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What color calibration profile do you use?
- Thread starter kabunaru
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A custom profile made every two weeks or so from an i1 Display 2. Why? Because accurate color is important for photography.
i use the default Cinema HD profile on my Cinema Display and the default Color LCD profile on my MacBook Pro but they both look different. how can i make both displays look similar?
i tried using the advanced settings in Calibration Assistant but its very hard to make them match. if i put the Cinema HD profile on the Macbook Pro's display its looks awful, all blue and washed out.
i tried using the advanced settings in Calibration Assistant but its very hard to make them match. if i put the Cinema HD profile on the Macbook Pro's display its looks awful, all blue and washed out.
For some reason, Apple seem to have included a slightly washed out default colour profile in their latest range of Macs (i.e. from the aluminium iMac onwards).
Calibrating screens can be a complex task depending on how 'into it' you have to be. Calling someone out to calibrate for print purposes for example where clients depend on a correctly calibrated passage from screen to the press.
However!
Just click Adobe RBG (1998) in 'any instance' (for desktop and laptop use). This is a very credible all-purpose colour calibration for rich dark tones, good colour saturation and an even balance of mid-tones and highlights.
The difference between that setting, and spending hours calibration yourself is negligible. That is, unless you are a professional desperately in need of the perfect alignment of colours.
Calibrating screens can be a complex task depending on how 'into it' you have to be. Calling someone out to calibrate for print purposes for example where clients depend on a correctly calibrated passage from screen to the press.
However!
Just click Adobe RBG (1998) in 'any instance' (for desktop and laptop use). This is a very credible all-purpose colour calibration for rich dark tones, good colour saturation and an even balance of mid-tones and highlights.
The difference between that setting, and spending hours calibration yourself is negligible. That is, unless you are a professional desperately in need of the perfect alignment of colours.
This is the calibration tool mentioned by 'ifonline' (above):
http://www.letsgodigital.org/en/13402/xrite_i1_color_calibration/
As screens have an organic nature of 'drifting a bit', it's always prudent to calibrate on a regular basis.
But again, this is for professional use only - and in any case, the differences are minute.
http://www.letsgodigital.org/en/13402/xrite_i1_color_calibration/
As screens have an organic nature of 'drifting a bit', it's always prudent to calibrate on a regular basis.
But again, this is for professional use only - and in any case, the differences are minute.
Yes, as a monitor is capable of shifting color over time. It might be a slight shift, but a shift nonetheless, and if accurate color is important for your work, then the monitor needs to be re-calibrated periodically to adjust for this shift.
You would need to either get a hardware calibration tool such as the i1 Display 2 or Spyder3, or spend a lot of time trying to do it by hand only to discover, as you have, that it is very difficult to do. Bear in mind, though, that using a hardware tool isn't necessarily easy either, but it is easier and more accurate.
For general use, certainly the default profiles are good enough.
System Preferences - Displays - Color(make sure show profiles for this display only is unchecked) - Adobe RGB 1998 should be in the list
I made my own custom color profile using the advanced mode in the color calibration tool. It took about an hour to finally get it right, but now my display looks great. It's amazing how washed out and yellow-tinted the default color profile was on my MacBook.
Alan Sparks said:
thanks for this. do you think this profile should be used on a Cinema Display? i tried it and it looked a bit dark and vibrant. i could get used to it but im jsut wondering whether the Cinema Displays should use this? also what about AppleRBG?
thank you very much for this. i dont think ill buy calibration hardware as i dont need it as im not in the professional field. i think ill just play around with the assistant for a while
i would also like to try out this profile, if its alright with you?
Dark and vibrant - as opposed to washed out?
Surely that's a positive step?
It's usually a good idea to use AdobeRGB (for it's vibrancy and depth), but to drop the brightness on your monitor to about a quarter strength, raising only to tackle any photo editing you might want to do or for when viewing high quality movies etc.
I suggested AdobeRGB to you because it's a tried and trusted setting used in the print and design industry, where a monitor is crucial in the process.
And incidentally, if you buy the latest Photoshop, you will see the AdobeRGB setting sat in readiness from 1998!
That should tell you something.
USE SUPERCAL:
http://www.bergdesign.com/supercal/
It's freeware that works very well for those who can't afford a colorimeter (i.e. most people), and it made my MBP screen look great. The profiles that come on your Mac are not made for your screen, and are therefore unlikely to work well. All screens are different. You need to adjust gamma, white levels, etc. If you are a professional photographer, image editor, you definitely need to invest in a colorimeter though.
http://www.bergdesign.com/supercal/
It's freeware that works very well for those who can't afford a colorimeter (i.e. most people), and it made my MBP screen look great. The profiles that come on your Mac are not made for your screen, and are therefore unlikely to work well. All screens are different. You need to adjust gamma, white levels, etc. If you are a professional photographer, image editor, you definitely need to invest in a colorimeter though.
Nothing beats using a good calibration tool. I use Spyder 2 Pro every two weeks, it only take about 10 minutes to do ..
I'm using the Color LCD profile at the moment. I do Photography and the only one that matches my prints good until I can afford to buy some proper calibration software etc.
As soon as I buy it though, I will use.
As soon as I buy it though, I will use.
I use a custom profile generated by a Spyder2 generally once a month or so. I don't do it as often as some others on here.
I tried AdoberRGB but couldn't get used to it. ColorMatch RGB on the other hand, I got used to and I am currently using it.
Almost perfect profile.