[argyllcms] Re: Choosing a monitor
- From: Peter Karp <qmailing@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: Frédéric Mantegazza <argyllcms@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2008 12:07:27 +0100
> Another question: recent LCD monitors have very high brightness, up to
> 400cd/m²... Isn't it too much?
It depends. For everyday work this is often too much, because your
ambient and surround will be not that bright. For critical
softproof/proofprint comparisons it might be a good luminance when it
matches the illuminance of the viewing booth (roughly 1250 lux in this
case -- you can't calculate lux from cd/m^2 normally but for a perfect
lambertian diffusor, where a white paper is close to, the factor is
Pi).
Calibrating the whitepoint will also usually lower the maximum
luminance. Last not least a higher brightness gives you some "room"
when the display will age and the maximum backlight brightness will
decrease with time.
> I mean, it is possible to reduce it, but then, we go far from
> default values, and someone here said that it can have very bad
> effects..
That's indeed true for many settings, but not for the luminance.
Be aware that there are some exceptions and monitors might use the
internal LUT to decrease the luminance. Quality displays (which I
would _always_ recommend) from manufacturers like NEC or Eizo don't
have this problem.
> What do you think? Is it better to choose a monitor with a default low
> brightness?
The luminance of a flatpanel display is altered by dimming the
backlight. This will have no significant effect on the color
temperature and does not have a negative side effect. You _should_ use
this option to match the luminance of your LCD monitor to the ambient
conditions. If you're working as photographer in a near dark studio
100cd/m^2 might be a good luminance setting, while working in a higher
ambient lighting condition you might choose 160cd/m^2 or even higher.
If a white screen (explorer on Win, Finder on Mac) looks grayish to
you the monitor is too dark. If the monitors white is "too bright" for
your eyes you should lower the luminance. That is so simple. This rule
of thumb is for everyday work. I personally calibrate my displays to
150cd/m^2 and then dim the display up or down like needed (different
ambient conditions or to match the viewing booth). I have tested that
the profile accuracy will not be effected significant so that's a
usable approach.
Best regards
Peter Karp
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