Monitor Settings and Calibration

[KevinBarrett]

I have a Samsung SyncMaster XL2370 LED monitor, and I'm looking for calibration solutions. I've never encountered another monitor with so many enigmatic dynamic-auto-magic-super-vivid-contrast settings.

[artington]

I have a variant of this and PSE never recognises its profile. I guess the only answer is to try calibrating with a Color Munki / Dispay Pro or something similar.

[agorabasta]

That's a TN panel. Doesn't deserve calibration efforts, as even small change in view angle changes the picture greater than calibration could possibly correct it.
So simply adjust the colour temp with its hard controls and switch all 'bells&whistles' off.
You may use your camera custom WB adjustments to measure the screen colour temperature.

[KevinBarrett]

Actually, color isn't the biggest issue (while I'm sure it's color representation could be better), but rather the brightness and contrast. The enigmatic "bells and whistles" settings don't seem to have an "off" setting, just selection between alternatives--a complete list of which I'll deliver later.

On a side note, if it becomes an option to replace the goofy monitor, what technology should I look for that won't land me with a seemingly high-spec but fundamentally limited display?

[David Kilpatrick]

I have a tip for everyone, after I needed to try to get my MacBook Pro and imac lined up enough to have comparable results. The MacBook has a screen where the vertical angle of view will impact apparent brightness and gamma, so having the screen at the wrong angle to your eyes will radically alter the apparent brightness of shadows.

With the older matt screen machines, there was no easy way to know if the screen was parallel to your gaze. Some people don't like the new high gloss glass-effect screen - but I have found a big advantage. You can see your own reflection in the screen. If you move until your eyes are dead centre (vertically) in the screen as reflected (like a mirror) then you are at a perfect viewing angle.

This has finally ended an issue I had with using this screen for image editing.

David

[agorabasta]

Decent image quality happens with IPS and -VA panels (PVA, MVA, etc.). All recent IPS panels have at least a true 8bit colour depth, some have 10bit. Good -VA panels are also 8bit. The TN panels are 6-7bit with dithering (across the sequential frames).

The IPS shows some glow in the blacks as you change the view angle from right on. So the image gets some apparent haze to it. But the picture remains basically correct, just something foreign is added over that. Th IPS is generally considered the best option for photo editing.

The VA panels have much deeper true blacks and generally higher native contrast. But they suffer from gamma shift as you change the angle of view. Still you may easily adapt to that issue and have your brain correct for gamma shifts so that you stop noticing them.

P.S. Right now I'm staring into a Dell U2410 IPS 10bit panel monitor.

[agorabasta]

Here's a good site for monitor/TV info - http://www.prad.de/en/index.html. But also check their German version - it's different as has more info available.

[stevecim]

Hi Agorabasta

that monitor looks good, I got this from the Australian Dell site, "Compatibility with industry colour standards (sRGB 100% coverage, Adobe RGB 96% coverage)
- 110% (NTSC) Colour Gamut" does having such a big color coverage make a big difference when viewing photos?

Cheers, Steve

[agorabasta]

... does having such a big color coverage make a big difference when viewing photos?

It sure does. But more importantly, it has six-colour hard adjustments for both saturation and hue. So it's very easy to manually adjust without any profiling needed.

[Winston]

I have a tip for everyone, after I needed to try to get my MacBook Pro and imac lined up enough to have comparable results. The MacBook has a screen where the vertical angle of view will impact apparent brightness and gamma, so having the screen at the wrong angle to your eyes will radically alter the apparent brightness of shadows.

With the older matt screen machines, there was no easy way to know if the screen was parallel to your gaze. Some people don't like the new high gloss glass-effect screen - but I have found a big advantage. You can see your own reflection in the screen. If you move until your eyes are dead centre (vertically) in the screen as reflected (like a mirror) then you are at a perfect viewing angle.

This has finally ended an issue I had with using this screen for image editing.

David

The matt screen problem is easily solved with a small mirror temporarily held against the center of the screen while you adjust the angle. (Your girl friend has one.) I use my smart phone.

[Dusty]

Kevin, I think that if you took a look at monitor calibration wizard, http://www.calibrize.com/index.html You'll see that they have a good and easy visual way to set contrast and brightness. It uses the monitors controls to do that, so even if you don't run the next steps to set color, it will help with what you want.

Dusty

[UrsaMajor]

I have a tip for everyone, after I needed to try to get my MacBook Pro and imac lined up enough to have comparable results. The MacBook has a screen where the vertical angle of view will impact apparent brightness and gamma, so having the screen at the wrong angle to your eyes will radically alter the apparent brightness of shadows.

Acratech, the company that makes lightweight (and very satisfactory) tripod ball heads, makes and sells a very simple tool to accomplish this. You can see it on their web pages for the tool at:

http://acratech.net/product.php?productid=70

It is an extremely simple design, but works well in actual use. You stick the metal tab on the back of your monitor about halfway between the top and bottom of the screen, and then adjust the monitor (or your head position) until the little pointed end lines up with the slot in the metal tab. When those are lined up, your eyes are perpendicular to the center-line of the screen (vertically).

With best wishes,
- Tom -