RANT Adjust Your Dang Monitors - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

01/02/2008 08:32:05 PM · #1

I have eleven comments so far and they all say the same....I can't tell what it is.....Too dark to see.....Why would you enter something I can't see.....etc etc.
Well, you might not like the photo and that's fine. Yeah, it's dark. It was night time. but if your monitor was right it is very easy to see.
Now, all I have is Adobe to set mine with. It's free, and it works well. Follow the instructions.....turn off your room lights. Turn off your room lights then adjust. Then, when you vote or edit your own photos, turn off your room lights, or at least have them low and not hitting your screen. You'll be surprised how much better the pics look and the details you missed will pop out at you.

Now, adjust your equipment and go back and have another look at those shots you thought were too dark and re-evaluate them.

Of course I could be wrong. Maybe when the challenge is over some of you with the expensive cal eqpt. will have a look and leave me a comment.
Thanks for listening.

Art Roflmao

Canon EOS-6D Mark II

01/02/2008 08:33:16 PM · #2

I'll give you 11:1 odds the problem is your monitor.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

01/02/2008 08:33:45 PM · #3

I'll take that bet.

Art Roflmao

Canon EOS-6D Mark II

01/02/2008 08:36:31 PM · #4

Originally posted by David Ey:

I'm sorry - I can't read what you wrote. Please adjust your monitor. :P

Gordon

RIM BlackBerry Curve

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

01/02/2008 08:37:15 PM · #5

FWIW, your eyes and Adobe Gamma are about the worst way there is to calibrate a monitor. Better than nothing, just about, but not much better.

Your eyes adapt, dynamically. That's why you can see in such a wide range of light levels, light colours etc. It makes your eyes, by function, pretty much
useless for calibration.

If you calibrate in a dark room, your eye is going to be adapted to better low light sensitivity, meaning you'll end up with typically too dark images.

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

01/02/2008 08:38:41 PM · #6

Originally posted by Art Roflmao:

Originally posted by David Ey:

I'm sorry - I can't read what you wrote. Please adjust your monitor. :P

I said I'LL TAKE THAT BET you rotten mother. :)

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

01/02/2008 08:39:47 PM · #7

Originally posted by David Ey:

I'll take that bet.

You'd lose... it's very dark. Gordon speaks wisely.

fotomann_forever

01/02/2008 08:39:56 PM · #8

It's a risky thing entering a lowkey or highkey entry at DPC. Yes, many of us have calibrated monitors, but most of the voters (I would guess) don't. And likely, no matter how many rants there are (I've started two threads that I remember) that is likely not going to change.

I got a comment earlier that part of my image is overexposed...and I know it's not. But, hey, what can ya do? I can't get Langdon to install a "Bitch slap this voter" button.

Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS

01/02/2008 08:40:09 PM · #9

Gordon, the instructions say to darken the room.

PapaBob

Sony Alpha a7 IV

01/02/2008 08:41:01 PM · #10

If it is the one I am guessing it is then it is to dark, if it is not the one I am guessing then it is fine...

wavelength

Nikon D300

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

01/02/2008 08:41:29 PM · #11

Originally posted by David Ey:

Gordon, the instructions say to darken the room.

Did it say to turn the lights off? Darken and lights off are two waaaay different things.

Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux M MF - Chrome

01/02/2008 08:42:31 PM · #12

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

.....But, hey, what can ya do? I can't get Langdon to install a "Bitch slap this voter" button.

Now thats funny. I feel better already.

signal2noise

Leica M9

01/02/2008 08:43:03 PM · #13

I'm amazed you have 11 comments. I'm sitting on 1 after 80 votes.

We have 3 computers here and images all appear a tad different on each. Fortunately, my Macbook seems to be the most accurate and that is what I am doing most of my editing on now.

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

01/02/2008 08:43:30 PM · #14

Originally posted by wavelength:

Originally posted by David Ey:
Gordon, the instructions say to darken the room.

Did it say to turn the lights off? Darken and lights off are two waaaay different things.

Do it either way.....just don't have it too bright.

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

01/02/2008 08:43:40 PM · #15

Originally posted by David Ey:

Gordon, the instructions say to darken the room.

Better (much) than Adobe Gamma, but still not as good as a hardware calibrator, go here and read, then calibrate using his test patterns. Do so in the room light that you normally use when editing/voting.

wavelength

Nikon D300

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

01/02/2008 08:44:01 PM · #16

You might read this: //www.normankoren.com/makingfineprints1A.html

and I found this little utility very useful: //www.hex2bit.com/products/product_mcw.asp

Art Roflmao

Canon EOS-6D Mark II

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

01/02/2008 08:46:09 PM · #17

Originally posted by David Ey:

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:
.....But, hey, what can ya do? I can't get Langdon to install a "Bitch slap this voter" button.

Now thats funny. I feel better already.

Except it only allows you ten uses per entry - on the eleventh click it bitch slaps YOU.

wavelength

Nikon D300

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

01/02/2008 08:46:39 PM · #18

Originally posted by David Ey:

Originally posted by wavelength:

Originally posted by David Ey:
Gordon, the instructions say to darken the room.

Did it say to turn the lights off? Darken and lights off are two waaaay different things.

Do it either way.....just don't have it too bright.

Well, you've had two or three pretty experienced guys tell you it's wrong, and you're not going to get hundreds of photographers to switch just because Adobe gamma gave you bad instructions.

karmat

Apple iPhone 7

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM

01/02/2008 08:47:06 PM · #19

David,
I have a very bright monitor -- very bright. I can sometimes see "details" in "solid black" areas. (I have to be careful about commenting on blown out areas, etc.)

I can see it, but it is with some difficulty.

Sorry.

briantammy

Olympus PEN E-P3

Konica Minolta MF 85mm f/1.7

01/02/2008 08:47:40 PM · #20

I've recomended this before. here

Do you guys think this kind of thing helps?

PapaBob

Sony Alpha a7 IV

Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS

01/02/2008 08:49:22 PM · #21

Originally posted by signal2noise:

I used to try to get mine to look decent on my two computers then I fianlly got the equipment to calibrate and found out the one computer was decent and the other was way off so by hitting the middle of the two I was likely screwing up. I have one entry that looked great on my moniter but got a lot of comments about it being dark and after calibration I have to agree it really does look dark. If possible get the gear to calibrate.

01/02/2008 08:51:27 PM · #22

Originally posted by briantammy:

I've recomended this before. here

Do you guys think this kind of thing helps?

I have no problem at all seeing all 36 shades.