Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Profiling and using the HP LP2475w monitor  (Read 14459 times)

tony field

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 46
    • http://www.tphoto.ca
Profiling and using the HP LP2475w monitor
« on: November 28, 2008, 01:37:11 pm »

A week ago, I received my HP LP2475w monitor for use (almost exclusively) for image processing.  After spending many hours trying go get a "proper and good" profile, I am finally happy that the monitor is a very good choice for my work.  Colour is excellent with no hue shift across the screen (within my personal and limited ability to finely judge colours), intensity variations are minimal, and brightness is "exactly right" for my working conditions.  Here are some notes on the experiences.

My monitor and print profile system is the i1 and use the Eye-One Match 3 software for calibration.  I followed the i1 recommendations of Gamma 2.2 and set the screen contrast to 100%.

The monitor was excessively bright.  I lowered the monitor brightness to zero with the OSD this makes it acceptably bright without glare.  When calibrating/profiling the monitor, I could not properly adjust the blue channel with the OSD to make the software bar graph balance to zero.  Any alterations of the blue channel over 236 would have NO effect on the profile operation - and, it seems, I could not generate a good profile/calibration because of this limitation.

To solve the problem, I increased the brightness in the OSD to a value of 8.  This would allow all three RGB channels to properly calibrate with the i1.  It seems that, for my monitor, any value 7 and over would allow proper calibration.  However, this made the monitor slightly bright for my eyes - but very acceptable.  In addition, I reprofiled my Epson 4800 for use with Costco 8.5x11 paper for testing purposes.  When prints were compared with the Photoshop Soft Proof screen, they were close but the screen was a bit brighter.  The monitor OSD settings for this were:

Brightness = 8
Contrast = 100
Red = 232
Green = 216
Blue = 230

To get around the slightly overbright display (I could not set to brightness down to zero without having calibration problems with the Blue channel), I chose to profile/calibrate the monitor with an OSD contrast set to 80.  This is against the recommendation of the Match 3 to set the contrast to 100%.   However, when this profile was generated, everything fell into place perfectly.  The Match 3 contrast indication was perfectly on zero implying that the monitor still achieved a 2.2 gamma.  Brightness was exactly correct for my eyes/working conditions.  When viewing a test print on the Costco paper and comparing it with the Soft Proof in PS, the soft proof (set to a rendering intent of Perceptual, Black point compensation on, simulate paper colour off) "perfectly" matches the print.  In other words, I can rely on the soft proof to accurately represent the print.  

Reducing the monitor contrast to 80 also had the effect of making the illumination almost perfect and uniform.  The final monitor OSD settings for this were:

Brightness = 8
Contrast = 80
Red = 235
Green = 216
Blue = 226

In the final analysis, the HP 2475w monitor profiles extremely well, has uniform colour with minimal intensity variation, and works as a very fine device for image processing.  The only things needed were to dramatically reduce the monitor brightness and somewhat reduce the contrast settings in the monitor's OSD.

Browsing the internet is really perfect - all colour and contrast are spot-on when using a colour management aware browser like Firefox.
« Last Edit: November 28, 2008, 08:14:26 pm by tony field »
Logged

GerardK

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 106
    • http://www.kingma.nu
Profiling and using the HP LP2475w monitor
« Reply #1 on: November 29, 2008, 04:17:14 am »

Hi Tony,

I'm glad you're happy with you LP2475W - you may have read in the other thread that I returned mine. The second unit I had, had a blue hue shift from the neutral middle to the left, whereas the first one had a red shift from neutral centre (after calibration) to the right. I swapped it for a Eizo CG222W which I'm happy with.

However, in the few weeks I had the HP, I calibrated a bit differently which is something you might try to reduce the brightness: just leave Contrast at 100%, but set the individual channels to a lower value instead of Brightness. For instance, to calibrate to 5000K, I set the Red channel to 166, Green to 150 and Blue to 129. You can start with all three values at 150. This allows you to set the Brightness to a higher value. Try it, I think it'll work for you.


Gerard Kingma
www.kingma.nu
Logged

tony field

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 46
    • http://www.tphoto.ca
Profiling and using the HP LP2475w monitor
« Reply #2 on: November 30, 2008, 01:18:40 pm »

It is a shame that you had to give up the HP.  I guess there are manufacturing variations and all samples are not the same.  The Eizo certainly has a fine reputation and should serve well.

I tried the lower channel values on the HP.  Although this works as you described in principle, I found that I could not get the matching bar graphs (from the Match 3 software) to perfectly align.  Choosing higher values made this easy.  I guess this has something to do with the colour stepping resolution of both the monitor and the software.
Logged

neil snape

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1447
    • http://www.neilsnape.com
Profiling and using the HP LP2475w monitor
« Reply #3 on: December 05, 2008, 11:17:35 am »

Lowering the contrast is more common than you should think.

