Monitor Black Level Question

[xpatUSA]

Background:

I bought a NEC 1990SX on eBay some years back. It came without a CD and I've never downloaded any drivers for it and wouldn't know how or where to install one even if I did. This year I've suffered several computer failures and I have used each (second-hand) replacement just as it came from the store. Right now I'm on an HP model s5412p running Windows 7 and have had it for just a few weeks.

Over the years, I've messed with the NEC's settings and even installed those quick and dirty color gamma adjusters (long gone!).

Today:

Over on DPR in their camera reviews they post a 41-step Stouffer Wedge on the DR test page. Looking at that I suddenly realized that I could only distinguish maybe 10 of the steps !!! So, I played with the NEC settings some more, then gave up and did a factory reset and set the color temp to "sRGB". More steps became visible on DPR's Stouffer wedge so, much encouraged, I downloaded a 21-step one and continued with that - because the image used in DPR was a photographic image and I prefer one that was built in an editor or summat.

I played with the NEC brightness and contrast to get the best compromise between my viewing conditions (semi-gloom) and distinguishable steps on the 21-step wedge. Then I looked at some past masterpieces and they looked decidedly misty compared to what I had gotten used to before the reset. So I went back into the NEC and found the black level factory setting was 50% - percent of what, I have no idea So I played with that and ended up with 25% which looks sorta OK.

The Question.

How should I really determine the optimum black level setting for my monitor under my viewing conditions? I ask because looking at holiday snaps and moving the black level slider back and forth doesn't appear very scientific to my pedantic mind and I'll bet the cognoscenti here know a better way.

Puh-lease don't advise me to get another monitor or to get a Color-Munki, I'm hoping the answer is more simple than that.

[george013]

So I went back into the NEC and found the black level factory setting was 50% - percent of what, I have no idea So I played with that and ended up with 25% which looks sorta OK.

50% of the maximum.
There're no units.

George

[xpatUSA]

Thank you, George, most helpful.

I also found these:

http://www.sasg.com/blacklevel.html

http://accad.osu.edu/~aprice/courses...lacklevel.html

http://www.drycreekphoto.com/Learn/C...itor_black.htm

The Dry Creek one is quite entertaining . .

note to self: google first, post later

Ted

[george013]

Thank you, George, most helpful.

I also found these:

http://www.sasg.com/blacklevel.html

http://accad.osu.edu/~aprice/courses...lacklevel.html

http://www.drycreekphoto.com/Learn/C...itor_black.htm

The Dry Creek one is quite entertaining . .

note to self: google first, post later

Ted

You're welcome. Sometimes things are simple.

George

[Tronhard]

OK.. I just saw your comment about a color-munki - I was not familiar with brand and don't know your reason for your aversion, but I will stand by my suggestion below. If you consider that the process of creating a photo is a chain of events, we spend lots of money on cameras and lenses, and on processing software to make our images look their best. I think it is worth making sure that all that investment is applied to an accurately displayed image.

So I suggest you get a Spyder. It is a device that you plug into your USB port and after loading the software it calibrates your monitor to give accurate rendition of tones and colours, then customizes your monitor's driver to display correctly. I would not be without one, otherwise you may spend time looking and working with a display that is not a faithful rendition of what you photographed. If you try to correct your photos without one you will probably get colour errors.

their website is: http://spyder.datacolor.com/ I might add I have no interest in the product except as a user! LOL!

[Polar01]

To colour calibrate my monitor I use X-Rite ColourMunki Photo, I found that the Spyder did not do as good a on reds. As I have an Epson 4900 printer and Epson uses the X-Rite products to create their ICC profiles for their printers and paper. That was good enough for me.

Cheers: Allan

[xpatUSA]

OK.. I just saw your comment about a color-munki - I was not familiar with brand and don't know your reason for your aversion

Not an aversion as such; all I wanted to know was the correct sequence of adjustment of the three NEC manual controls - brightness, contrast and black level. The comment about "please don't", etc. was trying head off lectures on how I absolutely MUST calibration my monitor and how to do it and so forth. Indeed, after some Googling following the OP, I did find the info I needed, hence my second post.

, but I will stand by my suggestion below. If you consider that the process of creating a photo is a chain of events, we spend lots of money on cameras and lenses, and on processing software to make our images look their best. I think it is worth making sure that all that investment is applied to an accurately displayed image.

So I suggest you get a Spyder. It is a device that you plug into your USB port and after loading the software it calibrates your monitor to give accurate rendition of tones and colours, then customizes your monitor's driver to display correctly. I would not be without one, otherwise you may spend time looking and working with a display that is not a faithful rendition of what you photographed. If you try to correct your photos without one you will probably get colour errors.

their website is: http://spyder.datacolor.com/

Thanks for the link, Trev, but my cheap monitor will remain uncalibrated by such a device or any other for now - I'm just not a color accuracy freak, sorry.