Blackmagic Forum

Looking for advice on calibrating the screen on my 2017 iMac 27" 5K Retina and older 27" Thunderbolt display as well as an older 17" Flanders Scientific LM-1760W. The color on the iMac and the Flanders are quite a close match though the iMac is a hair more magenta , but the thunderbolt display is noticeably less saturated and slightly more to the green . I have compared my flanders to brand new 10 bit versions and it looks identical, so i feel pretty good about that and the iMac since it matches .
I've calibrated the Mac screens using their "expert" software but that doesn't make them look any closer. Is there a probe and software I can buy that will get me closer and also keep an eye on the Flanders? ( its an older model that doesn't have the auto calibration features of the newer ones. )

I use a Datacolor SpyderX Pro along with Eizo's own ColorNavigator 7 software for my Eizo Coloredge monitor. Maybe Flanders do their own calibration software.
I also use the SpyderX to calibrate my standard BenQ monitor.

Can you use that to calibrate a mac monitor also? I'm pretty confused about how this calibration business works with a Mac because i don't see any color controls available mac anywhere. I have read that you can use the Spyder X Pro () or elite) and also the X-Rite i1Display Pro but don't get how they work. Does the software itself do all the color calibration on the mac monitors and can they distinguish between 2 dual monitors on the same Mac? Like wise re the Flanders (or the mac Screens) can the software generate the patterns it needs through Resolve so that i can use the manual bias and gain controls on the Flanders?

I think the Display Cal software can maybe work through Resolve but its all kind of greek to me so far.

Lenny

Leonardo Levy wrote:Looking for advice on calibrating the screen on my 2017 iMac 27" 5K Retina and older 27" Thunderbolt display as well as an older 17" Flanders Scientific LM-1760W.

I don't believe it's possible to calibrate Apple computers displays. In fact, I think it's a good idea to ignore what's on the GUI and only use a color-managed output feeding a calibrated external display. What we do is just knock the overall chroma and brightness down on the GUI displays and just use them for GUI and ignore everything else. It's "ballparkish" and not awful, but I wouldn't judge color on them.

Read page 2582 of the Resolve 16.2.6 manual, "Limitations When Grading With the Viewer on a Computer Display." This explains why it's unwise to try to use a computer display for final color correction. It's certainly OK to glance at it, but there's a lot of danger in believing that what you see is accurate.

I don’t think you ”believe” the ref monitor is accurate either, this is what calibration is for. If you don’t trust the calibration, you have a bigger problem at hand.

I believe I've been asking for advise on how to calibrate my monitors .
If its impossible to do it on a Mac then I would love some advise for how to do it with my Flanders. Please don't tell me i just have to spend $4K+ because that just isn't in the cards right now.

Why have I been reading about software that will calibrate my iMac screen if it can't be done is what's confusing to me.
Also - re paying no attention to my computer screen - that's where 90% of my work is going to end up these days. I have to keep my eyes open to it even if I'm aware of the limitations. Truth is most people's TV's are far more misadjusted than the average Mac screen. Of course there's nothing you can do about that except hide your eyes when forced to look at your work somewhere else.

many options for the flanders
first choice is to send it back to them, they will callibrate it, i think they do this for no charge
other choices are to get a probe and software, and DIY
sending it back is much less hassle
DIY is rewarding in it's own way tho
i also think the iMac display + callibration = pandora's box

As I said in my last post, I use a SpyderX Pro for calibration. It comes with its own software for Mac and PC.
https://spyderx.datacolor.com/

Your Flanders is like my Eizo, with no self calibration. When using the SpyderX it is plugged into a usb port on the monitor itself and the ColorNavigator software is run on your computer.
For GUI monitors the SpyderX is plugged into the computer.

Do be aware that if you are doing color work for film and broadcast the SpyderX would not be the right tool for the job as far more precise calibration is required for those.

There are lots of videos on YT showing the calibration process.

Get DisplayCal (free) and try to find a second-hand Color Munki.

Thanks for all the responses.
What is the difference ( if any between getting an i1Display Pro and a used Color Munki? Will they both work the same with Display Cal for my purposes ? I have an old "eye-one display 2" but suspect that it probably used colored gelatins that are faded by now.

it might be worth asking the question about probes at Light Illusion forum, folks who are the real deal in the world of callibration hang out there

In my experience, the Color Munki is just more precise than the Spyders.

I've read that the Color Munki and the i1Display Pro use the same hardware but that the i1Disp[lay Pro has much more sophisticated and "expert" software available with it, but if also that I should't use their software anyway and instead use display Cal. In that case are they pretty much the same thing? Also should I be wary of buying an old used old Munki?

By the way I know I'll catch heat for this remark, but after trying to recalibrate my slightly "green and washed out" Thunderbolt Display and finding that nothing I could do would change the green ( including trying about 20 different old profiles) I decided on a lark to just raise the gamma to 2.2 and drape a 1/4 magenta Rosco gel over the screen. Now its a nearly perfect match for my iMac and Flanders!!! The poor man's solution or the actions of a raving lunatic??? (I don't use the thunderbolt for color decisions anyway but the green wasdriving me nuts. )