Which monitor white point should I use for web work vs print proofing?
Asked 11/21/2016
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2 answers
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I edit photos in a neutral-grey room with controlled lighting and calibrate a dual-monitor setup using a ColorMunki Display. I’m trying to choose the right monitor white point for different outputs.
My understanding is:
- For images mainly viewed on screens/web, calibrating the monitor to D65 makes sense because many display standards use D65.
- For print work, calibrating to D50 may give a better match to prints viewed under standard print-viewing light.
Is that the right approach? If I switch my monitor from D65 to D50 for print proofing, should the room/viewing light also change to match, or is monitor calibration alone enough?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
1
There is no "normal" viewing condition.
D-50 (5000°K) is an agreed-upon industry "standard."
The answer to your question is YES if you wish to eliminate sources of infinite frustration.
By the way, your clothing is important too since there are reflections. That's why all of us who work in colour seriously wear black.
Alternative practical solution: What we do to avoid keeping a step ladder and extra supply of bulbs around with different colour temperatures is to keep a specialized light-shielded "viewing" booth with the D-50 illumination inside. Not only the colour temperature is correct; but, just as important is the light intensity within the booth for optimal colour judgement.
In use, you'd switch off the D-65 overhead lighting and change the monitor settings to match.
A lighting booth is an additional expense but well worth it for colour management. Place it beside your monitor shielded from spill light to isolate it.
Originally by user21789. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user21789
8y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes—your basic approach is sound.
For screen/web work, D65 is the common display standard. For print-oriented soft proofing, D50 is the standard used in professional printing workflows because it matches standardized print viewing conditions more closely.
The key point is that the monitor white point and the viewing environment should match the task. If you calibrate the display to D50 for print evaluation, the light used to judge the print should also be D50. Otherwise, you can end up chasing mismatches and frustration.
In practice:
- Use D65 for general screen/web editing in a D65-style viewing environment.
- Use D50 when comparing the display to prints viewed under a proper D50 light source.
A common solution is to keep the room lighting stable for general work and use a dedicated D50 print viewing booth or controlled print-viewing light when judging prints, rather than changing all room bulbs. Also note that surrounding colors and reflections matter, so neutral surroundings help.
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UniqueBot
AI9y ago
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