I had get a new monitor and it is a Sony SDM-S94 19" LCD. When I open Photoshop, the colors are a mess. Everything looks like it’s almost a pure magenta. I tried playing with the color settings, but it didn’t make any difference.
The Monitor is connected to the DVI-D port with an Apple 17" LCD connected to the ADC port of the GeForce4 MX in a G4 running OSX 10.3.4.
As far as I can tell, Photoshop is the only application with this problem.
Calibrate the monitor by making a new monitor profile.
The best way to do this is with a hardware calibrator (like EyeOne or Spyder).
Alternatively, you can get it in the neighborhood by using the software calibrator in System Preferences > Displays > Color. Click on the "calibrate" button, check expert mode and follow the directions.
I actually did the software calibration routine as soon as I hooked up the monitor.
I tried changing the Display Profile in the Display Control Panel to sRGB IEC61966-2.1 from the calibrated profile and it’s a lot better. InDesign is screwed up now, but that’s not as critical as Photoshop.
Why on Earth set the monitor to sRGB after you calibrated the monitor? The point of calibration is to create a specific profile for each individual monitor, save that profile and use it as your monitor profile.
Obviously you didn’t calibrate accurately the first time. Try again under ideal conditions: don’t let any ambient (room) light hit the monitor screen while you calibrate.
As Rick points out, hardware calibration (with a puck)is better.
Why on Earth set the monitor to sRGB after you calibrated the monitor?
That’s why I’m on here asking this question. I ran the calibration routine 3 times and saved the calibrated profiles. For whatever reason, when I select one of those saved profiles in Photoshop, the color goes crazy. If I go back to sRGB it looks fine. Hence my confusion.
Again, you’re obviously doing something drastically wrong during the calibration process, or … (less likely, but possible) you could have one of those few incompatible monitors. There could even be interaction between the two monitors connected to the same graphics card. (I assumed you calibrated each monitor separately, of course.)
I just used the Display Control Panel. I changed the color temp to 6500K on the built-in menu in the monitor and it’s a lot better and gamma is 2.2 (I think). I’ve changed it so many times, I’m not sure any more!
g ballard,
Great site! Lots of good info there. I’ve been doing some tweaking over the last couple of hours while I work. I think I have it pretty good now. Absolutely correct color is not critical for my work. Close enough is good enough :-). It’s very close to the Apple LCD now and I am very happy with the color on the Apple. I think I’m going to stop messing with it so I don’t make it worse!
Ramón,
I think there may have been some kind of interacation with the two monitors on the same card. But I couldn’t say for sure. I just couldn’t understand how I could’ve screwed up the calibration so completely. I mean, it’s a fairly straightforward process. By playing with all the settings, I think I have it pretty close now. I’m going to use it for a day or two and see how it shakes out.
At one point I thought I was doing a pretty good job with eyeball calibrators –until I acquired hardware calibration tools, first a Spyder for what is now my second monitor and then my main monitor, which came with its own calibration tools. Then I realized how far off I had really been. I learned that I can’t really trust my eyes for this.
Which Spyder package: Spyder, Spyder PRO with OptiCAL or SpyderPro Suite? I want to calibrate my monitors including 1 LCD.
My apple 17" LCD is crapping out after 18 months. I have never had a monitor go bad. $999 when this first came out. I’m PO’d. The Sony 19" is $680 with rebate so I’m thinking of taking a chance.
I’m having a similar problem. Just installed Photoshop CS, now my colors are all screwed up. Heavy magenta over the photograph. Calibrated monitor, but makes very little difference. I think I tried every setting in color preferences – still can’t get a good photograph to come up. Let me know if you find the answer . . .
That sounds very much like a conversion issue. Make sure you are set to Adobe Engine and not applying double color management (set printer driver to No Color adjustment).
Follow the instructions in this link to the letter, step by step:
Which package to buy depends on your monitor and what you want. If your monitor has individually adjustable RGB guns, get a package that comes with OptiCal rather than just PhotoCal. Otherwise, PhotoCal will do fine.
If you want to calibrate the printer as well, then get the package that comes with PrintFix. If you only want to calibrate the monitor, and if your monitor doesn’t let you tweak the RGB guns separately, then go for the cheapest ($119) package.
Ramon: I got the pro version as I found it for a very good price. $218 I think. I’m still looking at the SONY mentioned in this thread. My 17" apple LCD is seriously wigging out with vertical yellow lines and blinks on and off constantly after only 18 months. PO’d like you wouldn’t believe. I turned of energy saver and it seems to stabilize the monitor for longer periods. Thanks for all the tips.
I had a red glow to my desktop also. On the onscreen display I unchecked the fine screen display, all is ok now. I have a LaCie 19 CRT with good color.
Maybe I don’t do enough PS work. I don’t think the difference is so huge between CRT and LCD to worry about these days. The new apple monitors I saw at the apple store are fabulous.
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