did i calibrate correctly?


sfoto100

Senior Member
Nov 29, 2009
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hi

i did a software calibration (i.e. tuning the contrast by myself according to test image etc..), the test images appear like what they are supposed to be.

not being satisfied, i borrow my fren's spyder 3 Elite and calibrate , without ambient light measurement.

after using spyder, i found some of my old pics appear very different. the colors are more saturated.

so i request those of you whom has done calibration to help me to check the images below.

4447450681_51034ac255_o.jpg

is the reflection purple? before using spyder , it was blue. now it appear purple to me after calibration.

4417809410_796afe2dac_o.jpg

do u see any purple here? i remember the table and the insomnia sign are blue. but they look purple to me now.




i really wonder if there is a standard for calibration. at least for either PC or Mac. perhaps the way to check if we calibrate correctly is to use color checker from GretagMacbeth?

:dunno:
 

The blues don't look purple over on my side, but they do appear to be just a wee bit heavy on the cyan. If you really want to do an accurate reference image, shoot a color chart and grey chart under studio flash of known color temp/consistency using strict repo protocols.
 

i guess the problem is not with the spyder then.. it should be the low quality lcd of my samsung laptop.

tks alot..

i have been asking around for a grey card, but it is rare. so i guess it will be difficult to find a colorchart too...

do u have any place in mind that sell it?

else i will try to call CP tmr... guess they should have them
 

The blues don't look purple over on my side, but they do appear to be just a wee bit heavy on the cyan. If you really want to do an accurate reference image, shoot a color chart and grey chart under studio flash of known color temp/consistency using strict repo protocols.

may i know what is repo protocols? i google and nothing relevant came out.

i don't have studio flash... sunny day will do? sunny day is 65k right?
 

They certainly look purple on my DELL 2410 with or without ICC profiles and even on Linux..

tks alot.. i am also in IT line. ) u have good writeup at your site. )
 

Reproduction procedures to recopy flat work. Google how to reproduce flat work or artwork accurately.

Sometimes, little things like uneven light makes a difference because luminosity and angles of incidence etc affects color reflectance etc. It's all a bit technical, but just get the basics and you'll probably be fine.

Nothing wrong with daylight if you know for sure what the color temperature is at the time of shooting. Clouds and other factors may also affect the color temperature of the light, which is why the easiest is to use flash of known color temp/consistency, i.e., simply don't use older flash units.

This is assuming that you're trying to get the calibration right from your capture device (camera) to the processes (post work stage) to output (monitor). Color management for other end output like lab printing, offset or lithograph printing or web usage usually differs. I'm the last person you would want to talk about color management. There are others much more knowledgeable and experienced in this area.

Look for the GretagMacbeth Color Checker or Color rendition tiff file online. I used to download it for calibration in the past. If you have problems finding it, let me know.
 

tks alot.. i am also in IT line. ) u have good writeup at your site. )

I would trust geekbrains. Sounds like he has all the high-end stuff at work. :)
 

i would call these blues leaning towards the purple side, with the first picture being less purple than the second.
 

Reproduction procedures to recopy flat work. Google how to reproduce flat work or artwork accurately.

Sometimes, little things like uneven light makes a difference because luminosity and angles of incidence etc affects color reflectance etc. It's all a bit technical, but just get the basics and you'll probably be fine.

Nothing wrong with daylight if you know for sure what the color temperature is at the time of shooting. Clouds and other factors may also affect the color temperature of the light, which is why the easiest is to use flash of known color temp/consistency, i.e., simply don't use older flash units.

This is assuming that you're trying to get the calibration right from your capture device (camera) to the processes (post work stage) to output (monitor). Color management for other end output like lab printing, offset or lithograph printing or web usage usually differs. I'm the last person you would want to talk about color management. There are others much more knowledgeable and experienced in this area.

Look for the GretagMacbeth Color Checker or Color rendition tiff file online. I used to download it for calibration in the past. If you have problems finding it, let me know.




tks alot for coming to my rescue.

so the little built-in flash of my canon 500d can be used for color checking using the color chart too?

i assume i will have to do it in a completely dark room, and get the spec of the flash to know its temperature.


yes, i think the tiff file is here http://www.babelcolor.com/main_level/ColorChecker.htm

so i go and buy the chart and load the tiff file and compare right? sorry if this sound stupid.. i just wanna be sure..


anyway you know more than me in color management )
 

Last edited:
now i understand why some photo competition wants you to send in print instead of jpg files.
 

i would call these blues leaning towards the purple side, with the first picture being less purple than the second.

hi nightmare,


tks alot :)
 

hi

i did a software calibration (i.e. tuning the contrast by myself according to test image etc..), the test images appear like what they are supposed to be.

not being satisfied, i borrow my fren's spyder 3 Elite and calibrate , without ambient light measurement.

after using spyder, i found some of my old pics appear very different. the colors are more saturated.

so i request those of you whom has done calibration to help me to check the images below.

