Mac screen calibration

[Sparrow]

Mac screen calibration

Is the method of screen calibration on a Mac similar to a windows PC? And would the use of a third party monitor make any difference to the process?

 

[photogdave]

Mac uses a native gamma of 1.8. I've been reading lately that many pros change the gamma to 2.2 when calibrating.
Other than that it's way easier to calibrate a mac with third party software such as X-Rite.
OR you can use the built-in ColorSync system.

 

[jlw]

Is the method of screen calibration on a Mac similar to a windows PC? And would the use of a third party monitor make any difference to the process?

I honestly don't know how you calibrate a monitor on a Windows PC, but the way you do it on a Mac is pretty straightforward: open the Displays preference pane, choose the Color tab, and click the 'Calibrate...' button to open the Display Calibration Assistant. Then follow the onscreen instructions to go through a series of exercises that calibrate the monitor (they involve moving sliders to make a foreground shape match a background pattern.)

The process works with either an Apple or a third-party monitor, although if your third-party monitor has its own settings menu you need to make sure you don't choose settings that will "fight" with the system's attempt to calibrate it. Usually this means leaving the monitor at its default settings and choosing matching settings in the Display Calibration Assistant.

Tip: when the Display Calibrator Assistant opens, click the checkbox at lower left to turn on 'Expert Mode.' Calibrating in Expert Mode takes more steps, but gives a more accurate calibration.

Calibrating the monitor this way is very accurate, but sometimes people either lack confidence in their ability to match the patterns or find it difficult to get them to match. If you have trouble with this, you may be happier using a hardware calibrator, even though it doesn't necessarily produce results that are more accurate.

 

[dcsang]

Stewart,

I've been struggling a bit with this during my recent switch over from PC.
I downloaded ColorEyes (Demo.. will work full functioning for 10 days/10 uses but you need a calibrator to use it - i.e. Spyder or Monaco Optix). It seems to be ok on my Dell 20" 2005FPW but I need to print something at my lab to ensure I'm getting the colours accurate.

The problems with DVI on some of these LCD screens is that you lose the contrast function, even if it's built into your screen. You may be able to control Brightness and RGB but not contrast.

Dave

 

[Pherdinand]

I tried to calibrate using the built-in software stuff.
It sucks.
I borrowed the SPyder color calibration device of a friend of mine.
Took five minutes for the device and the difference is BIG. Especially with black and white images. It was really worth it.

I have the macbook laptopo, if that matters. But i think screen brand should not make a difference.

 

[Sparrow]

Thanks Pherdinand I have spyder2 so if I stick to one of macs monitors I should be OK, I run my lab’s profile and don’t want to lose the match I have now.
Thanks everybody

 

[Pherdinand]

your lab's profile is probably a printer profile. Your monitor runs on a monitor profile...You can change that and keep consistency.
Or maybe i misunderstand you🙂

 

[Sparrow]

I think I’m going to swap from pc to mac I don’t want to lose the “perceptive” match I have now; I spent ages getting what I have now. I work with colour professionally, textile designer, so I’m picky by nature and I have a spectrometer……………🙄