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Monitor Callibration and Brightness

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entrailer

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Hi,

Am working on callibrating my monitors, using Colormunki Display and Carlibrite Profiler

What brightness levels are people working with?
I've heard 90 cd/m2 being mentioned
Which seems so dim

Also, how are the custom profiles accessed and turn-on/off once they're created?

Any tips on this gratefully received

Cheers,
N*
 
A lot will depend on what you are editing for output wise..

For printing I use

D65

Gamma 2.2

Brightness 80cdm2

room brightness moderate.

On a Mac the display profiles live in the ColorSync folder and are selectable via System Preferences > Displays>Colour Profile.
 
SandyHill said:
A lot will depend on what you are editing for output wise..

For printing I use

D65

Gamma 2.2

Brightness 80cdm2

room brightness moderate.

On a Mac the display profiles live in the ColorSync folder and are selectable via System Preferences > Displays>Colour Profile.
Click to expand...
Thanks for this

May I ask, when you say Brightness, is that what the monitor is set to?

I'm just wanting callibrate my monitors as best I can

Cheers
 
entrailer said:
SandyHill said:
A lot will depend on what you are editing for output wise..

For printing I use

D65

Gamma 2.2

Brightness 80cdm2

room brightness moderate.

On a Mac the display profiles live in the ColorSync folder and are selectable via System Preferences > Displays>Colour Profile.
Click to expand...
Thanks for this

May I ask, when you say Brightness, is that what the monitor is set to?

I'm just wanting callibrate my monitors as best I can

Cheers
Click to expand...
These are also my calibration settings. The monitor must be set low because if set too bright when you print and let the printer take control your photos will look dull. Lower monitor brightness will allow the print to match the monitor.

You adjust the monitor intensity during the calibration to get the software to tell you what is the measured value (80 cdm2) . The monitor range is most probably from 0 to 100%. Record the value of the monitor setting to get the 80 cdm2 of the calibrator measurement for reference. You may want to change the monitor for other apps but can dial it back to this reference value when performing photo editing.

I use good quality lights (high CRI values) for my print viewing to get the colors to come close to those of the monitor.
 
[EDITED per BobKnDP's pointing out the issue]
entrailer said:
Am working on callibrating my monitors, using Colormunki Display and Carlibrite Profiler

What brightness levels are people working with?
I've heard 90 cd/m2 being mentioned
Which seems so dim
Click to expand...
Personally I've found the best overall compromise is to calibrate my monitor to 100 cd/m^2 when profiling. People whose opinions I respect report finding best levels ranging from 80 to 140 cd/m^2. Monitor brightness is more important if you're editing photos for printing / tying to avoid prints looking too dark. Otherwise, IMO it's less critical, and what seems most comfortable / best-looking to you is the issue.
entrailer said:
Also, how are the custom profiles accessed and turn-on/off once they're created?

Any tips on this gratefully received
Click to expand...
In Windows 11, and Windows 10 is very similar, in Settings you can search for "color management", which will find the direct control panel. Two of the tabs show / control the active monitor profile and default monitor profile. First, the Devices tab, showing the profile that's set as the default:

35c1829614664a4983b669e365414f1a.jpg

And also the Advanced tab, showing the active profile:

c83c7aebf4104fa9bc498e577a41dc1e.jpg

So that's where you can manually change the monitor color profile settings.
 
Last edited:
entrailer said:
Hi,
Am working on callibrating my monitors, using Colormunki Display and Carlibrite Profiler

What brightness levels are people working with?
I've heard 90 cd/m2 being mentioned
Which seems so dim

Also, how are the custom profiles accessed and turn-on/off once they're created?

(snip)
Click to expand...
What OS are you using?

In Windows 11 (or 10, I believe), there's a Color Management control panel. You can have multiple profiles present, with one set as the default.

I believe that you can also change which one is active in Display settings.

(Windows 11 24H2 continues the awkwardness of having both the old control panels plus newer settings menus.)

My monitor is profiled at 110 nits. I use it in a moderately dimly lit room.
 
BobKnDP said:
BobKnDP said:
Also, how are the custom profiles accessed and turn-on/off once they're created?
Click to expand...
What OS are you using?

