Gamma Question

Hello,

I have a question regarding gamma. I just upgraded my Mac Pro editing stations to FCP7, and I was wondering what gamma to set my monitors to when I calibrate them? It has been my understanding that with past versions of FCP, all computer monitors should be set to 1.8 gamma while any external video monitors should be set to 2.2 gamma. Right now, I am running two Samsung computer monitors - one as the main workspace and one in Cinema Desktop Preview mode.

Do I still want to calibrate both monitors with 1.8 gamma and native white point, or do I need to use different gamma/white point settings?

I've also heard a rumor that Snow Leopard will change Mac gamma to 2.2. Does anybody know if there is any validity to this and what it will mean for FCP7?

Thank you,
Patrick

Various model 8-core Mac Pros
most of them with ATI Radeon HD 4870s
OS 10.5.8
FCS3, Logic Studio 2 (or whatever you call them now) & CS4

Doing photo work on them? Because no matter what, you should not use them to judge the quality of the color of the footage in FCP.


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Don't calibrate your computer monitors at all. It's a waste of time and money. Use only your broadcast monitor to judge color.

And the default gamma change in 10.6 will have no effect at all on Final Cut.

>Do I still want to calibrate both monitors with 1.8 gamma and native white point, or do I need to
>use different gamma/white point settings?

I believe both monitors should be calibrated to 1.8, but you never judge colors off anything except a broadcast monitor.... Okay, accuracy is becoming a moving target these days. I do use the computer monitor as a comparison when I'm doing more intense grading so I know how far off the spectrum i can get in a worst case scenario, and I'll then tweak it so both pictures look "right". But basically what you see in FCP is only a simulation of the real thing, since the signal to your computer monitor isn't a proper broadcast video signal.

>Right now, I am running two Samsung computer monitors - one as the main workspace and one
>in Cinema Desktop Preview mode.

What I last read in the manual, I recall a mention that the Cinema Desktop Preview mode should be used for offline work (of course, nothing beats a broadcast monitor).



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Jeff Harrell Wrote:
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> And the default gamma change in 10.6 will have no
> effect at all on Final Cut.

My understanding was that FCP adjusted the preview video gamma to compensate for the default Mac gamma. As benign as that happens to be, wouldn't it be effected by Snow Leopard's 2.2 gamma?

- Justin Barham -

Snow Leopard isn't out yet, so I won't make presumptions.



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Apple Support -- Mac OS X 10.6: About gamma 2.2

- Justin Barham -