Calibrating 3-monitor set-up for Aperture & Photoshop on Mavericks.

[KirbyKrieger]

My goal: to have a color-calibrated workflow for developing camera files, editing them on a 3-monitor set-up with Aperture & Photoshop, and printing them in-house, using my existing hardware.

The best solution is to use new hardware: get two matching external monitors.  Can't do that this week.

My current hardware:
 - 15" late-2013 rMBP (500 GB SSD; 16 GB RAM {sweet machine, imho})
 - NEC LCD 2490 WUXi2
 - NEC PA 271W
 - ColorMunki Photo spectrophotometer
 - Epson 3880 (I also rent an Epson 9900 by the hour)

Software:
 - OS 10.9.3 (most up-to-date version of Mavericks)
 - Aperture 3.5.1 (most up-to-date)
 - Photoshop CC (most up-to-date)
 - SpectraView II 1.1.17 (most up-to-date)

The problem:
 - the PA271 is greenish compared to the laptop LCD and to the LCD2490.  This is when calibrated with SpectraView II to either "Native Gamut" or limited to sRGB.  Middle-grey Kelvin as measured by SpectraView II with the ColorMunki is c. 6675 on the LCD2490 and c. 6475 on the PA271.  The difference in color is across the entire desktop shown by the monitors; IOW, it is not limited to a window or to the windows of a program.

The solution:
 - NEC technical support, which has spent more than a couple of hours with me on this, suggests sticking with sRGB (otherwise the LCD2490 and the PA271 will never operate in the same color space), calibrating the PA271 and then using SpectraView II's "Visual Match" to adjust the calibration to match the a printed standard print & screen evaluation image, extracting the new white point from the now-calibrated PA271, and using that WP as the target WP for the LCD2490.

Questions:
 - Does that make sense?
 - Is there a better method?
 - Why aren't the two NEC monitors showing the same "color" when calibrated to the same target with SpectraView II and the ColorMunki?
 - Is there any way to change the default monitor (and thus color space) in Mavericks?
 - Does it make any difference whether "Displays have separate Spaces" or not?
 - Are there practical considerations associated with working in sRGB?

Of possible interest:
 - I want to use a 3-monitor set-up because Aperture under Mavericks can now show the contents of a container on one screen, the selected Images on a second screen, and the "Primary Selection" (a single Image) on the third screen.  I find this works very well for processing lots of Images.
 - I purchased the monitors years apart for use in two different workplaces.  I have consolidated my work, and am trying to get everything to work well, together.

Thanks.

[digitaldog]

The solution:
 - NEC technical support, which has spent more than a couple of hours with me on this, suggests sticking with sRGB (otherwise the LCD2490 and the PA271 will never operate in the same color space), calibrating the PA271 and then using SpectraView II's "Visual Match" to adjust the calibration to match the a printed standard print & screen evaluation image, extracting the new white point from the now-calibrated PA271, and using that WP as the target WP for the LCD2490.

Questions:
 - Does that make sense?

Yes! Nice to have tools like this for such options. Not that there are other means to make it easier in the UI but yes, go this route. Adjust to taste as close as you can visually.
The better option is two identical NEC's calibrated identically.

[KirbyKrieger]

Yes! Nice to have tools like this for such options. Not that there are other means to make it easier in the UI but yes, go this route. Adjust to taste as close as you can visually.
The better option is two identical NEC's calibrated identically.

Andrew — Many _many_ thanks for the quick reply.  I hope it works.  I look forward to getting some work done this week   .

[KirbyKrieger]

The better option is two identical NEC's calibrated identically.

Missed that by 6 months.  NEC has no PA271's (replaced by the PA272 six months ago), having sold them all to B&H.  B&H has none, having sold them all at a discount.  As far as I can tell, the PA271 is out-of-stock everywhere.

If anyone has one and has a jones for the PA272, get in touch   .

[PhilipCummins]

If anyone has one and has a jones for the PA272, get in touch   .

Odd, Froogle has a few listed still for sale, however the cheapest PA272 is only about $300 over the PA271...

[KirbyKrieger]

Odd, Froogle has a few listed still for sale, however the cheapest PA272 is only about $300 over the PA271...

Hi Philip — Do you have a working link?  I'm not finding them.  There is one currently listed, from an unknown (to me) vendor who doesn't clearly differentiate refurbished from new, for $1030.  The price then jumps to more than $1200, and rises from there.  That's from Google Shopping.

B&H currently sells a new PA272W for $1050.  (It is listed at a higher or unmarked price, but that is the sale price.)

The advice I've received has been to get exactly matched monitors.  The PA271 and the PA272 use different display technologies (CCFL was replaced by LED).  I own a PA271, which is why I'm looking for another.  Otherwise it makes little sense to buy old (semi-old?) technology.  I think B&H sold NEC's remaining stock of PA271's for c. $800 when the PA272 came out.

[PhilipCummins]

The advice I've received has been to get exactly matched monitors.  The PA271 and the PA272 use different display technologies (CCFL was replaced by LED).  I own a PA271, which is why I'm looking for another.  Otherwise it makes little sense to buy old (semi-old?) technology.  I think B&H sold NEC's remaining stock of PA271's for c. $800 when the PA272 came out.

Sorry looks like you found it from Tamayatech, my comment was more that there appeared to be some out there that was still apparently in stock. Try:

Electrociti $1094
RJL Technologies $1171
Projector Superstore $1199

There's some bundles with the i1 Display Pro for about ~$1500 out there as well.

[KirbyKrieger]

Hi — thanks for the follow-up.  I can't bring myself to pay more for a PA271 than I would for a PA272 (each brand new and boxed).

[digitaldog]

I can't bring myself to pay more for a PA271 than I would for a PA272 (each brand new and boxed).

Got both, the 272W is so much better in some many areas. Get another 272W, save a pile on electricity too.

[KirbyKrieger]

Got both, the 272W is so much better in some many areas. Get another 272W, save a pile on electricity too.

Alas, I took so long polishing my response that the forum software logged me out and unceremoniously scraped my plate clean.

In short, then:

• Thanks for the comparison of the 272 v. 271.
• I have a 271.  I want a matched pair.  _If_ I find a bargain 271, I _might_ buy it.  But probably not, as I have never been fully satisfied with the one I have.
• If I can sell my 271 and my 2490, I might purchase two 272's.  That is the best solution.
• After five hours work yesterday, I have concluded that I cannot get a work-able calibration across my 2490, my 271, and my printer.  In addition to calibration issues, I'm not happy with the 271 in sRGB mode.