[thepedant]

I use DigiKam on my Linux workstation to hold all my photos. In DigiKam settings there is a checkbox 'Enable Colour Management' and a box to specify a 'Monitor profile'. I looked on the CD that came with the monitor and found a file named HP_24ea.icm which I guessed was what was wanted. I copied the file on to my hard disk, pointed 'Monitor profile' to it and ticked the check box. Is that all I need to do? Or do I still need to get one of those 'Spyder' profiling kits? Is the purpose of the Spyder gadget just to create an .icm file for those monitors that don't already have one? Or is it more complicated than that?


Thanks

[CarlJF]

The profile on the Cd is just a generic one for the monitor. Better than nothing, but definitely not as good as one done with a calibration probe.

[thazooo]

The unending discussion of Color Management.......
I have a little knowledge on Windows.
When you load your icc profile in windows it tells your graphics card how to interpret colors for your monitor. A canned profile from the manufacturer.
If you use a Spyder, you make a custom profile by setting which color Temp you'll use and then adjusting the monitor's white point, black point, and RGB. Once set the spyder will create an icc profile, which you load into the system.
In THEORY you can then take your image and put it on another 'Profiled' system and the colors will match.

Myself, I just go for the Print matching the Monitor, mostly with success. I've done it with a Spyder and using the monitor with the manufacturers profile. I get my color targets off the internet so that all things are equal. I have sent images to online printers with mixed results. IIRC the yellows and oranges were more vivid. This is what works for me.

Good Luck.

[emalvick]

I use DigiKam on my Linux workstation to hold all my photos. In DigiKam settings there is a checkbox 'Enable Colour Management' and a box to specify a 'Monitor profile'. I looked on the CD that came with the monitor and found a file named HP_24ea.icm which I guessed was what was wanted. I copied the file on to my hard disk, pointed 'Monitor profile' to it and ticked the check box. Is that all I need to do? Or do I still need to get one of those 'Spyder' profiling kits? Is the purpose of the Spyder gadget just to create an .icm file for those monitors that don't already have one? Or is it more complicated than that?


Thanks

The Spyder or other profiler is more complicated. You are creating an .icm file for your specific monitor, and ideally you would do that regularly (I do it monthly). Every monitor is going to be a bit different and evolve. Changes may happen if you tweak monitor settings, how you have it connected, how long it has been on, and so forth.

It doesn't mean you absolutely need it. It's going to be most useful if you are using your images in ways where what you see on your monitor is not consistent with what you are getting elsewhere (prints, web-pages, others computers, etc). I mostly got it to deal with discrepancies I would get between my images on screen vs what was printed on paper. Ideally I would have soft-proofed with printer profiles, too, but my knowledge gain was very slow, and using the monitor profiling equipment solved my issues.

[thepedant]

Thanks for your responses. I was looking forward to finding out a bit more today but my computer got totally wrecked by an unwise update first thing this morning so I will have to rebuild and restore from backup before I can make any more progress.

[TonyW]

I use DigiKam on my Linux workstation to hold all my photos. In DigiKam settings there is a checkbox 'Enable Colour Management' and a box to specify a 'Monitor profile'. I looked on the CD that came with the monitor and found a file named HP_24ea.icm which I guessed was what was wanted. I copied the file on to my hard disk, pointed 'Monitor profile' to it and ticked the check box. Is that all I need to do? Or do I still need to get one of those 'Spyder' profiling kits? Is the purpose of the Spyder gadget just to create an .icm file for those monitors that don't already have one? Or is it more complicated than that?

Thanks

A monitor profile is a document that describes the state of your monitor at the time of the calibration against a known standard (usually) that you have specified. Any profile supplied with your monitor will not describe the state of your monitor how could it as your conditions have not yet been imposed.

Should you require an accurate view of your image data for instance to match print to screen then your monitor should be calibrated and this can only be done accurately with a calibration device either Spyder or my pref. X -Rite products

The actual process briefly requires you to specify your target points e.g. D65, etc. Using the calibration device information to adjust your monitor to get as close as possible to those target figures either by manual adjustment or the better way if supported direct writing to monitor LUT. Once all the colour values have been read by the calibration device an ICC profile is produced which accurately describes how your monitor performs against the required aim points.

With this profile colour savvy applications such as Photoshop and Lightroom will display your data accurately and even adjust for display to account for shortfalls in reaching your target values. Non colour savvy apps will not be able to adjust for display inaccuracy. Where DigiKam fits into this and colour accuracy I do not know

This calibration regime will need to be undertaken on a regular basis as monitor values will shift and need to be recorded in a new profile weekly, bi weekly or monthly it will depend but certainly should be done prior to any colour critical work.

Do you need such a device at this time - depends on your needs for printing and others viewing your images.