In Windows 11 (or 10, I believe), there's a Color Management control panel. You can have multiple profiles present, with one set as the default.

I believe that you can also change which one is active in Display settings.

(Windows 11 24H2 continues the awkwardness of having both the old control panels plus newer settings menus.)
Click to expand...
Good catch--somehow I missed that--editing my response now.
 
TomV1 said:
entrailer said:
SandyHill said:
A lot will depend on what you are editing for output wise..

For printing I use

D65

Gamma 2.2

Brightness 80cdm2

room brightness moderate.

On a Mac the display profiles live in the ColorSync folder and are selectable via System Preferences > Displays>Colour Profile.
Click to expand...
Thanks for this

May I ask, when you say Brightness, is that what the monitor is set to?

I'm just wanting callibrate my monitors as best I can

Cheers
Click to expand...
These are also my calibration settings. The monitor must be set low because if set too bright when you print and let the printer take control your photos will look dull. Lower monitor brightness will allow the print to match the monitor.

You adjust the monitor intensity during the calibration to get the software to tell you what is the measured value (80 cdm2) . The monitor range is most probably from 0 to 100%. Record the value of the monitor setting to get the 80 cdm2 of the calibrator measurement for reference. You may want to change the monitor for other apps but can dial it back to this reference value when performing photo editing.

I use good quality lights (high CRI values) for my print viewing to get the colors to come close to those of the monitor.
Click to expand...
Thanks very much for this

I found the Windows colour management settings, have been able to switch between

In terms of brightness, I'd like to inquire about lighting levels in your rooms

For myself I find it almost to work with the fixed brightness RGB profile. Which I think is 250cd. That's even with the curtains closed and all artificial light extinguished

80 is rated as dim. Am I correct in that? So presume you're lighting must be lower than that by a degree

Thanks again
 
It all depends on target and your environment. The low 80-120 recommendations are mainly aimed at print but many use them anyway. Today a lot of photographers deliver and/or use their images on screen only.

I have gradually increased my screen brightness over the years since many of my images are viewed on screen only. I am usually at 140-150, sometimes higher when I want to simulate an office screen.

The only time when higher brightess doesn't really work is when your room is quite dark. Then you tend to edit too dark and mushy simply because everything appears too bright. I also lower brightness when I am a bit tired.
 
boldcolors said:
It all depends on target and your environment. The low 80-120 recommendations are mainly aimed at print but many use them anyway. Today a lot of photographers deliver and/or use their images on screen only.

I have gradually increased my screen brightness over the years since many of my images are viewed on screen only. I am usually at 140-150, sometimes higher when I want to simulate an office screen.

The only time when higher brightess doesn't really work is when your room is quite dark. Then you tend to edit too dark and mushy simply because everything appears too bright. I also lower brightness when I am a bit tired.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your reply

Could you estimate what the ambient light levels are in your space?

Also, when referring to editing, are you generally referring to exposure and contrast type settings?

What makes these outcomes mushy in your view?
 
entrailer said:
Hi,
Am working on callibrating my monitors, using Colormunki Display and Carlibrite Profiler

What brightness levels are people working with?
I've heard 90 cd/m2 being mentioned
Which seems so dim

Also, how are the custom profiles accessed and turn-on/off once they're created?

Any tips on this gratefully received

Cheers,
N*
Click to expand...
I calibrate to 90 Cd/m2 and 5000K. It's important to use a viewing lamp to provide the same illumination level and colour temperature.
 
entrailer said:
Hi,
Am working on callibrating my monitors, using Colormunki Display and Carlibrite Profiler

What brightness levels are people working with?
I've heard 90 cd/m2 being mentioned
Which seems so dim

Also, how are the custom profiles accessed and turn-on/off once they're created?

Any tips on this gratefully received

Cheers,
N*
Click to expand...
Monitor brightness depends on your viewing conditions. You want the monitor brightness to be set at a level that makes images on screen appear the same brightness as prints of those images as seen in your regular viewing conditions. Personally I find 120 cd/m2 works well.

