Advice Needed - Spyder2Pro & Dell 2311 Monitor

Hi Guys,

I have recently purchased a IPS Monitor.
When I Calibrated it with the Spyder2Pro it stated I needed to increase The Reds etc.
However Red was already 100%.

First attempt was 6500 2.2 not good.
Then I tried 2.2 Native that was better.

However I thought when buying a good Monitor I could Calibrate it at 6500 2.2?

Can someone also explain brightness/backlight.
Some people say they have theres set anywhere between 30% and 65% but surely if you have yours set that low will it not make whites look not white and too bright on others that have theres brighter??

Thanks in advance guys its driving me mad.

Well, if you specify 6500k or 5000k or whatever, you're specifying a white that is either more warn or cold. Best bet with a consumer level monitor is to go 6500k and 2.2 gamma.

Initially, specify 120cd/m2 luminance and use the Brightness control to get close to it. Spend a few days at that luminance level to get used to it. You'd be surprised at how quickly your perception of "pure white" will adjust for the decreased luminance.

As far as the Red... try SLIGHTLY lowering the Green and/or Blue. In any case, don't go lower than 95% for any RGB or you may induce banding. Let the software do its job.

Thanks

Where do you specify 120cd/m2 luminance on Spyder2pro??

I did try 6500 2.2 but it looked terrible.

Oxford_Matt wrote in post #12347493
Thanks

Where do you specify 120cd/m2 luminance on Spyder2pro??

I did try 6500 2.2 but it looked terrible.

Give the 6500k a couple days and it might mysteriously begin to look quite neutral.

It's been many years since I used Spyder2 Pro, but there is an advanced setting page where you specify the white and black luminance levels. Leave the black field blank.

If you can't find it, try the Help menu.

My Target is: 6500
Actual is: 6724 (Cant adjust any more as RGB are already on 100%)

Luminance Target is: N/a
Luminance is: 162.0

This is really doing my head in. Spent money on half decent gear to get such poor visual results

Oxford_Matt wrote in post #12347625
My Target is: 6500
Actual is: 6724 (Cant adjust any more as RGB are already on 100%)

Luminance Target is: N/a
Luminance is: 162.0

As I suggested earlier, if you can't increase the Red, you must lower the Green and/or Blue. Or leave them as is and allow the software to do its work. I have the same issue with my monitor... Blue is already at 100% so I lower the Red to 98% to hit D65 (6500k). But, 6724k is close enough to 6500k as to be an insignificant and imperceptible difference.

And you need to change the luminance mode from "measured" to (I think it was called) custom. If going down to 120cd/m2 frightens you, start at a more conservative level of 140cd/m2.

Thanks Chas,

I have found the Luminance Target now. I changed from Visual to Measured.
It asks for a Target White & Taget Black. So I will enter 120 in the White box.

However when it asks me to Adjust Brightness/Backlight to highest point until I can distinguise between 4 White boxes. I can go right up or down and still see them all. the only thing that changes is the screen brightness?? Am I safe just to set brightness or backlight to 60%

Ignore all that... Leave the Contrast at default level (75%) and lower the Brightness to 30%. You can always tweak the brightness level in future recalibrations.

It depends on the monitor, but yeah 60% is a reasonable spot. At first it will seem dark to you but especially if you do your editing in a suitable lighting environment (not bright ambient light) you get used to it. And, one big plus is that you will be close to a match on prints when you are ready to do the "acid test".

tonylong wrote in post #12347821
It depends on the monitor,...

Correct... On the U2311, 30% Brightness should have you close to 120cd/m2 luminance. 60% will be screamingly bright, unusable for photo editing.

Ah, well, follow Chas's advice -- he's more up on "stuff" than I am!

I have found that bringing my U2311 all the way down to 90 cd/m^ gives me the best match to prints sent to my R1900 from Lightroom (which, admittedly, does print a bit darker than other apps). To get the measured luminance down to 90 cd/m^ I had to reduce brightness to 13 on the on-screen scale.
The simple truth is that you can't get good print matching and also be as bright as everybody else's monitor - you have to choose. I bought the monitor for print making. If I want to be like everybody else I put the image on my laptop's screen.

You Guys are a Great help - Thank You.

I have recalibrated - Set White Luminance to to 125. (Which is saying its spot on now)
I am set to 6500 at 2.2 Gamma - Its now 6578 which is close enough i guess??

When i increased the blue for example in RGB the others dropped so they were adjustable after all.

My Monitor Contrast is 75% (Factory Default)
My Brightness/Backlight is 58%

Is that ok or should I re-calibrate with lower brightness??

Thanks again.

Elie, have you found it necessary to adjust the RGB levels on your U2311h?

Oxford_Matt wrote in post #12347935
...Is that ok or should I re-calibrate with lower brightness??

Use it for a couple days. Do some prints... post some images online. Tweak your brightness if needed and recalibrate.