Monitor calibration: What are factory default settings for monitor?

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Level 1

6 points

Monitor calibration: What are factory default settings for monitor?

I have just purchased a Spyder3Express monitor calibrator to calibrate my 3 year-old monitor. One of the first instructions in the Spyder3Express Quick Start Guide is this one: "Reset the monitor controls to the factory default settings." I would appreciate advice on what am I supposed to do to satisfy this requirement. My monitor is a 20" model (white plastic housing surrounds the screen) which is part of an Intel iMac purchased January 2007 when OS X Tiger was the current Mac operating system. In System Preferences I have the Color Display Profile set to sRGB IEC61966-2.1. The brightness slider is at the maximum setting.

Bob

20" iMac/2.16GHz Processor/2GB RAM/500GB HD, Mac OS X (10.5.8), 8GB 3rd Generation iPod Touch, iPod Shuffle

Posted on Mar 24, 2010 9:58 PM

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Answer 1

robogobo

Level 2

362 points

Mar 25, 2010 1:53 PM in response to Bob Brand

Bob, you're good to go with sRGB or Apple RGB or Adobe RGB. Apple monitors don't really have "default" settings, other than choosing the standard profile in System Preferences > Displays > Color. And if you've never calibrated you monitor or changed the profile, you don't have to worry about it. The Spyder software will handle it for you.

Hope this helps.

Rob

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Answer 2

Bob Brand Author

Level 1

6 points

Mar 25, 2010 4:04 PM in response to robogobo

Thanks much for the feedback, Rob.

Bob

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Answer 3

Bob Brand Author

Level 1

6 points

Mar 31, 2010 10:16 PM in response to robogobo

Rob,

Before I calibrated my monitor with the new Spyder3Express I was advised by somebody experienced in color management to reduce the monitor brightness to about 60% from the 100% I had been using. After doing the calibration I notice that my images are noticeably dimmer than before the calibration. So far I am not successfully adopting to the dimmer images. I thought that the calibration would resolve the brightness issue, but it has not. I presume that it is going to be necessary for me to increase the monitor brightness and then re-calibrate the monitor. Do you have any further advice on this subject?

Bob

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Answer 4

robogobo

Level 2

362 points

Apr 1, 2010 3:03 AM in response to Bob Brand

As far as I know that advice was correct. For calibrating, the device needs a certain level of output in order to read the colors. But that doesn't mean you should be working on your images at that brightness level. Brightness is relative as far as viewing, and it depends on your ambient light.

What do you mean by "dimmer"? Is that because the monitor brightness is still down at 60%? Go ahead and turn it up to a comfortable level. If it's that they're washed out or flat, try making a print and see how they compare. How do they look on another monitor? Afterall, proper output is the ultimate goal for calibration.

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Answer 5

Bob Brand Author

Level 1

6 points

Apr 1, 2010 7:38 PM in response to robogobo

Rob,

Yes, the dimmer images after calibration are due to the monitor brightness still being at 60% after calibration. I thought that the calibration might change the brightness setting, but it did not. I have since queried Datacolor on this issue, and they are giving me the same advice as you, namely, that I should set the brightness to a level that suits my eyes. Datacolor states that most displays are way too bright, especially the iMacs, but it looks like I am going to have to go above the 60% setting that was recommended to me. I'll have to re-calibrate after increasing the brightness setting, but that's OK. It remains to be seen whether I will have to set the brightness slider at the maximum setting. Maybe if I keep the ambient light level low as recommended by Datacolor I can get by with brightness at 75 or 80% of maximum.

Bob

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Answer 6

Bob Brand Author

Level 1

6 points

Apr 1, 2010 11:36 PM in response to robogobo

Rob,

I decided to set the monitor brightness at 100% and then recalibrate the monitor. The recalibration resulted in some lessening of the brightness, but the result is still quite acceptable.

Onward and upward!

Bob

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Answer 7

robogobo

Level 2

362 points

Apr 2, 2010 12:40 PM in response to Bob Brand

Bob, I think the best solution is to set your monitor to 60% brightness and calibrate, and then adjust the brightness back to where you like it after calibration. The calibration only adjusts color output, which is generally independent of brightness. True, in order to get a perfect monitor-to-output match, your ambient light should be such and such lumen and temperature, and brightness such and such. But I've found you can also get a feel for it with a slightly brighter setting. Remember though, you're most likely to adjust in the opposite direction as your output, so if your prints appear to dark, it may be that your monitor is too bright (just as if your monitor is too blue you'll adjust too yellow).

Hope this is helpful in solving your question (hint hint green star hint hint).

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