Calibrating Color Temperature on Production Monitor

[Soreyrith Um]

I think you’ve discovered that what’s considered “white” is very subjective. Your eyes are very adaptable.

D65 is the proper setting because that’s basically what all the TV’s and production monitors are balanced to. If your D65 setting looks too amber, I would suggest comparing the output to some regular TV’s or a CRT production monitor. If the colors are different, then the color balance on your monitors may be off. Then it’s time to get a colorimeter, like a Spyder or similar device, and color balance the monitors. Monitors have a tendency to drift, so it’s a good idea to color balance every 6 months or so.

I ended up buying a refurbished Sencore CP288 color analyzer on eBay. They were designed for CRT’s, but they work on LCD’s, too (though maybe not as well). Haven’t gotten it yet, so I can’t say how well it works. But I think some other people on this site also use the same product.

http://www.HotSpotsOnline.com

[Peter Swartz]

Would you please tell me specific other brands, model numbers I should look for in addition to looking for a Sony BKM-14L Prob for my new CRT.

Thanks, PEte

[Tristan Summers]

If you read the manual for the PVM, you will see a list of probes it is possible to use, though I have only ever found one of them for sale at around £800. I have seen one BKM 14L sell for around £400.

It may also be worth looking at Spectracal’s newer products and solutions, as the ISF found that many monitors, even calibrated with Sony’s rather expensive probe were way off REC 709 or other standards and cheaper, manual options may actually get you a more accurate image than the automated probe. Having said that, I haven’t managed to do this yet. I have Sencore generator and a couple of X-Rite probes but have never managed to get Calman to work so may be looking at other software options.

I also think it is worth looking at a calibrated Panasonic (or Pioneer if you can find one) plasma as an option. Again I am yet to properly calibrate my Pioneer. But I think it can get pretty close. For way less than the varying standarsd of professional monitors.

By the way, the BKM14L is listed in the PVM manuals as being the recommended probe for white balancing.

It tends to ship with the HD CRT monitors so a rental company may offer it for rental separately.