5K iMac and Color Calibration Off

[LeonD]

I recently upgraded my computer to a late 2015 27" iMac with a 5K monitor.  In printing recently, I ran into a color calibration issue and I'm trying to find the cause.

My path is as follows: Xtrans RAW files in Lightroom 6; the above computer with the monitor calibrated with a four year old Colormunki Display; printed on an Epson R3000 with Cone inks; using Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper Luster with both Epson and Cone printer profiles.

As a side comment, when profiling the monitor, I started with a D65 white point, 2.2 gamma, white LED for Tech Type and 100 for luminance.  My prints were too dark.  I repeatedly lowered my luminance till my prints equaled the monitor's brightness.  At that point the luminance was set at 55.

As an example, with a recent print of brownish woods with birch trees, there was some golden grass.  In the print though, the gold had a reddish hue.  The only thing that fixed it was boosting orange and yellow hue.  This made the print look good but now the monitor looked off.

Here are a few things I'm wondering:

1. Could the four year old Colormunki Display not be compatible with the new 5K display?
2. Does the profile sensor wear out?  Could the four year old Colormunki Display just be worn out?
3. The Cone ink is four years old.  Does ink expire with age?  Is it too old?

Any ideas on what I should try first?

Thanks.

[howardm]

just as a quick aside, have you made sure you have the latest version of the software to drive the Munki?

Verify via the ColorSync Utility that the monitor is using the created Munki profile.

The unit shouldn't wear out (like the previous generation of device which had plastic filters) and I have heard of
others successfully using it w/ a iMac 5K. 

Consider trying alternate software  displaycalGUI & Argyllcms.

Try printing out a reference image so you can siee if the inks are weird but I'm assuming it all worked OK w/ your previous computer.

[Doug Gray]

just as a quick aside, have you made sure you have the latest version of the software to drive the Munki?

Verify via the ColorSync Utility that the monitor is using the created Munki profile.

The unit shouldn't wear out (like the previous generation of device which had plastic filters) and I have heard of
others successfully using it w/ a iMac 5K. 

Consider trying alternate software  displaycalGUI & Argyllcms.

Try printing out a reference image so you can siee if the inks are weird but I'm assuming it all worked OK w/ your previous computer.

^This is critical. When changing computers you should always print a reference image. One that you already have a print for.  This isolates the problem. On a computer change the first order of business is to check the printer path. If that produces identical results then go after the monitor. If it doesn't match don't try to adjust the monitor as that will, at best, produce marginal improvements and make things harder going forward.

Then check out digitaldog's really excellent videos.

[Simon J.A. Simpson]

I recently upgraded my computer to a late 2015 27" iMac with a 5K monitor.  In printing recently, I ran into a color calibration issue and I'm trying to find the cause.

My path is as follows: Xtrans RAW files in Lightroom 6; the above computer with the monitor calibrated with a four year old Colormunki Display; printed on an Epson R3000 with Cone inks; using Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper Luster with both Epson and Cone printer profiles.

As a side comment, when profiling the monitor, I started with a D65 white point, 2.2 gamma, white LED for Tech Type and 100 for luminance.  My prints were too dark.  I repeatedly lowered my luminance till my prints equaled the monitor's brightness.  At that point the luminance was set at 55.

As an example, with a recent print of brownish woods with birch trees, there was some golden grass.  In the print though, the gold had a reddish hue.  The only thing that fixed it was boosting orange and yellow hue.  This made the print look good but now the monitor looked off.

Here are a few things I'm wondering:

1. Could the four year old Colormunki Display not be compatible with the new 5K display?
2. Does the profile sensor wear out?  Could the four year old Colormunki Display just be worn out?
3. The Cone ink is four years old.  Does ink expire with age?  Is it too old?

Any ideas on what I should try first?

Thanks.

It might be down to the version of ColorMunki software you are running.

