Inexperienced User…struggling

[Michael Beecham]

Hey guys,

I hope you can help, as I’m starting to pull what’s left of my hair out over trying to calibrate my monitor.  I’ve using a Spyder 4, and trying to calibrate my Dell U2715 Ultrasharp monitor for photo editing. I started using the Spyder’s own software but, even with my untrained eye, I could tell the colours were not accurate. I’m now using the Spyder with DisplayCal.

I’ve tried calibrating a few times and it always seems like the greys are quite blue-ish. Admittedly, my reference point is Facebook…but only because, as a designer, I know what colours I should be seeing. The monitor is calibrated in a fairly dim room, using 6500k and I manually set the RGB tools on my monitor to get an accurate ‘green’ reading during calibration.

I’ve done some reading up, and have tried the following settings:

• White level drift compensation – enabled
• Mode: LCD (White LED)
• Correction: None
• Interactive Display adjustment – Enabled
• Observer: CIE 1931 2 degrees
• Whitepoint: As measured / Reference: Daylight
• White Level: As measured
• Black Level: As measured
• Tone Curve: Gamma 2.2 – Relative
• Ambient Light level adjustment – Enabled. 13.80
• Black Point correction: Auto enabled  / Rate 4.00
• Calibration: High
• Single Curve + Matrix
• Testchart: Auto optimized

Is there anything obvious here that I should/should not be doing?

Thanks in advance.

[Florian Höch]

Hi,

I’ve tried calibrating a few times and it always seems like the greys are quite blue-ish.

Compared to what? Actual greys (R=G=B) should be the same hue as white.

Admittedly, my reference point is Facebook…

There you go. Facebook doesn’t use true gray anywhere afaik, it’s a “steel” gray (blueish), RGB 144 148 156.

Is there anything obvious here that I should/should not be doing?

Your settings look fine, although I wouldn’t recommend calibration light ambient adjustment (mostly because it doesn’t affect color managed applications).

[Michael Beecham]

Thanks for the response. So, my next question is how I can verify that the calibrated colours I am seeing are true colours, other than trusting that they are.

Forgove me of these questions are all a little basic. But I’m new to printing my photos and already discovering that colour matching screen to print is a bit of a headache!!

[Florian Höch]

Thanks for the response. So, my next question is how I can verify that the calibrated colours I am seeing are true colours, other than trusting that they are.

On the “Verification” tab you can run a measurement report on the profile.

Forgove me of these questions are all a little basic.

Your questions are absolutely fine.

I’m new to printing my photos and already discovering that colour matching screen to print is a bit of a headache!!

It certainly is, although in most cases the weak link is the printer (or rather, the printer ICC profile) and the viewing environment, not so much the monitor.

[Michael Beecham]

Thanks for the advice so far. Now, I’m afraid, a little deeper into the rabbit hole. I’ve calibrated and things look MUCH better.

I’ve got two Dell Ultrasharp U2715h monitors, bought at the same time. I’ve calibrated in exactly the same way, using the same settings, but one monitor has a slightly blue-ish tint to the greys and whites, compared to the other monitor. Is this simply going to be the issue? Can you calibrate identical monitors to look exactly the same, or is that a fools errand?

If it IS possible (and maybe even should be expected), is there something I should be doing in DisplayCal, that I’m not currently doing…maybe a setting or option that I’m unaware of?

Thanks in advance.

[Michael Beecham]

Also, would I get different results, depending on whether I use HDMI or DisplayPort cables? I have both, and use DP on both monitors. Wondering whether the technology in the cables might be different, somehow.

[Florian Höch]

I’ve calibrated in exactly the same way, using the same settings, but one monitor has a slightly blue-ish tint to the greys and whites, compared to the other monitor.

You may want to have a look at the FAQ.

Also, would I get different results, depending on whether I use HDMI or DisplayPort cables?

It’s a digital connection, so that should not make a difference.

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