X-RITE Color Munki Display with DisplayCAL

[Mindas]

Hello,

I would like to ask you regarding ColorMunki Display limitations in DisplayCAL latest software. Trying to choose between ColorMunki Display and i1 DisplayPro and intend to use DisplayCAL, which one should I go for and it’s hard to decide not knowing the usage details.

1. Can I perform this display uniformity test with ColorMunki Display using DisplayCAL ? With original X-Rite software I could do it just using i1 DisplayPro, but maybe DisplayCAL can overcome these limitations as hardware is almost identical..?
2. I see with original i1 DisplayPro software I can define more custom settings, targets, such as custom white point, custom white luminance, contrast ratio, gamma and etc. Again, question is, do these limitations present with ColorMunki Display using DisplayCAL?
3. Is this ambient luminance & color sensor in i1 DisplayPro vs just ambient luminance sensor in ColorMunki Display, makes real difference for monitor calibration quality, is it a big thing?
4. Of course I’m aware, that with COlorMunki Display I’m losing calibration speed and possible fluent use with monitors which have hardware calibration, such as NEC and EIZO, right?
5. Thank you for your help, waiting for some info 😉

Calibrite Display Pro HL on Amazon  
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

[Vincent]

1. Yes, for ArgyllCMS ecosystem all i1d3 work in the same (with very little exceptions in very dark readings because of munki timeouts being slower). All functionality is available.
2. No
3. Avoid using it for calibration… it does not work as most people think it works. Of course it is useful feature to use in a light box.
4. Yes, it’s the main drawback. If you plan to get a HW calibration monitor do not even consider munki display and get the pro. Apply the same reasoing if you are going to build huge LUT profiles with >1k patches, get the pro.

[Mindas]

Thank you Vincent for clearing things up! But as I am quite new to color management, still some questions arise 🙂

1. From the first 3 described points, seems like cheaper ColorMunki Display does the thing for me quite well. For now, I have old monitor HP LP2475w, so cheaper device fits fully here. Let’s say I will go for monitor refresh and get one with HW calibration like EIZO ir NEC (I see even Dell and Benq have internal LUTs), so calibration with ColorMunki will be possible, but it will be like “external”, writing and loading LUT for VIDEOCARD and not using SpectraView or ColorNavigator writing it directly into monitor firmware, right? So it will not be so precise? or it’s a question of simplicity or comfortability?

2. Does it mean, that using DisplayCAL I cannot write these calibration settings and LUT directly into EIZO/NEC/DELL/BENQ monitors supporting internal LUT? Means, this “internal LUT” feature is useless with my ColorMunki Display..

3. Maybe you can give me example, where I would want to use huge LUT profile >1k patches? Lightroom/Photoshop use or more with video work Premiere/Resolve..

Big thanks for the help! 😉

[Vincent]

1- GPU calibration with high bitdepth and dithering is visually very close to higbitdepth grey calibration done inside monitor… but monitor’s internal calibration can do a lot more of things than “current” GPU “desktop” calibration: gamut emulation. Also not all GPU are able to work that way regarding calibration… laptops are doomed to suffer GPU calibration banding almost for sure.
If you are going to get a monitor with HW calibration: NO DOUBTS, get i1DisplayPro. Getting munki is a nonsense in that particular situation.
BTW: IMHO I’ll stay away from low cost segment in widegamuts (Benq, dell, viewsonic, asus, LG… you now). Color uniformity is NOT GPU correctable at this moment and most of the money you spend going from these to a PA NEC/CG-CS Eizos is going to get better/handpicked color uniformity panels. Some of these low cost models may advertise uniformity correction but it may apply just to brightness (so teh awful green-pink tints in some zones of the screen are going to stay there)  or not be usable with HW calibration at the same time.

2-Yes, you won’t be able to use HW calibration… but maybe it could be done in a indirect way with some public SDK like in those UP Dells and HP Zx series: compute grey correction with DisplayCAL (.cal) then manage to upload it to monitor.
Anyway too much work, saving 50-70 euro when your are going to spend at least 800 or 1000… I see it pointless unless you do it for fun, or in order to learn and such.

3-LUT3D for Resolve, madVR… or to remorely (local network reading) measure tablets and phones so you can simulate those screens (even real time without color management like in PA NEC and some CG eizos) in your monitor.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 6 months ago by Vincent.
• This reply was modified 5 years, 6 months ago by Vincent.

[Mindas]

Thank you Vincent, I’m getting the idea now, what is what. Seems like these extra money spent, will give more peace of mind, will try DisplayCAL for now with my old monitor, later upgrade be more easy.

Yes, I was reading about these Benq and Dell, they are quite good with on-paper parameters, but have uniformity or quality control issues.. Eizos sounds little bit premium for my semi-professional work, today found out about new NEC PA271Q which sounds promising for 1k euro. Just lacks 4K resolution, but still..

Thanks again Vincent! All the best 😉

[Author]

Posts