Why would you turn on/off custom profiles once you have created them? I profile my monitor and leave it and the profile settings alone. Monitor profiles are in the colour management settings of the OS.
 
SC489 said:
entrailer said:
Hi,
Am working on callibrating my monitors, using Colormunki Display and Carlibrite Profiler

What brightness levels are people working with?
I've heard 90 cd/m2 being mentioned
Which seems so dim

Also, how are the custom profiles accessed and turn-on/off once they're created?

Any tips on this gratefully received

Cheers,
N*
Click to expand...
I calibrate to 90 Cd/m2 and 5000K. It's important to use a viewing lamp to provide the same illumination level and colour temperature.
Click to expand...
Thanks

So you operate the monitor at that luminance

And beyond that it's a totally dark room?

With no other light sources
 
mclewis said:
entrailer said:
Hi,
Am working on callibrating my monitors, using Colormunki Display and Carlibrite Profiler

What brightness levels are people working with?
I've heard 90 cd/m2 being mentioned
Which seems so dim

Also, how are the custom profiles accessed and turn-on/off once they're created?

Any tips on this gratefully received

Cheers,
N*
Click to expand...
Monitor brightness depends on your viewing conditions. You want the monitor brightness to be set at a level that makes images on screen appear the same brightness as prints of those images as seen in your regular viewing conditions. Personally I find 120 cd/m2 works well.

Why would you turn on/off custom profiles once you have created them? I profile my monitor and leave it and the profile settings alone. Monitor profiles are in the colour management settings of the OS.
Click to expand...
Thanks for this

Found the colour management settings in Windows

The calibration results from the 2 diff programs in using are quite different

So, may I ask what the ambient light levels are for you when you're operating at 120cd?

And what kind of edits are your making that ensures parity between screen and print?
 
This whole conversation surprises me.

I have my PC in my office and I calibrate both my main and side monitors with a relatively old ColorMunki and using DisplayCal.

I simply use the default settings and I make sure when I start that none of the 'calibration' buttons on the screen have been moved off their own defaults.

I create a .jpg and input it to my studio PC which is hooked to my Epson 3880.

I'm not bothered about that screen as I only use it to fire up Qimage which is my preferred printing software. Within Qimage I make sure the appropriate ink settings for the paper I am using are correct. My understand is that these settings control what goes on the paper and not how the screen is set.

I never have to re-print due to something looking brighter or darker than I expect.

Yes, my photos look different on my iPads and phones - but I'd expect that as it is a different media. Likewise my OLED TV.
 
My monitor is a part of my general computer set up. It's used no more than 10% of the time for photo editing, and the rest for general work. Having a dimly lit room would make my other work impractical.

So, although I could try and operate with multiple profiles, opening and shutting curtains, and so on I don't. My monitor is profiled and calibrated, but set at a brightness that's generally comfortable.

I print from Lightroom, and by trial and error I know how much extra brightness I need to dial in at the printing stage, to get a result that pleases me..

Of course, prints are only viewed via reflected light, so unless you are talking gallery display the "right" brightness is likely to depend on where it is being displayed.

Not perfect, but good enough for me :-)
 
"My monitor is a part of my general computer set up. It's used no more than 10% of the time for photo editing, and the rest for general work. Having a dimly lit room would make my other work impractical."

Same as me. My PC is next a south facing window.

I bought a roller blind that I use for some of the 10% of the time I do photo editing.

Thus avoiding the 'dimly lit room'.

Easy.
 
I have used 120 cd/m2 for years in an average lit room. I share photos with my clients, and they have no issues using them for online marketing purposes.

When I am printing, I lower the level to match my specific printer output.
 
"When I am printing, I lower the level to match my specific printer output."

Why don't you alter your printer so it matches the files you send to other people's printers?

Wouldn't that be simpler and you'd only have one set of files you could use for both situations?
 
I read some of these comments.

I suggest the OP review material related to the topic on digitaldog.net webiste or youtube channel (I hope its all still there).

The bottom line is that color managed printing with appropriately bright prints can be accomplished with levels of monitor brightness that don't have to match the dark side of the moon and induce severe eyestrain and headache for general use.

I do it and so can you.
 
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