Version 1.1.1 will produce accurate monitor profiles but inaccurate print profiles.  Version 1.2.1 will produce accurate print profiles but not monitor profiles.  See: ColorMunki Photo / ColorMunki Design Not Fit For Purpose (OSX) .  I now have to use both versions of the software depending on what I want to profile.

It’s c**p I know.  X–Rite are aware of the problem (extensive exchange of emails with Tech Support) but decline to do anything about it.  BTW, for reference, the profiles I created with 1.2.1 create a yellow/brownish looking monitor image which is much to dark and with crushed blacks.  Not often you hear “my monitor is too dark” !   

[howardm]

they really need to fire their whole software QA group and replace them w/ non-janitors

[Pictus]

It was already mentioned, but I will say again...
Use Argyll+dispCAL for monitor and Argyll for printers and you will get better results...

[LeonD]

What's the relationship between Argyll and DisplayCAL?  For profiling my monitor, are both needed?  It seems like I would just use DisplayCAL.

It was already mentioned, but I will say again...
Use Argyll+dispCAL for monitor and Argyll for printers and you will get better results...

[howardm]

DisplayCAL is just a fancy front-end GUI that lays on top of the command-line-only Argyll tools.

It's Argyll that does all the 'real' work.

If you are comfortable with command line interface and are semi-masochistic, you dont even need displayCAL

And if you do use Argyll, pls be sure to throw the developer some $$.  There's been a huge amount of work put into it.

[MDScarbrough]

I noted in your original post, that you profiled using a "white LED" tech type. My understanding is that the late 2015 iMac's changed to a non-white LED to expand the color gamut and meet DPI-P3 specs. Might that have anything to do with the problem? I'm a newbie and am currently considering an iMac, so perhaps the experts here can comment on whether that might have anything to do with your problem.

[LeonD]

Thanks for all the feedback.  I've been off trying your different recommendations.

For the Colormunki Display, there was really only one release of software so I knew I had the latest.

I had used one of Andrew's reference pics recently but only for brightness.  I tried it again for color matching.  It was WAY off.  So far off that I ran a check on the print head.  One of the colors was almost completely blocked.  And the heads needed aligning.  In all the time I've owned the printer, I've never had any blockage or alignment issues.  And I'm using the printer more than ever.  Go figure.

So I fix that and the prints were better but still not perfect.  So I tried Argyll and DisplayCAL software.  It took forever to profile the monitor.  Once configured, I disabled all the corrections I made to my test print.  Sent it thru the printer and it came out almost perfect!  I need to do some more printing with this profile to say it's a complete winner but I think I may be making a donation in the near future.

[Ian Matthews]

Can any one confirm that it possible to calibrate a 5K iMac with a Colormunki Photo?
I have just upgraded my 2009 27" with the latest 27" 5K. I have tried all settings with the Colormunki Photo (yes the auto-brightness is turned off) but the blacks always seem too scrunched up.

Specifically with my old iMac I was able to get the the gamma check at Imaging Resource to display correctly and the centre square would disappear but now it is far too dark.

Do I need to get a Colormunki Display or even an i1 Pro?

Thanks

[Ian Matthews]

Can any one confirm that it possible to calibrate a 5K iMac with a Colormunki Photo?
I have just upgraded my 2009 27" with the latest 27" 5K. I have tried all settings with the Colormunki Photo (yes the auto-brightness is turned off) but the blacks always seem too scrunched up.

Specifically with my old iMac I was able to get the the gamma check at Imaging Resource to display correctly and the centre square would disappear but now it is far too dark.

Do I need to get a Colormunki Display or even an i1 Pro?

Thanks

Answering my own question slightly - I have been able to improve things by using the x-rite uninstaller and then reinstalling colormunki software again. The blacks are no longer scrunched up and things look much more like I previously edited them and there doesn't seem to be any color cast, D65 120. However the Gamma checker still doesn't look right, I'm not sure if this is a real problem?

Thanks.