Should I Calibrate to Monitor's Native White Point?

[ChasP505]

How many do you think I need and what kind of fixture do you use??  Do I have to buy the track lighting or do some people on a tight budget maybe just use one or two of these bulbs in some other kind of fixture?

Although you can find an inexpensive tracklight set at your local Lowes or Home Depot, I use this clamp-on display fixture:

http://www.pegasusassociates.com/DisplayLightPDL214.html

It has optional clamps and a black lamp shield to go behind the bulb.  I only use this lamp as a poor man's viewing booth... only for viewing prints.

HA!  Gotta love the ghetto style.  I guess since I'm a girl and into the way my house looks, I'd rather get the vinyl shades from Target (which are still gonna look bad to me I'm sure) than use cardboard!

I use imitation wood slat blinds in my office and they do an awesome job.

So does anyone ever edit photos and get good screen-to-print matches without shutting the shades??

Not me...

[CarolynC]

Although you can find an inexpensive tracklight set at your local Lowes or Home Depot, I use this clamp-on display fixture:

http://www.pegasusassociates.com/DisplayLightPDL214.html

It has optional clamps and a black lamp shield to go behind the bulb.  I only use this lamp as a poor man's viewing booth... only for viewing prints.

Thanks for the link.  Is the black lamp shield necessary (I know nothing about that) and is that included when you buy this lamp or do you have to buy it as an additional accessory?

[ChasP505]

Thanks for the link.  Is the black lamp shield necessary (I know nothing about that) and is that included when you buy this lamp or do you have to buy it as an additional accessory?

The black lamp shield is to block light dispersion from the back of the bulb. It's an option and about $5.00 additional.  It's not necessary if you use the special black Solux bulbs.

This lamp is nearly identical to the one Solux sells for $40 more.

[digitaldog]

I have a question for you digital dog - Since I'm using SpectraView to set my white point at 4500k, what option should I choose in MultiProfiler in Picture Mode, Adobe RGB or Full?

That depends on what you want from MultiProfiler. You can use just that instead of SpectrView. Or you can use it to simulate another color space (like sRGB or Adobe RGB (1998), or the full gamut of the display).

[CarolynC]

The black lamp shield is to block light dispersion from the back of the bulb. It's an option and about $5.00 additional.  It's not necessary if you use the special black Solux bulbs.

This lamp is nearly identical to the one Solux sells for $40 more.

Thanks for clearing that up, I'll just get the black Solux bulbs then.  The one thing I'm trying to figure out is this lamp that you have looks like it clamps to a wall.  I'm looking for something that clamps to my desk. I guess if I buy an optional clamp, it would work on my desk?

Also, this lamp says it includes a 50W 12V MR16 bulb.  Is that a Solux bulb that's included or did you have to order a separate Solux bulb here:  http://www.pegasusassociates.com/SoLuxlamp.html

One more question... Not sure what "beam spread" to order on the Solux bulbs.... 10, 17, 24 or 36.  I think the biggest print I'll be looking at is like an 8x12.  Any advice on beam spread would help.

[CarolynC]

That depends on what you want from MultiProfiler. You can use just that instead of SpectrView. Or you can use it to simulate another color space (like sRGB or Adobe RGB (1998), or the full gamut of the display).

Someone told me to use MultiProfiler to get back to the original factory calibration on my monitor.  After you told me I don't have to stick with Native White Point though, I went back to SpectraView.  It seems like I have to go with one or the other though....MultiProfiler or SpectraView, because when I changed things in MultiProfiler and went back to SpectraView, it told me the display had been changed and asked if I want to revert back to the last SpectraView calibration.  Makes me think you need to have the same settings in each program, as far as the White Point, Gamma, etc.  True?

I guess I'm still trying to understand the point of MultiProfiler and if I even need to worry about what things are set at in  MultiProfiler for my purposes.  It confuses me.

[ChasP505]

Thanks for clearing that up, I'll just get the black Solux bulbs then.  The one thing I'm trying to figure out is this lamp that you have looks like it clamps to a wall.  I'm looking for something that clamps to my desk. I guess if I buy an optional clamp, it would work on my desk?

