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Author Topic: Pantone Huey for monitor calibration?  (Read 29801 times)

tshort

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Pantone Huey for monitor calibration?
« on: January 12, 2006, 06:47:59 pm »

I just read a little item about the Pantone Huey monitor calibration product - $89.95 MSRP.  Was wondering if anyone knows about this, and how it compares to, say, the Eye One (which I just bought for about $250...).
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monik

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Pantone Huey for monitor calibration?
« Reply #1 on: January 16, 2006, 11:30:23 am »

I had an e-mail from Pantone this morning and this is what they replied when I asked if I needed to use Spyder as well:-

'The Huey is a separate instrument for calibrating your monitors. You will not need to use the Spyder.

Details are on our website:
http://shop.colourconfidence.com/index.php'

Monique
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photobyjab

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Pantone Huey for monitor calibration?
« Reply #2 on: January 16, 2006, 03:16:53 pm »

From my experience with Beta versions of the Huey, it is an inexpensive, decent-quality monitor calibrator, with the unique feature of continously reading in ambient room light and adjusting your screen color to compensate. I sit facing windows on two sides of my office, and espescially in winter, go from pitch black through sunrise, midday and sunset daily. Not ideal color-viewing conditions, I admit, but it really does make a big difference to have your monitor adjust for these shifts throughout the day.

There is a seminar running in the US in Canada starting this week called "Color Control Freak." Attendees receive the Pantone/GretagMacbeth Huey as part of their seminar toolkit. See http://www.graphintel.com/controlfreak for more details. The event cost is $299, but there is an early bird code floating around until this Thursday (1/19/06) of "toucan" that knocks off $30.
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birdstrike

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Pantone Huey for monitor calibration?
« Reply #3 on: January 26, 2006, 10:35:54 pm »

My Huey just arrived today.  Took 10 minutes from opening the package to completing calibration.  I have to say I do like the results but I'm still struggling with the whole end-to-end color-calibration process.

The screen now looks more like I remember the scene, but the Pixma 8500 prints still seem too vivid.  Perhaps the printer has dreams of Sensia film...
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jlmwyo

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Pantone Huey for monitor calibration?
« Reply #4 on: May 11, 2006, 03:28:03 am »

Having had an opportunity to play with the software, I'm a bit perplexed at one thing: it does NOT prompt you to adjust the brightness of your display using the hardware controls on the display. Which leads me to believe that it must do it in the LUT, bad juju
for LCD users, or for anyone for that matter.

I don't see this as being a serious tool for serious work.
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monik

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Pantone Huey for monitor calibration?
« Reply #5 on: May 11, 2006, 08:32:35 am »

Thanks for your information, I have an lcd screen and for the moment will continue to use the Spyder which I find constant and reliable.
Regards,
Monik
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Serge Cashman

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Pantone Huey for monitor calibration?
« Reply #6 on: May 11, 2006, 06:21:38 pm »

In my opinion both EyeOne LT ($120) and Spyder2Express ($80) give you better value for your money. First of all both of them use the same colorimeters as in highend packages from the same venders (only bundled with very basic software), second of all they give you an option to upgrade to a more professional software bundle in the future if you realize you need it.  You can even upgrade them to Coloreyes software if you want to be geeky about color.

[edit] Oh, the reviews of all mentioned packages (except Coloreyes):
http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/reviews.html - written by Keith Cooper
« Last Edit: May 11, 2006, 06:28:34 pm by Serge Cashman »
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digitaldog

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Pantone Huey for monitor calibration?
« Reply #7 on: May 11, 2006, 07:21:05 pm »

Quote
Having had an opportunity to play with the software, I'm a bit perplexed at one thing: it does NOT prompt you to adjust the brightness of your display using the hardware controls on the display. Which leads me to believe that it must do it in the LUT, bad juju
for LCD users, or for anyone for that matter.

I don't see this as being a serious tool for serious work.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=65068\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

No, it just defines the current luminance. And lets not forget who the product was designed for (designers who wouldn't know a profile from a pixel). The product is for someone who's not even considering Adobe Gamma (which is a good thing). For even a serious amateur photographer, move directly to the Eye-One Display. If you have clients who have a fear of color management, huey is the perfect first baby step for them.
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jlmwyo

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Pantone Huey for monitor calibration?
« Reply #8 on: May 12, 2006, 02:14:21 am »

Quote
No, it just defines the current luminance. And lets not forget who the product was designed for (designers who wouldn't know a profile from a pixel). The product is for someone who's not even considering Adobe Gamma (which is a good thing). For even a serious amateur photographer, move directly to the Eye-One Display. If you have clients who have a fear of color management, huey is the perfect first baby step for them.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=65146\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Andrew what does the Huey's 'roomlight compensation' do then? Adjust for changes in color perception due to ambient lighting conditions?
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digitaldog

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Pantone Huey for monitor calibration?
« Reply #9 on: May 12, 2006, 09:19:05 am »

Quote
Andrew what does the Huey's 'roomlight compensation' do then? Adjust for changes in color perception due to ambient lighting conditions?
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=65182\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I'll double check with the product manager but I think it does do some minor adjustments from the base luminance it targets to, probably by messing with the LUT. Without something like DDC, I don't know how it would "control" the physical backlit of say an LCD.
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digitaldog

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Pantone Huey for monitor calibration?
« Reply #10 on: May 12, 2006, 11:07:18 am »

The ambient light adjustments are made to the LUT; just got conformation from the PM.
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jlmwyo

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Pantone Huey for monitor calibration?
« Reply #11 on: May 14, 2006, 02:54:21 pm »

Andrew, you should put a bug in their ear for them to update the software so it can target luminance before it profiles. I bet the hardware is capable of it.
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Serge Cashman

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Pantone Huey for monitor calibration?
« Reply #12 on: May 14, 2006, 03:38:12 pm »

Quote
Andrew, you should put a bug in their ear for them to update the software so it can target luminance before it profiles...
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

...and to openly state the various targets they use for Illuminant and Gamma while you're at it...

