calibrated monitor vs not? (1 Viewer)

[njlarsen]

I wanted to raise this in as general a way as possible. Frequently, when I have used a calibrated monitor to ready a photo, I am disappointed by the results when looking at the result on a different device: the result usually looks too dark and not nearly as clear as it did on my calibrated monitor. That includes using my work computer or an ipad/phone to watch the image. So if I am going to let a photo be available to others to watch, given that I am betting most gallery users are using non-calibrated monitors, is it even a good idea to use a calibrated monitor myself?

This is a very different situation from using the image to print, in that situation I have no doubt that using a calibrated monitor is a help.

Any comments?

thanks
Niels

 

[Whiterain]

Not at all my field, but it seems that dismissing your calibration due to it being consumed on an non-calibrated device would only make sense in a single situation: the users all have equally, identically flawed displays. Else, why not start as close to a control as possible and at least have a say in what is actually being downloaded (whether it is fully taken advantage of or not) and give the range of calibrations of your consumers the best opportunity of viewing the image as accurately as possible?

I think you'd need a crystal ball to be able to intentionally adjust an image incorrectly to best accommodate a standard (consumers' displays) we've established as flawed to begin with.

 

[Mono]

The usual cause is the maze that are colour profiles.

Most high end monitors are designed with very wide colour profiles to better replicate print. Images edited in and saved with these wide colour profiles don't look right, too dark is very common, when viewed on devices that don't support such wide profiles. This can be further compounded when an image is edited using a wide colour profile and then saved without that profile. Most web browsers can now read colour profiles, whether the screen can display them is another matter, but if no colour profile is attached the browsers assume the image is sRGB. When you upload an image to the web the hosting website may well compress the image and remove all the exif data and attached colour profiles, you usually have no control over this.

The long and short version is that if your intended target is uploading the image to the web then always edit your image in sRGB and save it as such. If you are shooting straight to jpg on the camera then set the camera to sRGB.

 

[Whiterain]

A great example of my intuition being wrong. Can't win 'em all!

 

[njlarsen]

Thank you for bringing this thread to the top again. I was to busy to answer right away. My problem is that I believe that I perform all my editing including saving with embedded color profile of sRGB. And even so, my image that I have produced looks like crap on other computers and ipad I have access to. There is still more I need to check out I guess.

Niels