20" Alu iMac Calibration

[RainCityMacFan]

Can some one post a profile of a calibrated 20" iMac?

Because I'm worried that I'll be editing a picture and end up looking like crap to others since I been hearing that the 20" screens have horrible color accuracy.

 

[flopticalcube]

https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=4082410#post4082410

 

[RainCityMacFan]

https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=4082410#post4082410

Thanks!

 

[AlexisV]

Using someone else's calibration can look weird on your own machine due to people's different lighting situations.

The only way to get things right is if everyone calibrates themselves so that they end up with what looks right to them.

Calibrating yourself isn't exactly brain surgery either!

 

[pigoz]

yeah calibrate yourself with supercal: it leads to the best results!

 

[RainCityMacFan]

yeah calibrate yourself with supercal: it leads to the best results!

Yeah I was thinking of that as well, but when the trial period (if there is since it's a shareware) runs out for Supercal, I'm guessing the calibrated settings will still be in place right?

 

[Leon Kowalski]

My 20" iMac could not be calibrated -- that's why I returned it. More precisely, different areas of the screen required very different calibrations. The problem became obvious while attempting to do a custom calibration in "Expert Mode" -- when the "correct" slider settings varied wildly depending on the calibration window's position on the screen.

...in technical terms -- it's busted!

LK

 

[RainCityMacFan]

My 20" iMac's could not be calibrated -- that's why I returned it. More precisely, different areas of the screen required very different calibrations. The problem was obvious when attempting to do a custom calibration in "Expert Mode" -- where the "correct" slider settings varied wildly depending on the calibration window's position on the screen.

...in technical terms -- it's busted!

LK

Ouch, I ordered Custom Configuration as well... lol

Is it that bad for a consumer that wants to do a little photo/video editing and such?

And this is only for the 20" screens and not the 24"? Man Apple's quality kind of slipped here...

 

[Leon Kowalski]

Is it that bad for a consumer that wants to do a little photo/video editing and such?

You'll have to decide that for yourself. I'm no photographer, but I found it unacceptable. OTOH, maybe they're not all as bad as the one I had -- many folks on this forum are perfectly happy with them. Here are some photos of mine:

http://picasaweb.google.com/LeonKowalski/Apple_iMac_20

And this is only for the 20" screens and not the 24"?

Yes, those photos are a 20" iMac. The 24" display is significantly better. Although (some?) 24" screens have an annoying left-to-right brightness gradient, they seem to have escaped the "washed-out colors" problem.

LK


On edit: By the way, I should have mentioned that the gradients (on 20" or 24") aren't particularly noticeable with photos or video -- at least, not to my (non-professional) eye. My main annoyance with the 20" was the fading and loss of contrast in text toward the bottom of the page. I spend much more time reading news/blogs than looking at photographic material.

 

[RainCityMacFan]

Oh wow, and you tried calibrating that?

Damn I would report to Apple about the display and asking them to get it replaced or something... Wow...

But you did order stock configuration right?

If you can, please post pictures of the 24" as well.

Thanks

 

[Leon Kowalski]

Oh wow, and you tried calibrating that?

Damn I would report to Apple about the display and asking them to get it replaced or something... Wow...

Yes, stock 20" 2.4GHz. I already replaced it -- with a 24". The folks at the Apple store were very accommodating; I expected a major hassle, but there was none.

Be aware that still photos greatly accentuate this sort of problem. The human eye has an amazing ability to "dynamically recalibrate" brightness/color/contrast over the entire field-of-view -- in real time!

Point-n-shoot digital cameras ain't quite that clever...

...yet,

LK