Just Got 28" LCD with HDMI ~$329 - Calibration Question

jhelms

I just got this monitor this week: http://www.i-inc-usa.com/Product/if281.htm




Anyway, I've got it hooked up to a new PC using a DVI to HDMI connection, 1920x1200 with an ATI 512mb graphics card.

As I viewed the first several dozen pictures that were taken with a D200 @ .jpeg fine / 10.2mpix, I noticed a lot more noise in the shadow areas... like, a LOT more noise.

At first I thought maybe this was just the result of me seeing the pictures in such a large resolution - and the noise was there all along. But, that's not the case, I have double checked the same files on 3 different computers today and even zoomed in to 100% / 1:1 ratio the noise doesn't look like this.

So that brings me to calibration and settings. The out of the box settings for brightness and contrast were 100 and 50, IIRC. The monitor has RGB slider settings and an 'extra-contrast' setting (that, when enabled ends up disabling additional brightness and contrast adjustments).

I won't be printing photos of any consequence on this PC, but I will be using it as my main workstation for reviewing and editing pics and videos. Does a monitor calibrater come in handy more for when you are actually printing the files or is it also important just for making sure the screen 'looks right'?

Lastly, any suggestions on settings that I should try (I didn't have much time last night to play around with it) to take away the noisy look of the shadows?

Thanks in advance!!!

Newsy

jhelms wrote:

Does a monitor calibrater come in handy more for when you are actually printing the files or is it also important just for making sure the screen 'looks right'

Yes, a hardware calibrator will help to improve the image, a lot for print matching, but also for reduction/elimination of banding and to balance or desaturate certain colours. Until you get one, check out this web site for some calibrate-by-eye tests.

http://www.lagom.nl/lcd-test/



You are aware that this is a "TN" panel?

This monitors TFT panel is prone to gamma/colour change as your eyes move away from the 90° to dead center position. If the electronics do not support at least a true 8bit colour depth, and most TN monitors use an interpolated 6bit color depth to simulate 8bit, you will likely notice banding/posterization. Even if you do use a hardware calibrator you'll notice the colours changing as you move off axis.

It's a great monitor for gaming and movies, especially if you can sit back from it a bit.

Quantum3

"a monitor calibrater come in handy more for when you are actually printing the files or is it also important just for making sure the screen 'looks right'?"

Both things...

Here are some solutions, start reading from my name
http://www.digitalgrin.com/showthread.php?t=110828&page=4

Thanks

jhelms

Cool, I also saw that I can download the ICC Profile from EZPrints and compare to that:

http://www.smugmug.com/help/display-color