[WinMac] Re: Darker PC graphics than Mac graphics?

Dan Schwartz(expresso[at]snip.net)
Sun, 21 Feb 1999 12:49:42 -0500

        Dear Walter:

        I work with an individual photographer (with whom I'm the Webmaster -
Click on the link in my .SIG) as well as a photography studio/plant
(Malyshko Studios). You probably hit the nail on the head with the 2.2 vs
1.8 gamma issue.

        [This also explains the 2.4 gamma required to accurately display the
output from a Fujix Pictrograph color photo printer that both of these
locations own. Thanks are due to Rob Faulkner and his sharp eye for
detecting this.]

        As to the issue of your wife's test tube display issue, even specifying
the OS and gamma isn't too good because of the variance in the user's
monitor contrast and brightness settings. As a starting point when the
Colortron calibrator <http://www.x-rite.com> they have you first turn up
the contrast all the way, then back it down until you can barely discern 4
white boxes; then adjust the brightness until 4 very dark grey - to - black
are also just barely discernible. This technique can also be used by your
wife when I can find

At 01:00 AM 2/21/99 -0500, Walter wrote:
>Dan Schwartz wrote:
>
>>About halfway down, there was a paragraph that I'm quoting below; but
>the issue
>>merits discussion here - Mainly that games created on the
>>Mac and ported to the PC appear too dark. The default Mac settings are
>for a gamma of >1.8, and a 9300 degree white point.
>
>>What am I missing here?
>
>That's correct as far as it goes. Most people don't get wrapped up in
>the gamma problem until they start putting photos on the web.
>
>Well, there's the reverse, games created on a PC and ported to mac will
>tend to have too bright graphics for the same reason. Same with any
>graphics. PC's are poorly standardized for gamma and may be anywhere
>from a gamma of 2.0-2.5 or so. The average PC gamma is considered to be 2.2.
>
>This is a greater deal in photography for the web. Not only will the
>gamma vary quite a bit in different PC's, but the color balance may also
>be different i.e. the "gamma" for each color differs. Think about
>putting up web pages of instructions for lab tests (as my wife does) and
>the reading is made by the exact color/brightness found in the test
>tube. Best she's found is to specify the gamma and OS on the page.
>
>Even the supposedly safe 216 color "netscape" set looks different at
>different gamma's. What was a nice tan background may become playmate
>pink or worse.
>
>On the mac side, there is standardization. Although you can set your mac
>to 2.2 or so gamma to simulate a average PC, if you are doing graphics
>for transfer to the PC. In the case of ported graphics, that's just
>sloppy to leave them on the wrong gamma.
>
>I don't know enough about PC's to know if a universal gamma setting is
>available. You'd need something like that as I doubt that the game would
>have a gamma setting. For macs, this is a easy work around, just set the
>gamma to whatever the game was designed at.
>
>If you search the web under gamma, you will find lots of practical
discussions.
>
>Walt
>wwknapp@mindspring.com
>
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>
>

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