Monitor Calibration: What's your recommendation?

[tolusina]

Keith Cooper has written extensively on color management, his work is well worth your due diligence,
http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/commercial-photography/training/colour-management/

 

[LDS]

Yes, I think it's broadlly accepted that letting the Adobe print engine manage colors yields superior results

Apple ColorSync is well regarded, Windows took more time to become a fully viable solutions (ICM got replaced by WCS), and it's a bit more complex to setup. Today, all of them should deliver good results.

One advantage of ACM it's you have the same engine on both macOS and Windows, so it's easier to exchange files across them without having to worry about any difference. Other application may not have their full own color management system, and could use the OS provided one. Profiles anyway don't depend on the engine used.

 

[Mikehit]

I have a 2017 5K iMac and one of those Canon pro 100's that I got for "free" as part of a bundle. I tried color calibrating the iMac and honestly I preferred apples stock calibration.

As I mentioned above, I found the calibration yielded very little difference from the factory settings on my screen - but the reason I continue to calibrate about every 3 months is because all screens degrade (this degradation may be slower than it used to be, but it still happens from what I understand) and this can be very slowly and unnoticeable and in 2 or 3 years time the image will not have the same colours it had when new. But the calibration will always bring it back to the setting I need.

 

[Graphic.Artifacts]

As I mentioned above, I found the calibration yielded very little difference from the factory settings on my screen - but the reason I continue to calibrate about every 3 months is because all screens degrade (this degradation may be slower than it used to be, but it still happens from what I understand) and this can be very slowly and unnoticeable and in 2 or 3 years time the image will not have the same colours it had when new. But the calibration will always bring it back to the setting I need.

You are taking what I said out of context. I have two color-calibrated NEC Spectraview monitors that I use for proofing and printing works on paper. I found that forcing the 5K IMac to emulate paper resulted in a less pleasing and bright display and I don't use it for that purpose. The color variation between my calibration and Apples was minimal. YMMV. The OP was referencing purchasing an IMac and my comment was directed to the OP.

 

[Mikehit]

You are taking what I said out of context. I have two color-calibrated NEC Spectraview monitors that I use for proofing and printing works on paper. I found that forcing the 5K IMac to emulate paper resulted in a less pleasing and bright display and I don't use it for that purpose. The color variation between my calibration and Apples was minimal. YMMV. The OP was referencing purchasing an IMac and my comment was directed to the OP.

Thank you for clarifying your comment - it just shows how many variables there are to printing workflow.

 

[cayenne]

I ended up getting:
X-Rite i1Display Pro - Display Calibration (EODIS3)

It just came in on Sunday, I'm planning to break it to and experiment with doing my monitor.
I chose this because it also apparently works with iPhones and iPad.

I want this on my iPad Pro, as that I find myself doing a decent bit of work on it when I'm out and about.....and want to make sure it is representative of what will be printed potentially out of work done from it.

It appears the printer won't be shipping till Wednesday....apparently another one of the Adorama holidays in session they they close for.....but hoping to play with it maybe as soon as this coming weekend!!

Thanks for all the input here, interesting stuff.

I'm gonna research those links given here too about color management....I dunno how far down the rabbit hole I'll go, but I would like to learn at least the basics of it...especially for if I start sending things off for larger scale printing to print shops......


C

 

[Halfrack]

If you want to rent and play with one before deciding if you need to own one.. https://www.lensrentals.com/rent/colormunki

 

[cayenne]

If you want to rent and play with one before deciding if you need to own one.. https://www.lensrentals.com/rent/colormunki

D'oh!!

Wish I'd seen this earlier....I didn't even think about the lens rental places having stuff like this!?!

Anyway,I got the i1Display unit in on Sunday, will be playing around with it this week.

C