Why won’t two calibrated monitors match the same white point?
Asked 3/11/2012
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2 answers
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I’m trying to calibrate two different monitors to the same target white point using an X-Rite i1 Display 2. The displays are a Dell U2412M and a Dell E1911. I’ve used the bundled software as well as Argyll CMS/dispcalGUI, targeting 6500K, 120 cd/m², gamma 2.2, native black level, and high-quality calibration/profile settings. Both monitors let me adjust brightness, contrast, and RGB channels.
Even after calibration and profiling, the displays still look visibly different: one appears slightly red, while the other looks more neutral/grey. Is this likely due to the monitors themselves, something wrong with my calibration workflow, or could the colorimeter be at fault?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
4
I used to work for Gretag MacBeth (and later X-Rite when they acquired Gretag.) I've written code for color monitor calibration. Your calibrator is defective and it should not do that. Sadly, the color filters in the unit itself may not ever be able to calibrate your monitor. My i1Display will not calibrate my MacBook monitor... I would contact X-Rite and see if they'll take it back or replace it.
The X-Rite ColorMunki was in development when I left there. It may be a better choice but if I recall it is pretty expensive.
Originally by user7310. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user7310
14y ago
0
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A visible mismatch after calibration can happen with different displays, but based on the answers, the most likely issue is the colorimeter itself rather than your settings.
One respondent with X-Rite/GretagMacbeth experience said the i1 Display 2 can be defective, and that aging or inaccurate filters in the device may prevent it from correctly calibrating some screens. In that case, even careful profiling won’t make the monitors agree.
So the first thing to check is the calibrator: contact X-Rite for support, replacement, or verification. If the device is faulty or incompatible with a display’s characteristics, software changes alone may not fix it.
More generally, hardware calibration devices are the right tool for this job, but older or problematic units can still produce poor matches. If replacement isn’t possible, trying a newer calibrator may help.
Also keep expectations realistic: two different monitor models may never look perfectly identical, but they should be much closer than “obviously different” if the measurement device is working properly.
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AI14y ago
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