I recently purchased a new monitor and I love it. It's a 20 inch LCD with an S-IPS panel, and the colors look superb. The viewing angle is very wide and there is no color shift or change in brightness if you move your head position from left to right when viewing it.
I also purchased an 'Eye-One Display2' calibration device to calibrate and profile my monitors, and I have calibrated both the new monitor, and my laptop. For anyone who is familiar with this device and software, I hope you can help me with a couple questions.
From what I have read in reviews of the EOD2 many people suggest just using the 'easy' calibration method rather than the advanced one. I did that with the thought that as I learned more about how to do the advanced calibration, I would go ahead and to it again using that method. The easy method basically does everything for you, including brightness and contrast settings.
My first question arises because prior to calibration, I had turned brightness down from the default 50, to a setting of 35, and I left the contrast setting at 50. After calibration, these two items are still set to 35 and 50 respectively. So how do I know if the monitor has really changed? I did finish the program and name the profile, etc so I guess it worked, although I can see little if any difference in the appearance of the monitor. Could it be that the monitor was just pretty darn close right out of the box? It's a Dell 2007FP.
The second question is about how I should have my settings in photoshop CS3. In the 'EDIT' > 'COLOR SETTINGS' tab, there are many choices. It is unclear to me if I am supposed to change the RGB profile from sRGB IEC61922-2.1, (which is what is there now) to the new profile which I created after calibration. It should seem like no-brainer to change it, but when I do, the "settings' drop down box automatically changes to 'custom' and I get the message at the top that says my "creative suite applications are not synchronized for consistent color".
Ok, so now I'm stumped. I'm not sure how this needs to be set. I viewed the tutorial 3 times and it is unclear to me what is correct.
The second question is about how I should have my settings in photoshop CS3. In the 'EDIT' > 'COLOR SETTINGS' tab, there are many choices. It is unclear to me if I am supposed to change the RGB profile from sRGB IEC61922-2.1, (which is what is there now) to the new profile which I created after calibration. It should seem like no-brainer to change it, but when I do, the "settings' drop down box automatically changes to 'custom' and I get the message at the top that says my "creative suite applications are not synchronized for consistent color".
Ok, so now I'm stumped. I'm not sure how this needs to be set. I viewed the tutorial 3 times and it is unclear to me what is correct.
If anyone can help, I would sure appreciate it.
Tim
Tim,
I don't use the Xrite product and cannot answer your questions about the colorimeter or it's software.
I do know that the profile created by the display calibration is used by the operating system in conjunction with the video card to determine the display output. You should not be making any adjustments to the Photoshop profile settings because of the calibration, it is automatically figured into the equation.
For photo editing, I normally use Adobe RGB (wide gamut) or ProPhoto RGB (wider gamut) depending on my output intent.
Keeping the Suite Synchronization to North American Prepress 2 (in Bridge) will give you Adobe RGB colorspace across all of the Creative Suite applications.
Tim,
For photo editing, I normally use Adobe RGB (wide gamut) or ProPhoto RGB (wider gamut) depending on my output intent.
Keeping the Suite Synchronization to North American Prepress 2 (in Bridge) will give you Adobe RGB colorspace across all of the Creative Suite applications.
Jerry
Jerry,
If I am using sRGB for my colorspace, should I have have it set to North American Prepress 2 in photoshop as well? When I try to do that with sRGB, it jumps up as unsynchronized again. The only way I seem to be able to get rid of that message is if I use North American General Purpose 2 with sRGB.
But if I understand you correctly, I am NOT supposed to choose the new monitor profile anywere in those drop down boxes in Photoshop. I am just verifying that I understood you correctly on this. Also, note that these settings are in Photoshop itself, not in Bridge. I can't seem to find any color options in Bridge so I am unaware of any way to change anything there.
Man, is there such a book as 'Photoshop Color Settings for Dummies"?? If there is, I need to get a copy...
Working space
Set the RGB Working Space to whichever you prefer (I recommend ProPhoto or Adobe RGB unless you have a really good reason to be using anything else).
The CMYK setting probably isn’t important to you; ignore it.
The gray should probably be Gray Gamma 1.8 or 2.2, unless you have a really good reason to be using anything else.
The Spot setting probably isn’t important to you either; ignore.
Color Management Policies
You probably want them all set to "Preserve Embedded Profiles".
You probably want "Ask when opening" checked for "Missing Profiles", but not for mismatches. (Photoshop will convert transparently for you.)
Conversion Options
Adobe (ACE), Relative Colorimetric, black point checked, dither checked.
Advanced Controls
Important: both these options should be un-checked.
Next, click the Save... button and save these settings as “Tim's color settings”.
Now, close Photoshop, open Bridge CS3, and from the Edit drop-down menu, choose "Creative Suite Color Settings...". Select "Tim's color settings" from the list and click Apply.
Your CS3 suite is now synchronized with the same color settings.
If you really want to understand how this all works, I recommend watching the Luminous Landscape’s “From Camera to Print” video documentary. And if you really want to understand it, then you should read one of Bruce Fraser’s books on color management.
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
Last edited by Martin_Doudoroff; 12-18-2008 at 07:47 PM.
