C OLOR C ALIBRATION
You can adjust the gamma, white point, and color balance of
your monitor using third-party monitor calibration software
such as Knoll Gamma, which is supplied with Adobe Photoshop.


T ABLE OF C ONTENTS

1. Gamma Installation
2. Target Gamma
3. White Point
4. Black Point
 		5. Balance
6. Repeat Adustment
7. Save Settings
8. Tips for Best Settings





1. Gamma Installation

 Locate Gamma and make sure that it is installed in your system as a control panel. If you have not installed it yet, it is probably inside the Calibration Folder inside the Photoshop Folder. Drag Gamma to your System Folder icon, then click OK at the alert box to place Gamma inside the Control Panels Folder within your System Folder. Restart your computer to load Gamma into memory.





2. Target Gamma

 Open Gamma in the Control Panels Folder by double-clicking it. Make sure the software is turned "On;" with the "On;/Off" radio buttons in the lower left corner of the Gamma window. Click on each of the radio buttons for "Target Gamma." As you click each one, look at the grayscale step wedge at the bottom of the window. Look for the "Target Gamma" which gives you the best separation between tones in the step wedge. Chances are that you will find "1.8" to be the best setting.




To fine tune this setting, use the "Gamma Adjustment" slider until the grey patches above appear to be the same brightness. (This is easier to do if you squint your eyes.)






3. White Point

 Click the "White Pt" radio button. Adjust the red, green, and blue sliders until the white areas of your screen appear neutral. Try to accomplish this task quickly, closing your eyes or looking away frequently to prevent color adaptation. This is our brains' natural inclination to perceive colors that we expect to be white, such as colors for snow or paper, as neutral white, even if there is a strong color cast present.





4. Black Point

 Click the "Black Pt" radio button and attempt to make one of the darker grey patches at the bottom of the window appear neutral by adjusting the red, green, and blue sliders (this is a tough task, it takes persistence and some practice.)





5. Balance

 Click the "Balance" radio button and make the middle gray patches at the bottom of the window appear neutral. (Remember, don't look at the screen for more than a few seconds at a time.)


6. Repeat Adjustment

Repeat this process again, starting with "Gamma Adjustment" until you are satisfied with the results.





7. Save Settings

 Click the "Save Settings..." button. Save the settings to a place where you can easily find them later. You can use this feature to save customized settings for different lighting conditions or applications.





8. Tips for Best Settings


  1. Check monitor viewing conditions and calibration settings periodically to ensure an optimized viewing environment.

  2. Wear neutral grey or dark clothing when working in front of a monitor to avoid unwanted reflections of color on the screen.

  3. Make sure your monitor is turned on at least an hour prior to making adjustments. Monitors shift colors during the warm-up process.

  4. Make sure room and window lights are not reflecting directly off of your monitor. Turn off the monitor to look for unwanted reflections. Beware of mixed light sources and overhead illumination.

  5. Make sure your monitor is at arms length for calibration and best viewing conditions.

  6. Make sure there is no electrical equipment too close to the monitor that may cause electrical interference.

  7. Keep your monitor surface free of dirt and fingerprints! Use a soft, clean cloth to wipe the screen surface.


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All Contents Copyright © 2002 Conrad Gloos, All Rights Reserved.