not all monitors are going to give you a good look with that setup, some monitors will give you yellowish whites and a overall dull look. I would say start there, then move the temp up (5500k, 6500k) first before playing with the Gamma. Then, move the Gamma down if needed. Its a tough call because it depends on what type of monitor you have (CRT or LCD), the quality of the monitor, it's age, and if you are using hardware or software calibration. Sorry, another vague answer...

snkTab said:

Currently, I'm running a 23" Cinema HD Display. Native White point, and one I am inclined to stay with until I get my hands on a nice calibrator is at 6500k. 5000k & 5500k are really yellow. I'm pretty happy with the color setup of my monitor, its just that I'm worried it has too much contrast.

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Thats why I still prefer my big, bulky, heavy, ugly, not so cool looking, slightly curved screen CRT, I'm very happy with the color. LCD monitors tend to drop off detail in the brightest highlights and deepest shadows giving them more contrast. Hardware calibration might help.