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| Hardware Calibration Targets |
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Last Updated
19th of August, 2011
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We're often asked about starting points to use for defining calibration targets with hardware calibration systems like NEC's SpectraView2 (SV2) or Eizo ColorNavigator (CN).
So - here are some example targets, which are the ones we use here and have found to work well. They should be considered starting points and you should feel free to further tweak the settings to get even better results for your particular scenario. (For example, if you have very warm interior lights, you will get a better screen to print match with significantly lower whitepoints than those mentioned below).
Gamma should always be 2.2 so I won't repeat it every time. Where 'contrast ratio - maximum' is mentioned, this means set the whitepoint to the level as advised for that target, and then the black point to minimum (CN), or the contrast ratio control to maximum contrast (SV2).
Movie Watching, Slide Shows / Audio Visuals
With this target you're trying to get the monitor to look it's outright best, it's not so much about accuracy for a particular paper or anything - just sheer visual punch while keeping things looking natural.
- Set your monitor to a whitepoint of 6500K - this is the standard for HDTVs and indeed for general purpose photographic usage as defined by the AIPP, so it's probably the best general purpose whitepoint to use.
- Set a pretty high brightness - possibly even maximum brightness (LCD TVs and plasmas are typically used at very bright levels, particularly in rooms with a lot of natural light - 400 cd/m2 or more is not uncommon in these scenarios). Since these sessions are generally 3 hours or less, it is not generally fatiguing to use a higher brightness
- Set you contrast ratio to maximum (you're not trying to mimic paper, and the eye really likes contrast)
- Allow the monitor to use it's full native gamut (but make sure if you're doing a slideshow that you're using an application that supports colour management).
Web Browsing With Non Colour Managed Browsers (= Internet Explorer, Google Chrome)
- 6500KWhitepoint
- A moderate brightness, comfortable for reading for extended periods - around 100 to 120 cd/m2 suits most situations
- Contrast ratio - maximum
- Set the gamut to sRGB mode if you can (e.g. in Color Navigator when you define the gamut, choose sRGB - with the new NEC PA monitors you use MultiProfiler to do this).
Web Browsing With Colour Managed
Browsers (= Firefox, Safari)
- 6500K Whitepoint
- A moderate brightness, comfortable for reading for extended periods -
around 100 to 120 cd/m2 suits most situations
- Contrast ratio - maximum
- Native gamut
Proofing for Fine Art Papers
- Around 5500K is usually right for the whitepoint (you can visually refine this with SpectraView, or take measurements in CN and SV, but in general you can find the right whitepoint with a little tweaking of this value)
- Lower brightness, around 90 cd/m2
- Contrast Ratio 150:1 or a bit over (= black point of 0.6)
- Native gamut
Proofing for Gloss & Semi-Gloss Papers
- Around 6000K
- 100 cd/m2
- 200:1 or slightly higher contrast (= black point of 0.5)
- Native gamut
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