Calibrating a MAC

[KimC]

Hi. Has anyone calibrated a MAC DESKTOP? If so, is there any software you can suggest or tell me to avoid? My images have not been printing as they look on my screen, so thinking I need to calibrate the monitor. Thanks

[Manfred M]

Both the x-Rite (i1 and ColorMunki) and DataColor (Spyder) products are compatible with Mac and PC. I have owned both an i1 and a ColorMunki and have no reservations recommending either product.

[KimC]

Thanks Manfred. Are they fairly easy to use? My concern is that I end up with a mess.

Both the x-Rite (i1 and ColorMunki) and DataColor (Spyder) products are compatible with Mac and PC. I have owned both an i1 and a ColorMunki and have no reservations recommending either product.

[Black Pearl]

A quick fix it to dial the brightness way down. They all get calibrated before they leave the factory but the screen is set very bight for impact. Beyond that, yes use the tools Manfred suggested.

[Mike Buckley]

The Spyder is very easy to use. Install the software. Open it. Plug the device into a USB slot on your computer. Follow the instructions in the software, which includes the instruction to place the device on your monitor. Continue following the instructions in the software. Remove the device from your monitor, unplug it and put it away until you calibrate again.

Once you configure stuff the first time (not at all technical, as evidenced that even I had no trouble doing it), you won't need to configure again until you change something pertinent in your computer system.

Important: Before calibrating, get the ambient light the way it will generally be when you are post-processing your images. That light should not be bright and ideally there should be no light directly falling on your monitor.

[Manfred M]

Thanks Manfred. Are they fairly easy to use? My concern is that I end up with a mess.

So simple that even I can use them, Kim.

Install the software disk that comes with the calibration devices and do what they ask you to. That mostly means measuring the light levels in the room and then positioning the sensor on your computer screen while the software runs through a set of test colours. You should be using a screen set to a brightness of no more than 120 candela / square meter. This seems to be the most "accepted" standard out there, but I personally find it a bit bright and have to adjust the intensity of my images down a bit to get the correct brightness when I print.


To Robin's point - most screens are set for an "office" environment and that is much too bright for photo editing.

[Mike Buckley]

By the way, the Spyder software defaults to reminding you to calibrate every month. I learned here at CiC that doing it so often is usually not necessary. I changed the setting to the longest amount of time available, which is six months. I haven't had a problem with the monitor changing in between calibrations.

[KimC]

Thank you Robin. My MAC is going on 3 years and I think it is starting to need some help. My images always printed as they were on screen, but not so much lately :-(

A quick fix it to dial the brightness way down. They all get calibrated before they leave the factory but the screen is set very bight for impact. Beyond that, yes use the tools Manfred suggested.

[KimC]

Ah, good news - thanks Mike and Manfred. I just ordered the Spyder5PRO based on the reviews I read -- looks like I made the right choice :-) It comes tomorrow, so hopefully, I will find it easy and it will help! I will prob refer back here tomorrow - so thank you!

The Spyder is very easy to use. Install the software. Open it. Plug the device into a USB slot on your computer. Follow the instructions in the software, which includes the instruction to place the device on your monitor. Continue following the instructions in the software. Remove the device from your monitor, unplug it and put it away until you calibrate again.

Once you configure stuff the first time (not at all technical, as evidenced that even I had no trouble doing it), you won't need to configure again until you change something pertinent in your computer system.

Important: Before calibrating, get the ambient light the way it will generally be when you are post-processing your images. That light should not be bright and ideally there should be no light directly falling on your monitor.

So simple that even I can use them, Kim.

Install the software disk that comes with the calibration devices and do what they ask you to. That mostly means measuring the light levels in the room and then positioning the sensor on your computer screen while the software runs through a set of test colours. You should be using a screen set to a brightness of no more than 120 candela / square meter. This seems to be the most "accepted" standard out there, but I personally find it a bit bright and have to adjust the intensity of my images down a bit to get the correct brightness when I print.


To Robin's point - most screens are set for an "office" environment and that is much too bright for photo editing.

[KimC]

Thanks for the tip Mike.

By the way, the Spyder software defaults to reminding you to calibrate every month. I learned here at CiC that doing it so often is usually not necessary. I changed the setting to the longest amount of time available, which is six months. I haven't had a problem with the monitor changing in between calibrations.

[Manfred M]

One word of warning, Kim. Although profiling and calibration will give you "correct" colours, you may still have to tweak the print exposure a tad. As I print in Photoshop, I add an adjustment layer to the top of the layer stack where I lighten the image. Once I have that set (determined by trial and error in the printing process), I can use the same brightening setting for every print I make (so long as I don't change the settings on my computer screen).

