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jgift · Mar 16, 2005, 05:00 PM

Hi. people in the PC world have been complaining that the pics I'm sending them are too dark. They look fine here with the color set to "Color LCD". But if I calibrate for Mac OS or PC/TV then they are indeed darker.

I didn't think you had to calibrate the PowerBook LCD's. Do you? And if so, do I use the Mac OS option?
Thanks.

iREZ · Mar 16, 2005, 05:32 PM

You don't have to calibrate your screen if it's fine for you. If you do you could go into the display preference tab and calibrate it from there (make sure you use the expert mode). Also there's a great app you could download called "supercal", it's pretty useful.

salgiza · 05:52 PM

I would strongly recommend you to calibrate the colour of your screen. I have done it on my Powerbook, and on my sister's iBook, and the difference was amazing.
In fact, if anyone reading this post hasn't already done it, CALIBRATE THE COLOUR OF YOUR LCD!!! Use the expert mode if you want to notice any difference, by the way.
The screen on my sister's ibook looked too white and washed until I calibrated it, and although the difference wasn't so big on the powerbook, it certainly was worth it.

P.S. As I have mentioned, in both screens, images looked "whiter", so it doesn't surprise me that your friends are complaining about your pics being too dark.

Salva.

Macola · Mar 16, 2005, 05:59 PM

This is due to a difference in gamma between Windows and Mac OS. Macs are usually set to 1.8, while Windows is 2.0 or higher.

Here's an overview (for Web graphics, but the theory is the same):
http://www.siggraph.org/education/ma...gamma.web.html

jgift · Mar 16, 2005, 06:29 PM

I know about the differences between Mac and PC. But on my PowerMac with monitor I calibrated my screen. I didn't here because I remember someone saying somewhere LCD didn't need it. But when I calibrate it, even to mac OS standards, I see that my screen is considerably darker and I can understand why people are complaining.

Botom line, you do calibrate PowerBook LCD?

Macola · Mar 18, 2005, 09:17 PM

Originally posted by jgift:

Botom line, you do calibrate PowerBook LCD?

I didn't, when I was using a PowerBook as my primary Mac. I used an external monitor with a calibrated profile. I doubt that anyone would recommend using a PowerBook screen for color-sensitive work.

ghostgrrl · Mar 19, 2005, 12:27 AM

Originally posted by iREZ:
You don't have to calibrate your screen if it's fine for you. If you do you could go into the display preference tab and calibrate it from there (make sure you use the expert mode). Also there's a great app you could download called "supercal", it's pretty useful.

thanks for this iREZ. downloaded supercal yesterday and what a difference! though I tried calibrating the lcd on my 12" myself, it was an improvement from the factory settings, but still not quite "right". supercal just makes the colors on the lcd seem more vivid, contrast is sharper. gives the images on screen a crispness it didn't have before. well worth the shareware fee of $19, if just on the merit that it makes working with the 12" screen more of a pleasure than a struggle.

PeterKG · Mar 19, 2005, 01:06 AM

The thing that really bugs me about screen calibration is that it doesn't stick. I calibrate, and then a few days later check the calibration, and it's all off balance. Why is that, and what is the use if the settings don't save or stick?

real · Mar 19, 2005, 04:15 PM

Originally posted by PeterKG:
The thing that really bugs me about screen calibration is that it doesn't stick. I calibrate, and then a few days later check the calibration, and it's all off balance. Why is that, and what is the use if the settings don't save or stick?

I have that same problem, Still looking for a fix. Anyone have one to share with peter and I.

Thanks

olePigeon · Mar 19, 2005, 09:38 PM

Well, the problem with calibrating a PowerBook's LCD is that your lighting conditions will change constantly (you're using a portable.) If you're not in the same place all the time there's no real point in trying to calibrate your PowerBook LCD.

However, you could do something like make a profile for "Home" and a profile for "Work." Then just switch between the two profiles depending on your location.

You could even make a profile for being outside, but then you'd have about 20 of them and would need a light meter.

...

Whoa, something just popped into my head. Can the PowerBook's ambient sensor be used as a megshift light meter?! That'd be cool.