For those of you who use one of the new "wide-gamut" displays, how do you deal with color inconsistency as you move between ICC-aware and non-aware applications?
I am using a calibrated wide-gamut Dell monitor. As long as I'm viewing images in color-managed apps like Photoshop, everything is peachy. When viewed in non-managed apps, these same images appear oversaturated and garish (especially reds).
Images that were prepped on a normal-gamut display look undersaturated and the colors are muted when viewed in Photoshop on my display.
This makes it difficult to prep images for the web, since what I see on my screen looks substantially different than what everyone else with a normal display would see. I've read that some photographers use a dual screen setup as a workaround. I don't have the budget or desk space for that. I also lack the time and patience required to process all my images twice.
As more people switch over to wide-gamut displays, won't this problem just get worse? Currently, most people are using normal-gamut displays and non color-managed browers, making it somewhat easy to cater to the masses. As more people start switching over, who do we cater to? At some point, we'll be forced to process our images for one group or the other. Until most web browsers are color-managed, I suppose. I wonder how far off that is.
Posted by John Mumaw on August 17, 2009 at 8:34 PM
This makes it difficult to prep images for the web, since what I see on my screen looks substantially different than what everyone else with a normal display would see.
I don't mean to sound simplistic, but I simply convert duplicated images bound for Web/browser display to sRGB color space.
That's the best (only) option for now. I don't see a switch to wider color gamut aware monitors for quite some time. They're too expensive, and not really wanted or needed by the vast majority of users.
I wonder how many people are using wide-gamut monitors? I was under the impression that the switch is actively under way, and that they will be commonplace in another 2-3 years, which isn't very long at all. In my case, I wasn't even aware of this issue until I had already made the purchase. They're really not that expensive - Dell is selling some entry level models for ~ $400.
Posted by Dan Borzynski on August 17, 2009 at 8:58 PM
John, you are largely mirroring my thoughts.
Posted by John Mumaw on August 17, 2009 at 9:29 PM
When viewed in non-managed apps, these same images appear oversaturated and garish (especially reds)....Images that were prepped on a normal-gamut display look undersaturated and the colors are muted when viewed in Photoshop on my display.
The first sentence sounds exactly like what happens when you put sRGB images into an Adobe RGB color space, while the second sounds like the converse.
I hate to say it, but you may need to set the monitor mode to sRGB in order to achieve more accurate colors (esp. reds). Give that a try and see if it works.
Have you made prints yet using this monitor?
I'm afraid that we're still a long way off from widespread use of wider gamut monitors. $400 is not cheap for the average computer user.
Sighhh...if only all Web browsers were color managed.
*EDIT*
Are you by any chance using the Dell 2408WFP monitor?
Posted by Kent Staubus on August 17, 2009 at 11:46 PM
I'm using a LaCie 324 monitor, which runs about $900. I bought it because of it's ability to display Adobe color accurately. Is this a "wide gamut" type? If so, it's easier to work with than the less expensive monitors I used to use.
John, I think you're right. I haven't figured out how to do it, but setting the display to a "handicapped" sRGB mode might be the best solution for now.
I've made a few prints at WCI and Aspen Creek, and the oversaturated reds do appear to be a problem in prints as well. It isn't quite as pronounced, but definitely noticeable. I'm using the Dell 2707WFP.
Kent, according to LaCie's website, your 324 is indeed a wide-gamut display. When you are working in Adobe, I'm sure it does a great job. Don't you notice a significant color shift when you upload images to the web, though? Or by chance are you using a color-managed browser like the latest version of Firefox?
Posted by Kent Staubus on August 18, 2009 at 9:31 AM
I haven't noticed any shifts, but very rarely upload anything. When I do it's usually to Flickr. It seems to be run by photographers and color managed.
Kent in SD
Posted by David Bostedo on August 18, 2009 at 9:58 AM
Kent - The color management has to come from your browser, not the website. So Flickr is no different than this site or any other in that regard. It simply serves up the image data, and your browser/OS is responsible for how it's displayed.
If you're using Safari or newer Firefox browsers, you could be seeing color managed data. If that's the case, you might want to try looking at your images in IE or another browser (or turn color management off in Firefox) to see what a lot of other people are seeing.
Posted by Kent Staubus on August 18, 2009 at 10:13 PM
I just use Internet Explorer. I don't put a lot of photos on internet forums though, so I don't see it as a problem.
Discussion
9 repliesI am using a calibrated wide-gamut Dell monitor. As long as I'm viewing images in color-managed apps like Photoshop, everything is peachy. When viewed in non-managed apps, these same images appear oversaturated and garish (especially reds).
Images that were prepped on a normal-gamut display look undersaturated and the colors are muted when viewed in Photoshop on my display.
This makes it difficult to prep images for the web, since what I see on my screen looks substantially different than what everyone else with a normal display would see. I've read that some photographers use a dual screen setup as a workaround. I don't have the budget or desk space for that. I also lack the time and patience required to process all my images twice.
As more people switch over to wide-gamut displays, won't this problem just get worse? Currently, most people are using normal-gamut displays and non color-managed browers, making it somewhat easy to cater to the masses. As more people start switching over, who do we cater to? At some point, we'll be forced to process our images for one group or the other. Until most web browsers are color-managed, I suppose. I wonder how far off that is.
I don't mean to sound simplistic, but I simply convert duplicated images bound for Web/browser display to sRGB color space.
That's the best (only) option for now. I don't see a switch to wider color gamut aware monitors for quite some time. They're too expensive, and not really wanted or needed by the vast majority of users.
I wonder how many people are using wide-gamut monitors? I was under the impression that the switch is actively under way, and that they will be commonplace in another 2-3 years, which isn't very long at all. In my case, I wasn't even aware of this issue until I had already made the purchase. They're really not that expensive - Dell is selling some entry level models for ~ $400.
The first sentence sounds exactly like what happens when you put sRGB images into an Adobe RGB color space, while the second sounds like the converse.
I hate to say it, but you may need to set the monitor mode to sRGB in order to achieve more accurate colors (esp. reds). Give that a try and see if it works.
Have you made prints yet using this monitor?
I'm afraid that we're still a long way off from widespread use of wider gamut monitors. $400 is not cheap for the average computer user.
Sighhh...if only all Web browsers were color managed.
*EDIT*
Are you by any chance using the Dell 2408WFP monitor?
Kent in SD
I've made a few prints at WCI and Aspen Creek, and the oversaturated reds do appear to be a problem in prints as well. It isn't quite as pronounced, but definitely noticeable. I'm using the Dell 2707WFP.
Kent, according to LaCie's website, your 324 is indeed a wide-gamut display. When you are working in Adobe, I'm sure it does a great job. Don't you notice a significant color shift when you upload images to the web, though? Or by chance are you using a color-managed browser like the latest version of Firefox?
Kent in SD
If you're using Safari or newer Firefox browsers, you could be seeing color managed data. If that's the case, you might want to try looking at your images in IE or another browser (or turn color management off in Firefox) to see what a lot of other people are seeing.
Kent in SD