Shutterbug

In my Digital Printing Insights #4 (My Prints Are Too Dark!), I discussed the problems of LCD display luminance and calibration which results in prints that are darker than the calibrated/profiled display. This is an issue that many LCD users have struggled with. David B. Brooks, who writes for Shutterbug magazine, has been following this issue and writing about it for some time. In the February 2010 issue of Shutterbug magazine, David tells us about the NEC MultiSync P221W LCD display with NEC’s SpectraView II colorimeter, which appears to be a viable and lowest-cost solution to the LCD calibration issue (the LCD display provides a large color gamut that is 95.6 percent of the Adobe RGB color space!). This 22″ LCD display and colorimeter/calibration system is currently listed on Amazon.com for under $710 USD. If this is an issue you have dealt with and you’re still looking for a solution (besides an Eizo!), I would definitely recommend reading David’s article and placing your order!

You are visiting the blog of fine art photographer Michael E. Gordon. For additional photos and information, please visit his official website.

Call me a dinosaur if you like, but I still prefer working with and editing images on my LaCie CRT, although it seems the rest of the world has switched over to LCD displays. I do not know of one manufacturer producing higher end CRT’s today.

Even in a accurately color-managed environment, photographers who edit their images on an LCD and output inkjet prints are quite possibly familiar with the scenario of prints that appear too dark relative to their display. As a CRT user, this is not a problem that I have experienced, but I’ve heard it from friends and acquaintances and have read about it in online forums quite a bit. Are you experiencing a similar issue? David Brooks of Shutterbug magazine has written an excellent and informative article that addresses this problem and offers a few possible solutions. In short, this problem is caused by luminance differences between CRT’s and LCD’s (LCD’s are often about 25% brighter), with many lower end LCD’s not offering the ability to reduce the luminance to CRT levels. Check out David’s article.

You are visiting the blog of fine art photographer Michael E. Gordon. For additional photos and information, please visit his official website.