Display Calibration: Getting Photo-Quality Color

Jaguar

Well-Known Member
Aug 2, 2010
221
17
925
Bellevue, WA
Some of you may know I've been working on a short film since last fall. It's coming along nicely and will be ready for release this spring. As I started to get into the color correction process I found that my Asus monitor color was off. The color adjustment settings in OSX and Windows are ineffective and trying to eyeball video card adjustments is a pure waste of time.

After researching color correction methods used by photographers and film makers I found some info on colorimeter hardware and software. A search of Amazon turned up the following Spyder5 hardware device for $125 and an interesting note in the comments. Spyder offers three models, ranging from $125-235; the hardware is the same for each model, it's just the software that's different. Many users did not have good things to say about the results with these models, but a user commented that the Spyder5 hardware combined with open source software was excellent.

Note: this information is only applicable to displays connected to a computer, such as laptop, desktop monitor or a TV on a home theater PC.

When I purchased my Panasonic plasma TV 3 years ago I had a pro calibrate it. He had some larger, more expensive hardware, as well as more extensive software. The color has drifted more than I would have expected since then, but I was able to use this process on my HTPC to improve it quite a bit. I don't have a good understanding of the differences, but maybe Amir can illuminate, when he runs across this thread.

A majority of the benefit from this product comes from the initial adjustment of RGB and brightness, which is quite simple. The color profile generation in the next step will refine the results. Even if you can't figure out the 2nd step with satisfactory results, you will probably see a substantial improvement from the first.


To get started you need to purchase a colorimeter, like Spyder, X-rite, ColorMonki, etc.


http://smile.amazon.com/Datacolor-S5X100-Spyder5EXPRESS/dp/B00UBSL2TO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1453871657&sr=8-2&keywords=spyder5



Next, install the DispCalGUI software (available for Windows, Mac and Linux), as well as any software that comes with your hardware and download the Argyll files. For Windows you will probably have to install a driver for your device. Important: go through the step by step instructions on the DispCal website when installing and setting up the sofware.

http://dispcalgui.hoech.net/
http://argyllcms.com/


Here's a YouTube video for the DispCal software.

 

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