Color Management

DS
Posted By
Doug_Silver
Jun 9, 2004
Views
301
Replies
13
Status
Closed
My understanding that color management is important (necessary?) to improve the chances that a printed image will look like the image on the monitor. In a recent workshop I attended (NikonSchool Digital 101), one of the speakers was emphatic about color management and recommended a monitor calibrating device by Gretag Macbeth that is about $200+. I also noticed that there is a discussion of color management in the Adobe Elements manual that does not seem to need third-party hardware. What do you guys (gals) do in terms of color management?

Thanks,
Doug
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color manage

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Nancy_S
Jun 9, 2004
Doug,

The "free" monitor calilbration is…

If you have a CRT, it is important to calibrate it using the Adobe Gamma Utility in the Control Panel (for Windows). You can start the utility with the provided icc profile from your monitor manufacturer or use sRBG color space. One needs to have the colors on screen represented as accurately as possible so you "get what you see".
BB
brent_bertram
Jun 9, 2004
doug,
Colormanagement is all about accurate profiles and conversions. The $200 colorimeter from Gretag Macbeth is entry level, but probably "best of class" at that level. I have a several year old Sequel Colorimeter included in a Monaco EZcolor package that does my monitor profiling, but if I invest in an LCD monitor, it wouldn’t be able to handle it. More money in that case, for me. It’s not absolutely necessary to have a profiling device, but it’s better than "eyeballing" your display . As your monitor ages, factory profiles become meaningless and you’re left with not much alternative but to invest, or not be very accurate in your display profile.
If you expect to do a lot of decent printing, I’d recommend Monaco Excolor bundle with includes a profiling device, software, and a profile creation package for print media profiles. Since I’ve had it , I’ve wasted very little ink. About $500, and it’s entry level. There are reviews of several packages at <http://www.computer-darkroom.com/> .

🙂

Brent
WE
Wendy_E_Williams
Jun 9, 2004
I use Supercal and it is brilliant … but its just for Macs. I used to use the Apple one but found it really hard to get the "grays" matching …. supercal does the whole thing in colour and I find it so much better.

Wendy
DS
Doug_Silver
Jun 9, 2004
I have a 17" NEC lcd monitor; I don’t know yet how much "serious" printing I will do as I only have an Epson Stylus 860 at this time. I had thought that when I converted over to digital (I will be only shooting digital on an upcoming trip to Italy) I would probably just upload my photo files to one of the photo services on the net, or bring the CF card into a local camera store for prints. I was just wondering if spending $200 (or more) was warranted for casual amateur use and occasional printing of photos.

Doug
JF
Jodi_Frye
Jun 10, 2004
Doug, please be advised…on your trip away, if you decide to pay someone to burn your images to disc while away…be sure your images are actually on the disc. Be sure it was a good burn. trust me. Lots have come back with lost photos 🙁
BB
brent_bertram
Jun 10, 2004
Doug,
At the minimum, with an LCD monitor you’ll need to find the Mfg’s profile for your monitor and "massage" it with Adobe Gamma to make it your default monitor profile, as per the following doc: <http://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/1403e.htm> .

This won’t help once your display starts to degrade, but if the original profile is accurate, you’ll have a good start.

🙂

Brent
DS
Doug_Silver
Jun 10, 2004
Any suggestions as to find the manufacturer’s profile for information that is needed by the Adobe Gamma program? I have an NEC Multisync 1700V (flat panel) and I cannot find anything useful at NEC’s website.
BB
brent_bertram
Jun 10, 2004
The driver download is available at < http://www.necmitsubishi.com/support/css/signedinf/files2.ht m&title=Display%20Device%20Drivers> . The driver, including ICC profile is included.
The link doesn’t appear to be valid, but burrowning down at the support site will get the driver. Email me and I can send it to you if you want.

🙂

Brent
BB
brent_bertram
Jun 10, 2004
Doug,
If I typed this right, you can get it off my website at < http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~bbertram/n-l170v.zi p> .

🙂

Brent
DS
Doug_Silver
Jun 10, 2004
Thanks for the file but let me ask something. There are 3 files in the zip: n-l170v.cat n-l170v.inf and n-l170v1.icm

I tried viewing the cat and icm files but these are not really readable. I guess the drivers are installed by right-clicking on the inf file but what do you do with the cat and icm files? Or are these automatically taken car of with the inf file?
BB
brent_bertram
Jun 11, 2004
All you really need for Elements is the icm file. That is actually the display ICC profile. If you right click on it and "install" it , I believe a copy will be placed in the appropriate location. If not, then you can manually copy the file to the right location for your OS, and load it into the Adobe Gamma utility.

Profile locations:-
Windows 98, 98 Second Edition and Me – folder named windows/system/color Windows 2000 and XP – sub-folder named system32/spool/drivers/color Mac OS9.x – ColorSync profiles are located in the System Folder/ColorSync Profiles folder Mac OSX – ColorSync profiles are located in the Library/ColorSync/Profiles folder

There’s quite a bit on color management at <http://www.computer-darkroom.com/> , and I’d recommend touring it. Ian Lyons ( now a moderator on the Photoshop forum ) has put a lot of work into the site.

🙂

Brent
DS
Doug_Silver
Jun 11, 2004
Brent,

I have WinXP and the n-l170v1.icm file is in the system32/spool/drivers/color directory. So does that mean I do not have to do anything?

I went into the Adobe Gamma routine from the Control Panel and tried loading the n-l170v1 profile and I get an error saying "The selected profile is not a legal RGB display profile". Now what?

Doug
BB
brent_bertram
Jun 11, 2004
We kill Nec-Mitsubishi and do the best we can without any additional money. I’d follow Ian Lyons directions for CRT’s at <http://www.computer-darkroom.com/ps7-colour/ps7_2.htm> , but I’d work in manual mode, not the wizard and only use the color sliders of the Adobe Gamma utility to balance the colors, as per directions. Then I’d save the profile as a personal one ( named Doug’s LCD , perhaps ) , and see if that worked adequately. If not, you’re left with either despair, or purchasing a hardware/software calibration combo to get a personally acceptable profile.

A color managed workflow requires profiles for devices , so that accurate color conversions can be made to an image as it passes from device to device. Your monitor profile only affects the way an image appears on the screen. If it is accurate , and your printer profile or media profile is accurate , then you should be able to get very good print/monitor matching.

All you can do is try , and see how well you’re satisfied with the results.

🙂

Brent

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