Colour management

[Alex]

I get quite a big difference beween what I see in IE and PS CS 2 (Capture NX). When I view image in PS CS2 with colour management on the image looks fine. If I switch colour management to 'off' then the image looks too saturated.

Also if I do soft proof to "Windows RGB" image looks fine. If I however go to soft proof "Monitor RGB" the image looks too saturated.

Is there a problem with my monitor or is this normal simply because IE is not colour managed and I should see difference from monitor to monitor, but ideally the image should look identical in colour managed applications?

Thanks

Alex

[MattC]

Alex,

Have you calibrated your monitor with a spyder?

Cheers

M

[Alex]

Alex,

Have you calibrated your monitor with a spyder?

Cheers

M

Hi Matt,

No, unfortunately. I used Adobe Gamma but if I follow instructions the colours may look ok without colour management but look washed out when I turn colour management on in PS CS2.

I think adobe gamma is hopeless. Spyder (or any other hardware device) is the answer, I guess.

Alex

[MattC]

I think adobe gamma is hopeless. Spyder (or any other hardware device) is the answer, I guess.
Alex

Too right.

I had similar problems to what you describe prior to getting things properly sorted with a spyder.

Cheers

[gunn parker]

I had similar problems to what you describe prior to getting things properly sorted with a spyder.

Where do you find a spyder? and how much is the usual amount you would pay for one?

Thanks

[MattC]

Where do you find a spyder? and how much is the usual amount you would pay for one?

I bought a Spyder2PRO from http://www.kayellaustralia.com.au/. IIRC, they are the AU distributor for Colorvision products. I have to admit to paying way too much - something like $700 about 18 months to 2 years ago when it was first released. It is currently retailing at ~$490.
Have a look at the Spyder2Suite or Spyder2Express for less $$$.

Also have a look at EyeOne and GretagMacBeth products.

I am fairly sure that you can get something decent for under $300.

Cheers

M

[Ronza]

No, unfortunately. I used Adobe Gamma but if I follow instructions the colours may look ok without colour management but look washed out when I turn colour management on in PS CS2.

Hrmh, got my two screens done in Adobe Gamma and they're usually pretty good to what my lab gives me back in prints.

Ive been looking at a hardware calibrator for a while, the guys on Overclockers are doing a Group Buy for either the Huey or Spyder product. The low end ones should only be around US$80 and with the Spyder package at least, one can upgrade the software as the hardware is all the same.

[Alex]

Hi Ronza,

Mine is OK when I use profile and I use profile aware applications, such as PS to view, but in applications such as IE (profile unaware) the colours are sometimes off.

Alex

[digitor]

Hi Ronza,

Mine is OK when I use profile and I use profile aware applications, such as PS to view, but in applications such as IE (profile unaware) the colours are sometimes off.

Alex

What do they look like if you convert the image profile to srgb and then view in IE?

Cheers

[Alex]

Hi Ronza,

Mine is OK when I use profile and I use profile aware applications, such as PS to view, but in applications such as IE (profile unaware) the colours are sometimes off.

Alex

What do they look like if you convert the image profile to srgb and then view in IE?

Cheers

Hi Digitor,

I use sRGB to start with. That's what I have set in-camera. The weired thing is that they look fine in colour managed applications, but look crap if I go to soft proof Monitor RGB, Windows RGB looks fine. IE looks crap again.

Alex

[MATT]

Over at OCAU they are looking at doing a group buy from the states for a monitor calibration device.

Either the Pantone Heuy or a ColourVision Spyder express.. I'm leaning to the Spyder mainly because its hardware is the same as the more expensive units (Pro) but the software can be upgraded to this level at a later date if required.


Cheers\MATT

[DaveB]

By the way, I have a couple of Huey units on the shelf here I can ship this week if you're interested.
It's been listed in the Members Discounts forum for a while now and a couple of forum members have taken advantage of that.

A group buy from o/s may get it cheaper, but of course you do have the same old issue of warranty support: I get them from the Australian distributor.
I also sell Eye-One Display v2 units, but I'll have to check on the stock levels at the distributor if you'd like one of them.

I use sRGB to start with. That's what I have set in-camera. The weired thing is that they look fine in colour managed applications, but look crap if I go to soft proof Monitor RGB, Windows RGB looks fine. IE looks crap again.

sRGB should be a reasonable approximation of the "average" monitor, which is why we put things on the web in that colour space.
As an experiment, in PS try assigning the Monitor RGB profile. It should look the same as when the image is viewed in IE, as that effectively turns off display profile compensation. Then undo: that was just a test.

If the image is in PS with sRGB, the only reason it would look significantly different is if the monitor's profile was significantly different. But maybe that's how it should be! Without a monitor profiler you can't be sure.
Note that when you use PS's Convert to Profile feature to convert the image data into different colour spaces, it's supposed to maintain the same colours (although that can of course be tricky at the edges of the gamut).

[Alex]

By the way, I have a couple of Huey units on the shelf here I can ship this week if you're interested.
It's been listed in the Members Discounts forum for a while now and a couple of forum members have taken advantage of that.

A group buy from o/s may get it cheaper, but of course you do have the same old issue of warranty support: I get them from the Australian distributor.
I also sell Eye-One Display v2 units, but I'll have to check on the stock levels at the distributor if you'd like one of them.

As an experiment, in PS try assigning the Monitor RGB profile. It should look the same as when the image is viewed in IE, as that effectively turns off display profile compensation. Then undo: that was just a test.

Yes, it looks the same as in IE when I do that and looks the same when I do soft proof using Monitor sRGB.


If the image is in PS with sRGB, the only reason it would look significantly different is if the monitor's profile was significantly different. But maybe that's how it should be! Without a monitor profiler you can't be sure.
Note that when you use PS's Convert to Profile feature to convert the image data into different colour spaces, it's supposed to maintain the same colours (although that can of course be tricky at the edges of the gamut).[/quote]

So it looks like the profile for the monitor I have is quite different to sRGB 2xxxx profile I use in PS?

Cheers and thanks for your help, Dave.

Alex