Calibrating/profiling a NEC 2070NX LCD

[wgoldfarb]

I just got a NEC 2070NX LCD which I will use for digital photography. I also have a Spyder that use to calibrate my CRTs, but this is the first time I will calibrate an LCD. The Spyder is supposed to work on LCDs.

I was reading the manual on the 2070 and it has many adjustments that can be done via software that do not exist on any of my CRTs -- from sharpness to color presets to many other things. Some of these adjustments will invalidate a profile if I make them after calibrating and profiling the LCD. So, I assume I should make any necessary adjustments before profiling. The question: is there a "better" starting point to calibrate and profile the monitor? Which settings (if any) should I worry about? Any suggested starting point? Or will the Spyder calibration/profiling process take care of everything no matter what the initial state of the monitor is?

With CRTs the process adjusts brightness, contrast and color temperature, and then creates the profile, so it works no matter what the initial state of the CRT is. However, the LCD has so many more possible adjustments that may or may not affect calibration/profiling, that I am somewhat at a loss as to how to start.

Thanks,

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: wgoldfarb
I just got a NEC 2070NX LCD which I will use for digital photography. I also have a Spyder that use to calibrate my CRTs, but this is the first time I will calibrate an LCD. The Spyder is supposed to work on LCDs.

I was reading the manual on the 2070 and it has many adjustments that can be done via software that do not exist on any of my CRTs -- from sharpness to color presets to many other things. Some of these adjustments will invalidate a profile if I make them after calibrating and profiling the LCD. So, I assume I should make any necessary adjustments before profiling. The question: is there a "better" starting point to calibrate and profile the monitor? Which settings (if any) should I worry about? Any suggested starting point? Or will the Spyder calibration/profiling process take care of everything no matter what the initial state of the monitor is?

Your results actually depend highly on what the monitor's settings are before you start calibration. I get drastically better results setting my monitor to brightness 25/contrast 50 and going from there (adjusting whatever the software suggests). If you will use contrast 100 to start off with, you will end up with crap to put it cleanly. I also have an NEC IPS (20WGX2) so perhaps those settings are the best for you, too.

With CRTs the process adjusts brightness, contrast and color temperature, and then creates the profile, so it works no matter what the initial state of the CRT is. However, the LCD has so many more possible adjustments that may or may not affect calibration/profiling, that I am somewhat at a loss as to how to start.

Thanks,

See how the above settings work for you. Also I recommend calibrating the LCD using the 'Native' NEC AccuColor (or w/e they call it) preset. And then, select Native white point in your calibration software. This maximizes gamut. Calibrating for L* will help reveal dark detail, too.

If you do get a profile working, would you do us all a favor and post it in our profiles thread?

(and I'll :heart: you if you bump that thread)

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...?catid=31&threadid=2002685&STARTPAGE=1

Thanks.

 

[wgoldfarb]

xtknight,

Thanks for the advice. I will probably try calibrating the monitor this weekend, I will see how it goes. If I end up with a good profile I will pots it as you suggest.

Thanks!