4447450681_51034ac255_o.jpg

is the reflection purple? before using spyder , it was blue. now it appear purple to me after calibration.

4417809410_796afe2dac_o.jpg

do u see any purple here? i remember the table and the insomnia sign are blue. but they look purple to me now.




i really wonder if there is a standard for calibration. at least for either PC or Mac. perhaps the way to check if we calibrate correctly is to use color checker from GretagMacbeth?

:dunno:


My monitor display a patch of saturated Red / blue band, but Does your printout look similar to your display monitor? We have differen setup/hardware etc. For me I use a colour chart, and a Gray scale card to check on it with a spectro/densitometer readout to confirm it.

One easy way is to use your printout as a guide to check your monitor.
 

My monitor display a patch of saturated Red / blue band, but Does your printout look similar to your display monitor? We have differen setup/hardware etc. For me I use a colour chart, and a Gray scale card to check on it with a spectro/densitometer readout to confirm it.

One easy way is to use your printout as a guide to check your monitor.



ya so far different ppl see different things... i guess color chart is the only way... merely running a colorimter and believe the monitor is calibrated well is just delusion.

where do u buy your colorchart? what brand are u using?

i don't have a printter... so i can't do what u suggest..


tks alot pal :)
 

ya so far different ppl see different things... i guess color chart is the only way... merely running a colorimter and believe the monitor is calibrated well is just delusion.

where do u buy your colorchart? what brand are u using?
Hmmm... I tend to agree, if you don't print, but if you do print alot it is a different story.

i don't have a printter... so i can't do what u suggest..


tks alot pal :)
I recommend Colormunki photo, this not only calibrate your screen but your end results (prints) as well. So if your end result is the print media, then it would be ideal, if you only post your images online, it is somewhat unreliable, why? although your screen is calibrated others you view your images aren't, so your purple may appear bluish/redish to others. Thus, it was why I said I tend to agree in my first reply.

../azul123
 

The above answer I feel is still incomplete.. calibrated screen is good, printer and photo paper profiling is good... but if you don't capture accurate WB it is also not going to help. So my guess is if accurate colors is what you are after, say you are working on product advertising where it must appear exactly as how the product looks like whether in print, on TV or web.

In that case, you need to capture with accurate WB and add that into your workflow.

../azul123
 

ya so far different ppl see different things... i guess color chart is the only way... merely running a colorimter and believe the monitor is calibrated well is just delusion.

where do u buy your colorchart? what brand are u using?

i don't have a printter... so i can't do what u suggest..


tks alot pal :)

I used different chart, from GATF/Agfa/Dupont/Kodak/Crossfield/Fuji/DaiNippon Screen. They provide similar information (Q60A) for calibrate your input/output device analog or digital. However some provide more in gray balance, and some chart give more info in gradation tone.
So I combine and use.
 

The above answer I feel is still incomplete.. calibrated screen is good, printer and photo paper profiling is good... but if you don't capture accurate WB it is also not going to help. So my guess is if accurate colors is what you are after, say you are working on product advertising where it must appear exactly as how the product looks like whether in print, on TV or web.

In that case, you need to capture with accurate WB and add that into your workflow.

../azul123



hi

yes.. i came to realize that it is IMPOSSIBLE to make others see what i see, even if we both use calibrated monitors... well i didn't test it out to come to conclusion, but rather i think this is so.

using a colorimeter is not so easy... generally we go for 6500k and gamma 2.2 for PC , and 6500k ? and gamma 1.8 for Mac.

But how to know if the colorimter achieve that? i have no answer.

anyway, the only way i know as of now to check whether your monitor is performing well or not is to use those chart out there.. like :

http://www.imaging-resource.com/ARTS/MONCAL/CALIBRATE.HTM
http://epaperpress.com/monitorcal/index.html

so , after calibration, be it hardware or software (using eye and monitor control), these chart should be displayed better.

As Michael Freemans said in his book, pic will appear different in gamma 2.2 (PC) and gamma 1.8 (Mac).
 

I used different chart, from GATF/Agfa/Dupont/Kodak/Crossfield/Fuji/DaiNippon Screen. They provide similar information (Q60A) for calibrate your input/output device analog or digital. However some provide more in gray balance, and some chart give more info in gradation tone.
So I combine and use.


Hi

GATF/Agfa/Dupont/Kodak/Crossfield/Fuji/DaiNippon Screen... may i know what are these? colorchart?

i don't really get what u mean. care to elaborate ? :)