2 Monitor Calibration Questions

[RichardC]

Hi folks,
I've got an older iMac G3 OS 9 and am trying to use the calibration tools that came with the computer. When it asks to select a "white point" ....how am I to know what to use? [doh]

Also, does anyone have any recommendations as to monitor calibration hardware/software packages, spendy or not?
Thanks......RC

 

[Welles]

Hey,RC. About the white point. Standard daylight setting is 6500K. Many people who do primarily print work use 5000K. It makes your monitor much warmer but your screen colors will match printed material viewed in indirect natural light much more closely. Another point. In general the iMacs look best with a Gamma setting of 1.8 (considered the Mac Standard) but most of the world works with a gamma of 2.2 so many professional graphics users who are Mac based set their profile up with a 2.2 gamma for better visual communication with the Windows world. All my monitors are set up with a 2.2 Gamma and 5000K based profiles.

There is an absolutely superior software calibration application for Macs. It is a $19 shareware and is as good or better than all but the most expensive hardware calibration systems.

SuperCal? is a visual display calibrator capable of measuring and correcting most conventional displays, including LCDs, CRTs and projectors. SuperCal doesn't require any hardware measurement devices - only your eyeballs - yet it can be much more accurate, based on how well you pay attention to what your doing .

http://www.bergdesign.com/supercal/

One other thing for the iMac specifically. Somewhere I have a little software utility which was provided to Apple Techs but not released to the general public which increased the brightness capacities of the iMac. I'll rummage around and try and find it in case you're interested.

 

[RichardC]

Thanks Welles......
I went thru the Adobe Gamma Assistant and set the gamma at 2.2 and the white point at 5000K..... then another setting came up...the Hardware white point. (?) After adjusting it the best I new how it ended up at 7500K.

I downloaded the SuperCal software and while looking it over was advised to read thru the ?on-line help manual? since I?m a calibration novice but I cannot find it. When I click on superCal help up on the menu bar nothing happens. I would like to read a little before I try to calibrate. Where do I find the manual?

[doh]

Making some progress anyway.
Thanks again......RC

 

[Welles]

RichardC,

I haven't used Adobe Gamma Assistant since PS5. For some reason I forget now, I didn't care for the difference between the resultant profile made by that utility and Apples Monitor Calibration which works directly with ColorSync which I use in my workflow and was just started to be realized when PS5 was released. Anyway, SuperCal is better than either.

The on-line help which is mentioned is a poor choice of terms. In fact just start up SuperCal. It is almost always self evident as there are guided steps throughout. However there are buttons on some of the steps which say Help. That is the help. It gives you a grounded understanding in what is going on. So just start using the SuperCal application. When you see Help buttons click on them at least the first time through and your comprehension of the process will be enhanced significantly by the additional information provided.

SuperCal is not crippled in any way but it is shareware, so if you use it and decide it is of value, please pay the developer. There are also three very handy, Mac only, free plugins available on the BergDesign site. One is called Peel Off White and is nothing short of magic.

 

[RichardC]

Thanks Welles......I already purchased it
I'll give it my first try tomorrow. I may have a problem with my eyeballs. I'll keep you informed.
Thanks again........RC