Finally calibrated my monitor

[zakum]

Hi, got a Spyder2Express for a present and have calibrated my monitor.
It was so easy and looks a lot better, even print is more clearer.
What i want to know is do i use this profile for Photoshop or stick to AdobeRGB?

Thanks for any replys

Zakum

[TommyO]

Actually, monitor profiles are not a part of Photoshop's color management. They work behind the scenes to ensure your hardware does not throw off what you see. So, leave Photoshop as is. The items in Photoshop are referred to as "color spaces". They simply determine a spectrum you work within, what values get embedded into images and what to do when those values start to stretch beyond the limits of that space (gamut) They also provide a "standard" by which other users can ensure they display an image in the same space as you and see it the way you see it (assuming their hardware is calibrated also).

Monitor profiles ensure that a specific color numerical value is portrayed the way it should be on the screen. They do so by altering a look up table (LUT) within the graphic card (except some high end CRT's and LCD's which have built in LUT's - don't worry, no consumer level LCD's less than ~$600 have internal LUT's) For example, let's say Photoshop specifies that a pixel is R:150, G:140, B:175. Prior to calibration, your monitor may have actually displayed a pixel that more closely represented a value of R:149, G:151, R:182. But after calibration, you monitor displays that same pixel more like R:150, G:139, B:174. The LUT knew how much offset to include within each channel at any given luminance.

If for some reason you do any of the following, you need to resend the calibration data to the LUT.
- change a value of brightness, contrast, color through the LCD buttons (1);
- replace your graphic card;
- are using Windows Vista and reboot your PC. (2)

(1) Buttons on an LCD don't change anything within the LCD. They actually alter values within the graphic card. Essentially, the only thing in the LCD are some flourescent tubes; the color and brightness are controlled through the card.
(2) This issue is resolved by leaving the Colorvision program in the startup group (as is was after installing the software).

Do calibrate on a regular interval. The tubes in the LCD change slowly, just as do tubes in a light fixture. So, compensate for this by recalibrating often. Also, calibrate under the same light conditions you use during retouch or restoration. The tool is sensitive to ambient light, although it has the little gasket to limit it. So, calibrating under different conditions can result in a bit of inaccuracy.

[zakum]

Thank you for your quick reply, I thought it was right to leave photoshop alone, but better to get some feedback from an expert.

Zakum