No idea...  The standard clamp is made to clamp onto things like table tops and the display units typically seen at arts & crafts shows. My desktop is a very long custom unit attached to the wall and it has enough of an overhang to clamp onto.  The lamp shines down onto the desk surface.  I believe that company also has conventional standing desk lamps and floor lamps which have the correct MR16 sockets to accept the Solux bulbs.  All at much less than the equivalent fixture bought directly from Solux.

Also, this lamp says it includes a 50W 12V MR16 bulb.  Is that a Solux bulb that's included or did you have to order a separate Solux bulb here:  http://www.pegasusassociates.com/SoLuxlamp.html

Actually, I bought a couple Solux bulbs and then went shopping for a lamp fixture.  I'm sure if the included bulb was a Solux, they'd tell you in bold print!

One more question... Not sure what "beam spread" to order on the Solux bulbs.... 10, 17, 24 or 36.  I think the biggest print I'll be looking at is like an 8x12.  Any advice on beam spread would help.

I'm using the 35 watt, 4700K, 24 degree bulb and it seems to work well for me.  I have mine about 5 feet from my monitor and it doesn't throw any light on the screen that I can tell.  (I also have a ghetto homemade matte black hood on my monitor)

[CarolynC]

I'm using the 35 watt, 4700K, 24 degree bulb and it seems to work well for me.

Do you use the black shield from Pegasus and it fits fine over the Solux bulb or lamp?  (or wherever you put it)  Just want to double check before I order because I noticed they don't sell the black back Solux bulbs.

I have mine about 5 feet from my monitor and it doesn't throw any light on the screen that I can tell.

With your lamp 5 feet away from the monitor, you can still hold up a print right next to the monitor and view it well with your lamp and Solux bulb?  I imagined the lamp being super close to my monitor in order to compare print to screen.  Guess it's not necessary to have it super close? 

(I also have a ghetto homemade matte black hood on my monitor)

Ha!  Would love to hear how you made it.  Is the hood absolutely necessary even after pulling the shades down on the windows?  Guess so.

I appreciate your help SO much!   

[elliot_n]

Sssshhhh.... don't tell anyone (looks around to make sure nobody is looking).... [WHISPERS] I don't screen-to-print proofing for everything [/WHISPERS]  I think you'll find that once you get to know a certain lab or printer/paper combination you'll get a good feel for what it's going to do. When I'm working with a new paper, I do A LOT of soft proofing and testing so I can get a good understanding for how a device and paper combo behaves. After I know that "hey, this particular paper doesn't really do well reproducing shadow detail below 6,6,6" then I can do what I need to do to deal with that. I'll still soft proof if I'm want to see what a certain area of the print is doing but that doesn't always require a print and if it does, there's a chance that the print is going to be off.

I'd have to agree with this. I have a viewing area to the side of my monitor (track fitting with four Solux lamps pointing at a white mag board), but it hardly gets any use these days. I print regularly enough to know what results I'll get.

Blinds, however, are essential.

[ChasP505]

I'd have to agree with this. I have a viewing area to the side of my monitor (track fitting with four Solux lamps pointing at a white mag board), but it hardly gets any use these days. I print regularly enough to know what results I'll get.

OK....  I have to admit to this too!

[PhilipCummins]

Thanks for clearing that up, I'll just get the black Solux bulbs then.  The one thing I'm trying to figure out is this lamp that you have looks like it clamps to a wall.  I'm looking for something that clamps to my desk. I guess if I buy an optional clamp, it would work on my desk?

One more question... Not sure what "beam spread" to order on the Solux bulbs.... 10, 17, 24 or 36.  I think the biggest print I'll be looking at is like an 8x12.  Any advice on beam spread would help.

You could also get an Eiko 19150 Clip-on Fixture which clips to a desk or similar + tripod mount, these are about $50 from Competitive Edge, it includes the 4700K 50w 36 degree Solux bulb (not black backed). It includes some back shielding however the edges get a bit warm from leaking light, so the center is the best for proper illumination. You could get replacement black backed bulbs to avoid this however.

From here you can calculate the beam spread, at 2' you'd get a 1.3' diameter of illumination which should be enough, might need to move the pictures a bit to make sure they're center for proper illumination.