Display Calibration Issues

Question

hi,
just upgraded to 10.6.8 and lots of issues.
the biggest is that my 30" cinema display now looks 15-20% lighter.
the screen image (especially in abobe indesign) doesn't look like it did in 10.5.8
and looks lighter than my normal print output.
I've played around with display calibration, but my new settings are really different
from my original settings. and of course, now all my indesign files are out-of-sync
with the abobe color settings and need to be updated, each and every one.
I also read that the new 'target gamma' is now 2.2 for 10.6.8 (as a default), but
when calibrating in SL, isn't not default and you need to know to manually change that.
has anyone else experienced these kind of SL display problems?
if so, how did you correct them?
in the back of my mind I'm thinking it's something with the video card, but
I'll try anything short of messing with that.
bottom line: all was well in 10.5.8.
now with 10.6.8, I've got issues that need to be fixed asap.
jim

Answer 1

my suspicion is snow leopard.
Nope, color works just fine. Something has changed in your setup. If you're using the exact same monitor and printer profiles you had under 10.5.8, color should come out the same under Snow Leopard.
While the default for Snow Leopard is now a 2.2 gamma, it doesn't mean you can't change it. It only means the long supplied Apple profiles are now built with a 2.2 gamma instead of 1.8. You can still build your monitor profiles to any white point and gamma you want.
Color matching is actually much simpler than it sounds. Though I should say the concept is simple. ColorSync is what controls color between devices. If you're trying to match your print to the monitor, ColorSync reads the monitor profile's color space. It does the best it can to make it fit and translate to the printer profile's color space.
That's the simple explanation. But in order for that to work, you need accurate profiles. You'll go through an awful lot of paper and ink trying one unrelated profile after another, and still get nowhere. By "unrelated", I mean using a profile that has nothing to do with the device. Such as choosing "Adobe RGB" as your monitor profile. That profile means nothing in relation to your monitor. It does not describe the white point, gamma or brightness you monitor is necessarily set to, nor the gamut or range of color it can actually display. Same goes for the rest of any profile the system allows you to choose as your monitor profile. They are all generic profiles that in no way describe the device you are looking at. I go into a lot more detail on monitors here.
So when you do use one of those generic monitor profiles, ColorSync can only assume, yes, this must be exactly how the monitor looks that you're viewing. Which of course it doesn't. So naturally, printed color is rarely even close.
The least expensive color management tool you can buy, and at the same time drastically improves your ability to match output to your screen is something like this. Of the two models, definitely get the i1Display Pro. Much faster, accurate unit. Also much better software with more control. Don't bother looking at older colorimeters such the i1Display2, Spyder, or any other previous models. They can't handle the output of today's wide gamut LCD or LED monitors. Gray rarely comes out gray. Usually very greenish or pink. These new models have bee completely redesigned to handle today's monitors. They also handle older monitors just fine.