Help with new iMac and photography

My guess is you likely have two main problems (outside of properly calibrated your monitor):

1) some cameras default the photo to Adobe RGB - make sure they're saved in sRGB, which is actually pretty close to the Costco profile (not doing this would certainly result in images that are dull and less saturated)

2) the new iMac monitor is quite bright out of the box, so if you're adjusting your photos by eye, expect them to be too dark when viewed on a calibrated monitor (and to print too dark) - drop your brightness by half and try adjusting them again

I went through a few 24" iMacs before deciding that the screen quality was fine for regular apps, but not quite up to my expectations for photography (colour/brightness were uneven across the screen, appears to be due to the components used for this model, many threads about this). But not everyone is as picky as I am...YMMV

tttexxan said:

So what did you end up going with if you tried several 24" Imacs...Did you stick with one....Im very picky also...Also camera is set to Srgb and using costco printer profiles...I have been doing this for awhile so know most of the ins and outs, and thinking largely due to the Imac brihtness

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If you had the profiles right, then I'd agree the brightness was probably the main issue.

I have a Powerbook, but have been doing photo editing using a Windows system with a decent Dell monitor - I wouldn't say it's perfect but it's quite good/consistent. I was hoping to upgrade the entire environment and move the photo stuff over to Aperture, but while the iMac was really nice, at the end I had to come to terms that it was a consumer product. Nothing wrong with that, but it implies different expectations and tolerances.

My opinion now is that the ACD is the only monitor that will be up to par (I do some semi-pro photography stuff, but the bigger reason is that I'm just really picky). I've decided to use what I have until a new MacBook Pro comes out, and buy an ACD with it (I know the MBP is fine today, but I just can't stand buying something at the obvious end of a product cycle). If the rumours are to be believed, a new model should arrive within the next 2-3 months, so I won't have to wait long.

Cheers, Colin.

Gamma???

I noticed that noone had responded about a previous comment in regards to the gamma settings. I have read a lot of posts on the internet stating that the Mac gamma should be changed to 2.2 (default is 1.8).

Here are a few links that talk about the gamma settings:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/apple/why-pros-use-mac.htm

http://creativebits.org/2004/07/windows-vs-mac-monitor-gamma.html

http://jwz.livejournal.com/506441.html

Try doing this...hopefully it will work

Let us know

tttexxan said:

Now to figure out the Mouse issue....The mouse for some strange reason moves down to the right lower portion of the screen all by itself...I can be working in photoshop or searching the web and will suddenly move from the point from which I have it..

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Did you miss my question about what type of mause pad you are using?

Is it a multi-color pad?

If so, try using a solid color or just the plain table top.

Bright colors, like in a flag, confuses the laser and it will jump around thinking it needs to catch up. I had a friend who had an American Flag mouse pad and his "New G5" mouse would jump all over the place. someone suggested changing mouse pads and it worked beautifully.

stanna2002 said:

Here are a few links that talk about the gamma settings:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/apple/why-pros-use-mac.htm

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Yuck, yuck, yuck... Seriously, though, Ken Rockwell; that's a knee-slapper. Thanks for the good laugh.

I know, I know...

Yeah...so he's definitely no expert...that's for sure. That's why I included several links to "back up" what he said about the gamma setting. It made a difference for me. Did you try it out and see if it made a difference at all??

tttexxan said:

Sorry yes Costco.....

An update from today

I had some more prints done after calibrating with the Syder Pro 2.....It has made a big difference....Still playing around with it some to get exactly where I want, but better than before....

Now to figure out the Mouse issue....The mouse for some strange reason moves down to the right lower portion of the screen all by itself...I can be working in photoshop or searching the web and will suddenly move from the point from which I have it..

Click to expand...

Could be a simple as an extremely busy mousemat - found pictures on these can sometimes confuse the sensor.