In many cases the output of the video card exceeds the monitors headroom and creates artifacts. The only way to avoid this is lowering contrast.

I don't think you'll get a very accurate profile though out of an i1D2. I tried it as I am waiting for the HP APS to come.
I also did the same with ColorEyes both the i1D2 and i1 Pro. The pro made a better cal and profile albeit the black point is not working out with this combo.

The unit I have seems fine for both uniformity and color across the screen. The centre axis to your eye looks so slightly brighter but I think that is common to most LCDs.
Logged

Gupfold

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 52
Profiling and using the HP LP2475w monitor
« Reply #4 on: December 06, 2008, 01:25:29 pm »

I am waiting for my HP LP2475w to arrive, I have a SpyderPro 3. Do you think I will get good results with it? I know that people think the software is not so hot but am not sure what software to use to give better results with the hardware.
Logged

tony field

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 46
    • http://www.tphoto.ca
Profiling and using the HP LP2475w monitor
« Reply #5 on: December 06, 2008, 02:34:05 pm »

The SpyderPro 3 is a modern profile device.  It seems to me that you should not have any problems with this device (I don't use one - I have the i1 Pro).  The important thing, I suspect, it to get the LP2475w set up with reasonable contrast and brightness that suits your eyes and viewing condtions - it's default from the factory is far far to bright.  

The general level of OSD brightness should be initially set so that the screen is sort of a "slight pearly white" without visual glare for your viewing conditions.  From there, experiment a bit with brightness and contrast with a new profile generated as you adjust.  The view the screen with a number of images in photoshop for editing and also soft-proof with your chosen paper's profile.  Wasting a few test prints is a cheap investment when you try to make the "perfect profile".
Logged

Gupfold

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 52
Profiling and using the HP LP2475w monitor
« Reply #6 on: December 07, 2008, 03:12:21 pm »

Thanks Tony. With a LCD like the HP LP2475w should you still use 2.2 and Native or should you rather choose 2.2 and 6500. If you choose native with the Spyder3 it doesnt show you or give you a Luminance target of value?
Logged

tony field

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 46
    • http://www.tphoto.ca
Profiling and using the HP LP2475w monitor
« Reply #7 on: December 07, 2008, 03:38:29 pm »

I don't know - not having the Spyder.  Hopefully, another shooter with experience with this device can respond.

Maybe do a bit of experimentation.  First adjust the monitor for comfortable viewing brightness and contrast.  Maybe then the "Native" will use these values without problem.  Examine the screen with images.  Then set the choices to 2.2 and 6500, reprofile, and examine the screen.  Maybe also do test prints for each profile as well.
Logged

kalex1

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4
Profiling and using the HP LP2475w monitor
« Reply #8 on: May 14, 2009, 09:39:41 pm »

Tony or anybody else using 2475w.  I just recieved mine few days ago and using Tony's settings managed to tame them a bit

I have eye-one display 2 and going to profile and calibrate them in a day or 2.  I do have a few questions though:

Did you do easy or advanced calibration in match3 software?
In the OSD of the display what did you choose under Color?  was it 6500K or Custom or sRGB?
Did you set native white point or 6500k in the software?

Also I noticed DDC/CI support on the LCD, does this help in any way?


Thank you for your time



Alex
Logged

David Sutton

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1345
    • David Sutton Photography
Profiling and using the HP LP2475w monitor
« Reply #9 on: May 15, 2009, 03:33:37 am »

Hi Alex. Using Spyder pro I used Custom for Colour as I needed to change the RGB levels for setting my brightness to 100. White point set to native. DDC/CI was useless but I can't remember why. Do a web search or search this site. Brightness started at about 12 last year but now is up to 18 as the monitor gets used. David
Logged

kalex1

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4
Profiling and using the HP LP2475w monitor
« Reply #10 on: May 17, 2009, 01:39:21 am »

Thanks David.  I guess same would apply to Eye-one.  To those with Eye-one any insight is appreciated.

thanks

Alex
Logged

Damo77

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 69
    • http://www.bellephotography.net.au/
Profiling and using the HP LP2475w monitor
« Reply #11 on: May 17, 2009, 04:01:14 am »

kalex1, I wrote an article on calibrating with the i1 - hope it helps.  All the best.
Logged
Damien

kalex1

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4
Profiling and using the HP LP2475w monitor
« Reply #12 on: May 19, 2009, 11:51:35 am »

Damo77,

wow thanks a lot.  that is exactly what i was looking for.  going to try it this weekend.


Alex
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up