I just delete that layer or turn it off for on-screen work.

[gcowan]

Do you have an iMac? They can be frustrating because the screen cannot be dimmed sufficiently to get the print levels right. I use a bit of software called Shades for MAC, which runs in the background and allows a very fine adjustment to the screen brightness. Do some test prints, if your prints are too dark then make the screen darker and re-adjust until it is reliable. The colour calibration has to be done with shades turned off, but it does not affect the calibration on my iMac when I turn it back on. I set it at about 38% brightness, but that is dependent on your room lighting etc.
I think this is the most disappointing thing about Apple. They have this blind spot about the needs of visual artists and photographers actual requirements for adjustability.

[KimC]

thanks for that warning -- that has been a source of recent frustration. What you are suggesting makes sense.

My bigger concern is with the color. I recently did some dogs in some dry very course grass and the color and texture was very different from monitor to print. This is when I wish there was a person, I could visit in-person, for help. You do learn more when you have to figure it out yourself, with help from this wonderful forum, but it's sooooo much slower.

One word of warning, Kim. Although profiling and calibration will give you "correct" colours, you may still have to tweak the print exposure a tad. As I print in Photoshop, I add an adjustment layer to the top of the layer stack where I lighten the image. Once I have that set (determined by trial and error in the printing process), I can use the same brightening setting for every print I make (so long as I don't change the settings on my computer screen).

I just delete that layer or turn it off for on-screen work.

[KimC]

Yes Graham, an iMac. Thanks for the tip as it has been a source of frustration for me. Based on what you and Manfred have suggested, sounds like I will be doing a lot of test prints, which makes sense.

Do you have an iMac? They can be frustrating because the screen cannot be dimmed sufficiently to get the print levels right. I use a bit of software called Shades for MAC, which runs in the background and allows a very fine adjustment to the screen brightness. Do some test prints, if your prints are too dark then make the screen darker and re-adjust until it is reliable. The colour calibration has to be done with shades turned off, but it does not affect the calibration on my iMac when I turn it back on. I set it at about 38% brightness, but that is dependent on your room lighting etc.
I think this is the most disappointing thing about Apple. They have this blind spot about the needs of visual artists and photographers actual requirements for adjustability.

[Mike Buckley]

You do learn more when you have to figure it out yourself, with help from this wonderful forum, but it's sooooo much slower.

And often so much more frustrating. Understandably frustrating with no fault by anyone in the forum, but still frustrating.

[Stagecoach]

Perhaps one thing to add Kim is that if something does not go correctly during the calibration (and I have had one incidence of this with my Spyder) and you are not happy with the result it is easy to revert to how things were.

[Loose Canon]

Hi Kim!

I recently “inherited” an iMac. Since I got it free I hot-rodded it up some (read: upgraded OSx and sunk a little $$ in it).

After I got that going on the first order of bidness was to calibrate/profile. I have the Datacolor system and it does just fine with Apple computers. I also have a MBP and another monitor I use the Datacolor for.

Once done all three screens seemed to match up pretty darned good to my eye.

After the software completes the process it will graph the success for you and you can see show you the results in the different color spaces. Also give you a “before/after” option with test photos you can toggle back and forth to help you judge for yourself.

The whole process is pretty much cake and the software does the brunt of the work for you after you make the initial adjustments before running the colorimeter/software program. The software even advises you on where to set your preliminary adjustments.

Here is my Tip ‘O the Day on this! At least it has helped me. Doesn’t seem like much but it has helped keep my already addled brain straight down the line after numerous re-calibrations/profiles have been built over time!

At the end of the process the program will give you the option of naming the profile it just built. Name it whatever you want but date it in the profile name. Example: iMac_1_4_17. Later on you’ll be glad you did!

[Black Pearl]

Before you buy a calibration device - still the best option - have you tried to calibrate it yourself?

Settings - Displays - Color - Calibrate...

Have a play about and if it doesn't help or makes it worse you can switch immediately back to the previous profile.

[KimC]

Frustrating only because there is so much to learn, and I personally wish I could know it all now...

And often so much more frustrating. Understandably frustrating with no fault by anyone in the forum, but still frustrating.

[KimC]

Thanks Grahame, this eases my mind about messing things up :-)

Perhaps one thing to add Kim is that if something does not go correctly during the calibration (and I have had one incidence of this with my Spyder) and you are not happy with the result it is easy to revert to how things were.