Calibrating Macbook Pro retina display

[tsinsf]

I have a Mac Pro and NEC monitor which has it's own calibration system. This is what I use for photo editing and printing. I recently got a 15 inch Macbook Pro with Retina Display to take on the road for my photo safaris. I would like to calibrate it's screen; I will only be using it to view photos in the evening after photo shoots. So,I don't need state of the art accurate calibration. I am considering the Color Munki Smile ($89) which gets good reviews but lacks the ability to set the Luminance Value. I'm used to having to set a low value (90-100) to bring the screen brightness down on my desktop monitor so that my prints look right. I don't know enought about Retina Display monitors and their brightness adjustability to make the decision about the Color Munki Smile on my new laptop.  Please help me decide if I really need to be able to set the Luminance Value. And while your at it, since I'm not printing from this computer do I really even need to calibrate it?I'd love the technical reasons for your advice. Thanks!!

[digitaldog]

Setting luminance is key to produce a good display to screen match since the print is under some kind of illuminant of some intensity. If you don't need to do this, and it sounds like that is the case with the MacBook, set it as low as you wish such that your battery and the display itself will last longer. Lower isn't going to produce an issue where "my prints look to light" because again, you're not using the display for this kind of match.

[rubencarmona]

Yep, setting the luminance value correctly is a must.

Therefore I would highly recommend you a sensor with ambient light sensor. You can get on from around 120 bucks (Spyder4PRO).

[D Fosse]

Therefore I would highly recommend you a sensor with ambient light sensor.

For a travelling laptop that might make sense, but personally I absolutely hate that. Just another uncontrollable variable. Much better to aim for a consistent viewing environment.

Aside from that, the luminance can be set manually by aiming for paper white. It's pretty easy to visualize, at least ballpark. If you can "see" paper white on screen, you're basically there.

[John S C]

One small point to remember is that the MacBook has the option to drop the screen illumination automatically  when on battery power. You can turn this off in System Prefs. Can screw up the calibration if you calibrate with the mac on mains power then use it on battery.

[digitaldog]

For a travelling laptop that might make sense, but personally I absolutely hate that.

Me too. Simply a silly concept as well as execution.