Profiling Wide-Gamut Monitors
June 23, 2009
Now that many top-of-the range TFT monitors from Eizo and NEC achieve or exceed the Adobe RGB colour space, one of the questions we frequently get asked is whether the calibrators we sell are still up to the job?
Our own testing shows that both the Eye-One series (Eye-One Display LT, Eye-One Display 2 and Eye-One Pro) along with the Spyder3 (Spyder3PRO and Spyder3Elite) will work just fine, although there are some issues with the X-Rite DTP 94 (aka Monaco Optix XR).
The DTP94 was officially discontinued by X-Rite a few years ago, just after their merger with GretagMacbeth, however it has still been available as an OEM product from some sources, although X-Rite themselves have no longer been officially providing software upgrades (which has led to some issues with new operating systems such as Windows Vista).
Despite the fact that the DTP94 is still regarded by some as one of the best devices of it’s kind, it can struggle with TFT displays that exceed 100% Adobe RGB gamut, such as the latest version of the NEC SpectraView Reference 2690. There is a work-around or ‘fudge’ as it’s technically called – get in contact if you want to know more.
For more information on our testing results with calibrators, check out this article here.
For more information or to buy an Eye-One Display, click here. For Spyder3 information, click here.
Comments
3 Responses to “Profiling Wide-Gamut Monitors”
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I am in exactly in that boat — ColorEyes Display Pro + DTP94 on a wide gamut monitor (DELL 2408WFP). Calibration results in a greenish white point. Could you expand on that “fudge” workaround you are mentioning here? (in a comment or private email).
You basically have to try different colour temperatures until you get
one that works. Also in some software you can choose D65, for example, or 6500K and the two results would be slightly different. You could also try defining a whitepoint target as x y co-ordinates. Whatever your software lets you do. There is no easy answer, just trial and error.
A newer sensor like the EyeOne DIsplay 2 or Spyder 3 might also help but the DTP94 is still considered the best by many, it just doesn’t cope with wide gamuts as well.
I have an EIZO S2231 (92% Adobe RGB). Here are my results:
All of my CM-Solutions give wrong values for color temperture. I don’t care about the number but use visual adjustment instead. But there is an important issue with the green, as Alex mentioned.
Please note that my result about the green are subjective.
EyeOneDisplay2 : CT is the best wrong, green value a bit too low.
Spyder3: CT is much too high, green seems to be ok.
DTP94: CT is much too low, green is much too high!
The CT for the native whitepoint of the monitor measured by Spyder3 and DTP differs more than 1000K!
I bought the DTP94 because of excellent tests, but in my opinion it is not ok that Quato sold the package as wide gamut suitable. It is for the high end quato monitors, because there is a wide gamut adjustment. Otherwise it is not suitable!
Recently there is a software update iColorDisplay 3.6.0, there is a generic wide gamut adjustment for S-PVA monitors. The CT is better, the green is much better. The green is 6% lower compared to the uncorrected version.
But I don’t rely on any solution any more. Highly precise instruments, good for nothing if they produce such errors on my monitor.
Please note these are my experiences, would be glad to hear of similar or better different results.