Need help with survey

[Arkady]

Hello Fellow Photographers,

We are in process of creating a monitor calibration/profiling software. And we want to hear your voice on features you'd like to have and problems you would like to be resolved. So could please complete our survey. The survey takes only 3-7minutes. We don't share any personal information. No spam or sales. Only those who sign up for beta-test program will receive an e-mail notification once the program is in place.

Survey

If you have any questions or suggestion please feel free to pm me or post here.

Hopefully it won't be considered as an ad. We don't have any attractive information in the site and don't sell or advertise anything there.

Thanks, Arkady.

[Arkady]

We would like to thank people who's already participated.
We're glad that some of you went an extra mile and write suggestions. There is a couple repeating questions/suggestions that I would like answer here:

1. Some of you asked about info about the product. We can not publish specs of the product because the post will be qualified as an advertisement.
2. The reason why we didn't make a more fine-grained response for measurement devices and monitors is to make the survey as short as possible. As some of you correctly pointed out it is important information but number of brands and models on the market is enormous and listing even part of them will make a list of available choices too big.


Thank you again, Arkady

[Arkady]

Interestingly, in the survey there is question regarding buy software vs pay per calibration. It seems majority prefer to buy. If you participated, could you elaborate?

Thanks, Arkady

[Peter Mueller]

Interestingly, in the survey there is question regarding buy software vs pay per calibration. It seems majority prefer to buy. If you participated, could you elaborate?

Thanks, Arkady

Hi Arkady,

I'd also prefer to buy and said so in the survey.  That way I can be sure I am not charged for making mistakes in the use of the software.  Even though I make a living in front of a computer, I come up with quite a few user errors (that actually is the reason why a company I consult for pays me to beta test their software -- if there is a wrong way to use it I will find it promptly).  If I had to pay every time I use a specific software, I'd be also paying for every time I use it incorrectly, which may more expensive than owning it.  

Another more specific reason to buy color calibration software: if you have to pay for every calibration you are more likely to calibrate less frequently in order to save money, even though it may be better for the quality of your pictures to do so more often.

Cheers,

Peter

[Arkady]

I'd also prefer to buy and said so in the survey.  That way I can be sure I am not charged for making mistakes in the use of the software.  Even though I make a living in front of a computer, I come up with quite a few user errors (that actually is the reason why a company I consult for pays me to beta test their software -- if there is a wrong way to use it I will find it promptly).  If I had to pay every time I use a specific software, I'd be also paying for every time I use it incorrectly, which may more expensive than owning it.  

Another more specific reason to buy color calibration software: if you have to pay for every calibration you are more likely to calibrate less frequently in order to save money, even though it may be better for the quality of your pictures to do so more often.

Cheers,

Peter

Thank you Peter.  I see your reasoning. Pay as you go system works slightly differently - it allows for significant reduction of  software/hardware/operator errors and mistakes.

[Czornyj]

Thank you Peter.  I see your reasoning. Pay as you go system works slightly differently - it allows for significant reduction of  software/hardware/operator errors and mistakes.

But you still have to pay when you're looking for optimal calibration settings, or working with various calibration targets.

[Arkady]

But you still have to pay when you're looking for optimal calibration settings, or working with various calibration targets.

Thank you. It is a good question.
I am afraid I pushing the hospitality envelope by discussing features so I will be short. The calibration scenario allows user to find  and actually facilitates optimal calibration (using some kind of AI) free of charge. So the short answer for the first half of your question is "no". Our concept of a calibration includes much of the quest for the optimal calibration.
 
Regarding second part: Could you elaborate what you mean by saying "working with various calibration targets"?

Thank you, Arkady

[Czornyj]

Regarding second part: Could you elaborate what you mean by saying "working with various calibration targets"?

There are various editing spaces with various white points and TRC's. Popular editing spaces like sRGB and Adobe RGB base on illuminant D65 and gamma 2.2, ProPhoto, ECI v1 and (in a matter of sense) CMYK base on D50 and gamma 1.8, and ECI v2, L*a*b base on D50 and L*. In case of high-bit LUT panel it's optimal to calibrate it to TRC of commonly used color space to avoid banding. So for example - I've made two calibration targets for my NEC: D55 gamma 1.8 for pre-press work, and D65 gamma 2.2 for internet etc., calibrated and profiled my display for each of them, and switch them every time I need.

[Arkady]

There are various editing spaces with various white points and TRC's. Popular editing spaces like sRGB and Adobe RGB base on illuminant D65 and gamma 2.2, ProPhoto, ECI v1 and (in a matter of sense) CMYK base on D50 and gamma 1.8, and ECI v2, L*a*b base on D50 and L*. In case of high-bit LUT panel it's optimal to calibrate it to TRC of commonly used color space to avoid banding. So for example - I've made two calibration targets for my NEC: D55 gamma 1.8 for pre-press work, and D65 gamma 2.2 for internet etc., calibrated and profiled my display for each of them, and switch them every time I need.

Thank you for clarification. At this point the concept is similar to a department store shopping style. A user may try as many parameters/calibrations  as s/he wants. Till the user says - I want this to take with me - no financial transaction is going to occur.

While we mostly expect that people will tune calibration parameters (white point, black point, TRC and so on) to achieve better quality and better print match rather then editing space match, your scenario should work just fine.