Reading mode: Light Dark

Have you tried this monitor test?

Go to last post
R

Ron AKA

Senior Member
Messages
4,875
Solutions
10
Reaction score
562
Location
CA
I've been trying different software and tests to try and tune up my LCD monitor (LG L1952TX). Tried Adobe Gamma, and some others, and settled on just using the standard sRGB ICC profile, along with hardware brightness and contrast adjustments. So far the tests at the link below have been most helpful.

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

Here are my results:

Quick Contrast

On the dark end, I can see a difference between bars 1&2 except for the red and blue. At the bright end, I can see a difference except for the blue where 31 & 32 look the same.

Sharpness test
At a distance not bad. My sharpness is set at zero.

Gamma 48%
Red - 2.3
Green - 2.3
Blue - 2.1
Grey - 2.1

Gamma 25%
Green - 2.25
Grey - 2.25

Gamma 10%
Same as 25%

Dark Levels
This one is fine. I can see boxes down to the first one.

White Set
This one is poor. Box 251 is the last one where I can see a checkerboard.

Have you, or are you willing to do these tests and post your results?

Ron
 
Ron AKA said:
I've been trying different software and tests to try and tune up my
LCD monitor (LG L1952TX). Tried Adobe Gamma, and some others, and
settled on just using the standard sRGB ICC profile, along with
hardware brightness and contrast adjustments. So far the tests at the
link below have been most helpful.

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

Here are my results:

Quick Contrast
On the dark end, I can see a difference between bars 1&2 except for
the red and blue. At the bright end, I can see a difference except
for the blue where 31 & 32 look the same.

Sharpness test
At a distance not bad. My sharpness is set at zero.

Gamma 48%
Red - 2.3
Green - 2.3
Blue - 2.1
Grey - 2.1

Gamma 25%
Green - 2.25
Grey - 2.25

Gamma 10%
Same as 25%

Dark Levels
This one is fine. I can see boxes down to the first one.

White Set
This one is poor. Box 251 is the last one where I can see a
checkerboard.

Have you, or are you willing to do these tests and post your results?

Ron
Click to expand...
This is an interesting test, Ron, especially with my seat-of-the-pants method of monitor calibration. Thanks for the link.

I set up the monitor with my "bottom up" approach to monitor and paper profiling - no other hardware or software involved. I start with excellent prints of printer test images - Digidogs and one of Atkinson's - which both have pure colors and grayscales as well as pictures. I then adjust the monitor to match as closely as possible using the monitor controls.

With the new Gateway I had to drastically reduce R, G, and B levels to get the brightness to a workable level and a neutral white. The final levels were Red 39/100, Green 42/100, Blue 60/100. Brightness 88/100, Contrast 55/100. Gamma control not operable. I consider my monitor/print match very good.

Test results:

Quick contrast: All OK except #1 blue not distinguishable

Sharpness: Failed - no sharpness control, but does not appear overly sharpened. ? due to very high native screen resolution.

Gamma: 48% - 2.1 average. 25% - 2.15 average. 10% - 2.2 average.

Contrast/Dark level: All OK except #1 not seen.

White saturation test: All OK, but #254 at very threshold of visibility, as I would expect.

Gradient test: Mimimal banding at very small intervls - about 128 steps est.

Inversion test and Viewing angle tests OK.

All in all, I am very pleased with the results of my dumbing down of the very bright, colorful and contrasty Gateway.

Pete the Luddite
 
Interesting. Your results seem to be better than mine, and also seem to verify the tests are meaningful. Also my dead cheap monitor is likely showing through.

Have you looked in your video card software for a sharpness control? Mine has one, but is set at zero. I kind of think you have to look at this one from about 3-4 feet. I can still see the center grey section, a logo top and bottom, but no checkerboard.

I think I will try adjusting gamma next by using the video card software. I've looked at the wizard and I would definitely have to adjust gamma to make the wizard happy. However, I have no idea (without trying it) how adjustments with the video card software get into the mix - new ICC or whatever. That's why I've left this approach to the last. Currently the gamma is being set by the ICC sRGB profile.

I also like your approach to setting the monitor. If we can't trust ourselves to setup the monitor by eye, how can we adjust by eye all the controls in Photoshop, to get the print we like?

