Color Calibration

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Why Monitor Calibration is Critical

Color Varies Between Monitors

Buy three monitors and three laptops and place them on the same table, turn them on, and bring up the same photo on each. What you will see is the clearest explanation of why monitor calibration is absolutely necessary. One monitor might indicate that you need to open up a little to ensure shadow detail while another monitor shows an image that is already too bright. The photo is the same, but six uncalibrated monitors will show six different versions of color, brightness, and shadow/highlight detail. This problem is more than just differences between brands; two monitors that are the same make and model will vary from each other.

Color Varies on the Same Monitor from Week to Week

Even worse, any given monitor will vary from week to week, and will vary more as it gets older. The solution is remarkably simple. A monitor calibrator is a small device that looks similar to a computer mouse. To calibrate your monitor you simply hang the device in front of your monitor and, using its software, let it read a series of displayed colors. Do this every week or two for any monitor you use to judge your work and you are sure to improve the consistency of your digital work-flow.

The Art Director Factor

Our clients tell us they often get calls from art directors (or assistants, retouchers, printers etc.) complaining that one of their digital files was too dark, too cold, too warm etc. Artistic differences aside, the art director is often viewing the image on a monitor which is not calibrated. If your monitor is off by a little, and their monitor is off by a little, frustration is sure to mount. With your own monitor calibrator, you can offer to calibrate your art director’s monitor (you may calibrate as many monitors as you would like with a single calibrator), greatly reducing the chance for miscommunication or poor image judgments. At the very least, you’ll have the peace of mind that your image does indeed look like you think it does.

Monitor Calibration Options

High-End Solution: X-Rite i1Display 2 (a.k.a. Eye One)

• Retail Price: $249
• Compact and light
• Simple mode is easy to use, fast, and accurate
• Advanced mode is flexible, powerful, and full of advanced features
• Use with as many monitors as you’d like
• Incredible sensitivity to dark areas for better shadow detail control
• Before & after view shows the effect of the calibration
• USB-powered
• Includes interactive training modules and DigitalPantone Library

Entry-Level Solution: X-Rite i1Display (a.k.a. Eye One) LT

• Retail Price: $169
• Same as i1Display2, but with a lite (LT) version of the calibration software
• Lite (LT) version of the software has less flexibility and fewer advanced features
• Easily upgrade to X-Rite i1Display2 with paid software upgrade

Suggested Color Management Settings

There are many reasonable settings that can be debated in color management including which color profiles to use as an input, working, and output spaces. These three settings are accepted almost universally.

• Brightness: ideally work around 100 cd/m2 in a dimmed, but not dark room. If using a normally lit room adjust up to around 120 cd/m2. Don’t work at the maximum brightness of consumer monitors unless your output intent is the web or other consumer computer delivery.
• Color Temperature: D65 (a.k.a. 6500 degrees kelvin)
• Gamma: 2.2

In Summary…

What We Say

There is no excuse to be a photographer, use your monitor to make photographic judgments or adjustments, and not have and use a monitor calibrator! There are other competent monitor calibrators available, but X-Rite’s i1 calibrators are fast, easy, accurate, very affordable, and the full version offers advanced features and surprising flexibility. At the end of each calibration, the software presents you with a before and after. You will only need to see this comparison once before you’ll be completely satisfied that it was worth the money, time, effort.

What X-Rite Says

The X-Rite i1Display 2 is the most economical, easy-to-use monitor calibration device whether you’re a beginner, cost-conscious creative professional or discerning digital imaging enthusiast. And when you’re ready, you can easily upgrade to the more advanced functionality of our award-winning i1Display 2—the preferred choice of leading professional photographers and designers. i1Display 2 is the professional choice for accurate on-screen color. Perfect for web design, e-commerce catalog design or if you just want to profile or calibrate monitors and no other output devices.Once again, i1Display 2 raises the standard, delivering unparalleled functionality for high-end professional monitor calibration and profiling results. The award-winning i1Display 2 delivers unrivaled color controls including Workgroup Match, Ambient Check and Match, Push Button Calibration and Validation - all essential tools for professional photographers and designers to attain accurate color throughout the digital workflow, whether in their own studio or in a collaborative production environment. With i1Display 2, you can precisely measure all types of displays - including LCDs, CRTs, and laptops.

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Why Greycards/Color-Charts are Important

How Greycards and Color-Charts Save Time and Increase Color Accuracy

Grey cards are used as reference points within a scene to make white balancing an image easier, faster, and more consistent. Although you can use generic settings such as “Flash”, “Daylight”, or “Tungsten”, these settings are only estimations.

Large Grey Card: Lastolite TriBalance

• Retail Price: $188
• 30″ unfolded, 12″ collapsed
• On one side: white, grey, and black in generous sizes
• On the other side: a silver reflector
• One-hand grip

Medium-Size Color Card: X-Rite ColorChecker Color Card

• Retail Price: $74
• 8.5 x 11″
• 18 colors, 6 shades of gray
• Made by the experts in color at X-Rite / Greytag MacBeth
• Comes with a protective sleeve

Medium-Size Grey Card: X-Rite ColorChecker Grey Card

• Retail Price: $59
• 8.5 x 11″
• White, Grey, and Black in generous sizes
• Made by the experts in color at X-Rite / Greytag MacBeth
• Comes with a protective sleeve