(the targets seem to be as described at the bottom of this review:
[a href=\"http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/reviews/pantone_huey.html]http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/reviews...tone_huey.html[/url])
« Last Edit: May 14, 2006, 03:42:00 pm by Serge Cashman »
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digitaldog

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Pantone Huey for monitor calibration?
« Reply #13 on: May 14, 2006, 05:06:43 pm »

Quote
...and to openly state the various targets they use for Illuminant and Gamma while you're at it...

(the targets seem to be as described at the bottom of this review:
http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/reviews...tone_huey.html)
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=65442\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Here are the numbers behind the descriptions:

1) Gaming
-----------------------------------------------------
Color Setting:               Neutral
Contrast Setting:           Low
 
2) Web Browsing & Photo Editing
-----------------------------------------------------
Color Setting:               Neutral
Contrast Setting:           Medium
 
3) Grafic Design & Video Editing
-----------------------------------------------------
Color Setting:               Neutral
Contrast Setting:           High
 
4) Custom: Warm, low contrast
5) Custom: Warm, medium contrast
6) Custom: Warm, high contrast
7) Custom: Cool, low contrast
8) Custom: Cool, medium contrast
9) Custom: Cool, high contrast
 
…with:
 
Cool =                         7500K
Medium =                    6500K
Warm =                       5000K
 
…and:
 
Low contrast =            1.8
Medium contrast =      2.2
High contrast =            2.5
 
They decided to describe the settings rather than to offer the technical background, simply because huey is targeting a customer segment that is not familiar with colormanagement terms, they might not even know what an ICC profile is.
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Serge Cashman

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Pantone Huey for monitor calibration?
« Reply #14 on: May 14, 2006, 06:09:46 pm »

Excellent information. But what's "neutral"? Is it "native" or 6500K? <edit> Northlight Images suggests it's D65...
« Last Edit: May 14, 2006, 06:21:40 pm by Serge Cashman »
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digitaldog

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« Reply #15 on: May 14, 2006, 06:54:28 pm »

Quote
Excellent information. But what's "neutral"? Is it "native" or 6500K?[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=65454\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

CCT 6500K
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Serge Cashman

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« Reply #16 on: May 14, 2006, 09:16:46 pm »

Quote
CCT 6500K
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=65460\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
Thank you.  So I guess it's not D65 even though the profile name implies it. Obviously I don't know the difference in the first place.
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digitaldog

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Pantone Huey for monitor calibration?
« Reply #17 on: May 14, 2006, 09:31:32 pm »

Quote
Thank you.  So I guess it's not D65 even though the profile name implies it. Obviously I don't know the difference in the first place.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=65466\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

No I doubt it. GMB doesn't use standard illuminants like D65 (although I've asked them to) but instead use correlated color temperature values. There is a difference. D65 is an exact color of white and 6500K is a range of colors. Not that we know setting either in a software package is producing that color (in actuality, neither is possible). But at least when we ask for D65, we're asking for an exact color and when we ask for 6500K, its anyone's guess what color of white is being used for that target because 6500K could be anywhere within a range of colors.
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32BT

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« Reply #18 on: May 15, 2006, 01:42:00 am »

Quote
No I doubt it. GMB doesn't use standard illuminants like D65 (although I've asked them to) but instead use correlated color temperature values. There is a difference. D65 is an exact color of white and 6500K is a range of colors. Not that we know setting either in a software package is producing that color (in actuality, neither is possible). But at least when we ask for D65, we're asking for an exact color and when we ask for 6500K, its anyone's guess what color of white is being used for that target because 6500K could be anywhere within a range of colors.

a CCT is NOT a range of colors. The relation between color and temperature is mathematically defined and can be shown as a curve called the planckian locus. (I believe you call it the black body radiator curve in your book). A cct by definition is a point ON the planckian locus or BBRC. If you ask for 6500K you are asking for a well defined point ON the planckian locus.
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digitaldog

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« Reply #19 on: May 15, 2006, 08:43:31 am »

Quote
a CCT is NOT a range of colors. The relation between color and temperature is mathematically defined and can be shown as a curve called the planckian locus. (I believe you call it the black body radiator curve in your book). A cct by definition is a point ON the planckian locus or BBRC. If you ask for 6500K you are asking for a well defined point ON the planckian locus.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=65478\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

If we were referring to a true black body then yes, that point would be an exact point on the plankian radiator curve. Since virtually no device behaves this way, using CCT 6500K we define is a range of colors running perpendicular to that black body curve; the lines of correlated temperature. By using CCT, as you point out, I'm referring to a point on that line (the exact point isn't defined). But clearly one point on either end of that line of correlated color tempature isn't the same color of white. The illustration from the book is enclosed.
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