Next, I will attempt to answer your question about Eye-One Match.
1) Plug in your puck and run the software (should be version 3).
2) Choose Advanced (humor me) and click the next arrow button.
3) Make sure LCD is selected. Next.
4) Set “White point” to Native White Point, set “Gamma” to 2.2 (or whatever option is marked “Recommended”) and set the “Luminance” to 120 (more about this later). Next.
5) Place the puck on a flat surface and click “Calibrate”.
6) When the puck finishes calibration, click next. You should instantly notice a subtle (or not so subtle) change in your display: this is because the software has just zeroed out the active display profile on your computer.
7) Hang the puck on the monitor as instructed. Next.
8) Your Dell monitor probably has a contrast control (my Apple display does not). Figure out how to manipulate the control and make sure the control’s overlay is completely clear of the area of the screen the puck is resting over. Click the “Start” button. The software will cycle through a series of patterns as it locates your puck on the screen. When it finishes, fiddle with the contrast control on the monitor until you get the bar as centered in the indicator as possible. Click “Stop”. Next.
9) Brightness: this process helps you get the monitor to match the luminance setting you chose in #4, above. Click “Start”. Wait for the software to finish measuring gray and your R, G & B maximum luminances. Adjust your monitor's brightness controls until you center the bar (more or less) and click “Stop”. Next.
10) Now you take a five minute break while the software measures dozens of colors on your screen.
11) When measurement completes, you’ll see the summary screen. If you’d like to see what has changed, choose “Before & After” and then toggle the “Calibration OFF” button until you get bored. Then, make sure that “Activate reminder” is checked and the select box set to 4 weeks. Click “Finish calibration”.
You're now done for the next four weeks. Don't monkey with your monitor settings in the meanwhile. If you do, your profile is hosed and you need to repeat the above process before doing anything important with Photoshop.
Hope that helps!
Oh, BTW, if you find that your calibrated display is too bright or too dim for your working environment, choose a brighter or dimmer luminance target in #4, above.
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
Last edited by Martin_Doudoroff; 12-18-2008 at 07:40 PM.
Reason: cleaned up
I am able to follow it until I get to the part where I go to Bridge.
In Bridge, in the "edit" drop-down, there is not any option for "creative suite color settings" or anything close to that (I am using CS3). Which version of Photoshop are you using?
Wow! During the time I was trying to set up the color stuff in Photoshop, you were apparently posting the instructions below for using the eye-one match software in advanced mode. I really appreciate that because it's something I wanted to do, but I was afraid I wouldn't know how to answer all the questions at this point in 'advanced mode'.
One question I still have after reading your post is in step 5 (put the puck on a flat surface and click "calibrate"). When I do this, should the puck be resting in its white tray, or should it be just sitting (naked) without the tray on my desk? And if so, does it matter what the puck is resting on? In other words, does it matter if the desk is light or dark, or anything like that for this step?
I know these sound like silly questions, but I really do need to know in order to feel like I can go through this process correctly.
Thanks in adavance! You are very kind to go to this much trouble to help me.
Tim
Quote:
Originally Posted by Martin_Doudoroff
Next, I will attempt to answer your question about Eye-One Match.
1) Plug in your puck and run the software (should be version 3).
2) Choose Advanced (humor me) and click the next arrow button.
3) Make sure LCD is selected. Next.
4) Set “White point” to Native White Point, set “Gamma” to 2.2 (or whatever option is marked “Recommended”) and set the “Luminance” to 120 (more about this later). Next.
5) Place the puck on a flat surface and click “Calibrate”.
6) When the puck finishes calibration, click next. You should instantly notice a subtle (or not so subtle) change in your display: this is because the software has just zeroed out the active display profile on your computer.
7) Hang the puck on the monitor as instructed. Next.
8) Your Dell monitor probably has a contrast control (my Apple display does not). Figure out how to manipulate the control and make sure the control’s overlay is completely clear of the area of the screen the puck is resting over. Click the “Start” button. The software will cycle through a series of patterns as it locates your puck on the screen. When it finishes, fiddle with the contrast control on the monitor until you get the bar as centered in the indicator as possible. Click “Stop”. Next.
9) Brightness: this process helps you get the monitor to match the luminance setting you chose in #4, above. Click “Start”. Wait for the software to finish measuring gray and your R, G & B maximum luminances. Adjust your monitor's brightness controls until you center the bar (more or less) and click “Stop”. Next.
10) Now you take a five minute break while the software measures dozens of colors on your screen.
11) When measurement completes, you’ll see the summary screen. If you’d like to see what has changed, choose “Before & After” and then toggle the “Calibration OFF” button until you get bored. Then, make sure that “Activate reminder” is checked and the select box set to 4 weeks. Click “Finish calibration”.
You're now done for the next four weeks. Don't monkey with your monitor settings in the meanwhile. If you do, your profile is hosed and you need to repeat the above process before doing anything important with Photoshop.
Hope that helps!
Oh, BTW, if you find that your calibrated display is too bright or too dim for your working environment, choose a brighter or dimmer luminance target in #4, above.
Linear Mode