Ron
 
Ron AKA said:
Interesting. Your results seem to be better than mine, and also seem
to verify the tests are meaningful. Also my dead cheap monitor is
likely showing through.

Have you looked in your video card software for a sharpness control?
Mine has one, but is set at zero. I kind of think you have to look at
this one from about 3-4 feet. I can still see the center grey
section, a logo top and bottom, but no checkerboard.

I think I will try adjusting gamma next by using the video card
software. I've looked at the wizard and I would definitely have to
adjust gamma to make the wizard happy. However, I have no idea
(without trying it) how adjustments with the video card software get
into the mix - new ICC or whatever. That's why I've left this
approach to the last. Currently the gamma is being set by the ICC
sRGB profile.

I also like your approach to setting the monitor. If we can't trust
ourselves to setup the monitor by eye, how can we adjust by eye all
the controls in Photoshop, to get the print we like?

Ron
Click to expand...
Just checked out the video card and found sharpness at 0. Tried to fine tune the gamma and brighness there, but this threw off the dark and white level tests, so I'm back to my baseline adjustments, which have worked out very well with printing.

Try turning the brightness down just a bit and see if the white sat. test improves. Going up a tad in mine knocked off the 251-254 patterns.

Pete
 
My current monitor hardware setting is 0 for brightness, 46% for contrast, and 0 for gamma. It would seem I only have contrast and gamma to work with to fix the washed out white end.

I have a feeling that what I really need is a way to adjust gamma at different levels of brightness. Do you know of any software which is available to do this? I found this white paper which really sounded encouraging. See link below. It really seems to nail what the issues are with LCD displays. They talk about a 6 point gamma calibration. The paper is a bit dated and the product they talk about is Liquid Color from Portrait Displays. My research seems to indicate that they now call the product Display Tune, and it is only sold to monitor OEM's. I also found that they are engaged in some legal stuff, claiming their product has been improperly copied. This sounds bad for them, but encouraging to me, if I could only find out who has copied it, and assuming they sell it to end users. So far all I have been able to find is software which uses a single point gamma calibration. The tests this post is about at least gives you three points to look at, but with a single adjustment the end result is a compromise.

http://www.portrait.com/us/products/lc_lcd_whitepaper.pdf

Ron
 
Ron AKA said:
My current monitor hardware setting is 0 for brightness, 46% for
contrast, and 0 for gamma. It would seem I only have contrast and
gamma to work with to fix the washed out white end.

I have a feeling that what I really need is a way to adjust gamma at
different levels of brightness. Do you know of any software which is
available to do this? I found this white paper which really sounded
encouraging. See link below. It really seems to nail what the issues
are with LCD displays. They talk about a 6 point gamma calibration.
The paper is a bit dated and the product they talk about is Liquid
Color from Portrait Displays. My research seems to indicate that they
now call the product Display Tune, and it is only sold to monitor
OEM's. I also found that they are engaged in some legal stuff,
claiming their product has been improperly copied. This sounds bad
for them, but encouraging to me, if I could only find out who has
copied it, and assuming they sell it to end users. So far all I have
been able to find is software which uses a single point gamma
calibration. The tests this post is about at least gives you three
points to look at, but with a single adjustment the end result is a
compromise.

http://www.portrait.com/us/products/lc_lcd_whitepaper.pdf

Ron
Click to expand...
My monitor came with a calibration software pkg called EZ Tune, which seems almost identical to the Liquid Color described in your link. The only problem was that it didn't work, due to the monitor's extreme brightness, without a drastic decrease in the individual R,G,B levels, which was done with the "advanced" menu monitor controls - see my first post for details. Then I had headroom with brightness control. I finally uninstalled EZ Tune when an auto update crashed the "save" ability, and don't miss it a bit.

Good luck, and Happy New Year!
Pete
 
48%
Red 2.3, Green 2.3, Blue 2.3, Gray 2.35

25%
Green 2.25, Gray 2.3

10%
Green 2.3, Gray 2.3

Contrast/dark level: see all blocks

White saturation: see 253

What does all of this mean in English?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Keyboard shortcuts

f
Forum
m
My threads
Mobile site
About
Editorial content
Cameras & Lenses
Community
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1998–2025 Digital Photography Review All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
©GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services.
Back
Top