P Andersson
09-12-2007, 06:30 PM
from Jim's thread
Calibrate your monitor... you are now a Professional. This is mandatory.
http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?t=4539
There's been a lot of good tips lately, especially since the camera's release. But they're in many different threads. Maybe the mods can collect them and put them in one sticky. Brook?
So here is a start
MONITOR CALIBRATION & COLOR MANAGEMENT THREADS
http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?t=4635
http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2993&highlight=monitor+calibration
http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2694&highlight=monitor+calibration
http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?t=425&highlight=monitor+calibration
http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2464&highlight=color+management
http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2001&highlight=color+management
http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2701&highlight=color+management
http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?t=4187&highlight=gamma
First, change your ColorSync profile to match the Adobe 1998 / 2.2 gamma viewing conditions that the RED site recommends.
I think FCP expects that the final display gamma of the video is 2.2, but that the mac is set to 1.8, and it reacts accordingly when it asks the codec for the picture.
This makes the FCP image match a video monitor image more closely. However, it does mean that that video will look different in quicktime than it does in FCP.
Graeme
Graeme's description of what FCP does sounds correct to me, but what kills me about it is the assumption that all Macs have a 1.8 display gamma. I set mine to 2.2, and FCP happily ignores that. In so many ways FCP is less compliant with Apple's own technologies and guidelines that most third-party applications.
After Effects CS3 bypasses Quicktime when it can and handles video color spaces much better as a result. Definitely a topic for a future blog posting.
-Stu
Hi Ninety-Nine
This Mac 1.8 gamma is really annoying I second that but remember that most computers are PCs. That means that they will see your QT with gamma 2.2.
Thus if you try to match the faked 2.2 gamma in FCP with a 2.2 setting in QT you will get a QT-film that will look on a 1.8 mac screen right and identical to your sequence in FCP but too dark on any PC.
My solution: I have my color critical monitors calibrated with a gamma of 2.2. All CC-Apps, Shake etc., don't do this FCP 1.8 to 2.2 gamma correction.
But beware: Any one who does CC within FCP without a external monitor connected to dedcated Video card (AJA, Decklink) and a monitor gamma of 2.2 will get into some trouble.
Bottom line: If you use FCP as your CC-app use 1.8 Mac standard, for anything else use 2.2.
My two cents (hopefully did not get too much wrong),
Edit: Got something wrong: As Stu mentioned FCP takes gamma 2.2 without correcting it even darker. So I did it right 2.2 is the way to go. Thanks Stu for that insight.
Hans
Ok, I think I sense weeks of insanity about to begin.
Between weird web browser rendering, Quicktime gamma issues, NLE differences, Video player differences and 2000 different monitors we're all not close to looking at the same images right now.
I'd like to recommend discerning posters add a frame of color bars and perhaps a frame of another known item like a MacBeth color chart or DSC Labs chart to their clips.
Stills could contain very small color bars in the corner of the image.
At least that would give everyone an instant sanity check. It has to be IN the clip though so we know what our environment is doing to that clip.
(yeah - theoretically a calibrated system wouldn't need something like this and we all should go calibrate our systems...)
I am sure there are more links to discussions about color management, please chime in with your links, best advice or questions.
Until further notice my screens are 2.2 calibrated with eyeone,
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/465156-REG/Xrite_EODIS2_Eye_One_Display_2.html
happy calibrating
agwah
edit
opened a quicktime in a lot of different appllications to see how they react with different monitor gammas and the quicktime preference on and off, it may be that hans was right the first time, some apps require 1.8 and some don't see image here
http://www.reduser.net/forum/showpost.php?p=108308&postcount=12
Calibrate your monitor... you are now a Professional. This is mandatory.
http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?t=4539
There's been a lot of good tips lately, especially since the camera's release. But they're in many different threads. Maybe the mods can collect them and put them in one sticky. Brook?
So here is a start
MONITOR CALIBRATION & COLOR MANAGEMENT THREADS
http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?t=4635
http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2993&highlight=monitor+calibration
http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2694&highlight=monitor+calibration
http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?t=425&highlight=monitor+calibration
http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2464&highlight=color+management
http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2001&highlight=color+management
http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2701&highlight=color+management
http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?t=4187&highlight=gamma
First, change your ColorSync profile to match the Adobe 1998 / 2.2 gamma viewing conditions that the RED site recommends.
I think FCP expects that the final display gamma of the video is 2.2, but that the mac is set to 1.8, and it reacts accordingly when it asks the codec for the picture.
This makes the FCP image match a video monitor image more closely. However, it does mean that that video will look different in quicktime than it does in FCP.
Graeme
Graeme's description of what FCP does sounds correct to me, but what kills me about it is the assumption that all Macs have a 1.8 display gamma. I set mine to 2.2, and FCP happily ignores that. In so many ways FCP is less compliant with Apple's own technologies and guidelines that most third-party applications.
After Effects CS3 bypasses Quicktime when it can and handles video color spaces much better as a result. Definitely a topic for a future blog posting.
-Stu
Hi Ninety-Nine
This Mac 1.8 gamma is really annoying I second that but remember that most computers are PCs. That means that they will see your QT with gamma 2.2.
Thus if you try to match the faked 2.2 gamma in FCP with a 2.2 setting in QT you will get a QT-film that will look on a 1.8 mac screen right and identical to your sequence in FCP but too dark on any PC.
My solution: I have my color critical monitors calibrated with a gamma of 2.2. All CC-Apps, Shake etc., don't do this FCP 1.8 to 2.2 gamma correction.
But beware: Any one who does CC within FCP without a external monitor connected to dedcated Video card (AJA, Decklink) and a monitor gamma of 2.2 will get into some trouble.
Bottom line: If you use FCP as your CC-app use 1.8 Mac standard, for anything else use 2.2.
My two cents (hopefully did not get too much wrong),
Edit: Got something wrong: As Stu mentioned FCP takes gamma 2.2 without correcting it even darker. So I did it right 2.2 is the way to go. Thanks Stu for that insight.
Hans
Ok, I think I sense weeks of insanity about to begin.
Between weird web browser rendering, Quicktime gamma issues, NLE differences, Video player differences and 2000 different monitors we're all not close to looking at the same images right now.
I'd like to recommend discerning posters add a frame of color bars and perhaps a frame of another known item like a MacBeth color chart or DSC Labs chart to their clips.
Stills could contain very small color bars in the corner of the image.
At least that would give everyone an instant sanity check. It has to be IN the clip though so we know what our environment is doing to that clip.
(yeah - theoretically a calibrated system wouldn't need something like this and we all should go calibrate our systems...)
I am sure there are more links to discussions about color management, please chime in with your links, best advice or questions.
Until further notice my screens are 2.2 calibrated with eyeone,
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/465156-REG/Xrite_EODIS2_Eye_One_Display_2.html
happy calibrating
agwah
edit
opened a quicktime in a lot of different appllications to see how they react with different monitor gammas and the quicktime preference on and off, it may be that hans was right the first time, some apps require 1.8 and some don't see image here
http://www.reduser.net/forum/showpost.php?p=108308&postcount=12