Apple Snow Leopard 10.6 Changes 1.8 Mac Gamma
2.2 Default Monitor Gamma
Explanation Why, Advice Should I Switch to 2.2?
In my lay style for lay Mac users (like me)
© 2009 www.gballard.net Main Site

ABOVE IMAGE
is optimized
full color gamut
perfect saturation
best corrected color
properly set black point
proper set white point
proper gray balance
PC native gamma
in tagged sRGB.

- Notice the neutrality
and distinct steps in
the gray bar. -

Above ROLLOVER
SIMULATES
bad monitor calibration
and/or a bad file
clipping colors
clipped histogram
clip blacks whites
over saturated RGB
color cast color
color tints
green magenta red
blue yellow
white point
posterized colors
global bad color.

BAD MONITOR PROFILES
can also cause
good files - these files
to display in
Black & White sepia
with no color or in
weird neon colors.

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APPLE SWITCHED DEFAULT PROFILE MONITOR GAMMA TO 2.2

Apple has changed their new OS-X 10.6 operating system, aka Snow Leopard, to set its default monitor RGB to 2.2 gamma. Apple has historically used 1.8 gamma by default.

This is actually pretty big news for Mac users who ever wondered why their Internet browser color looks light and washed out, or why their web photos look great in Photoshop and in Safari, but display bad color on the web and on Windows PC computers like XP and Vista.

The reasons for switching now may be because enough people complained to Apple about their approach to using 1.8 monitor gamma and ColorSync, or if new young blood at Apple was able to make the changes. It remains to been noted, however, if the Apple geniuses follow through and enable a ColorSync setting to assume sRGB, versus ColorSync defaulting to a custom device-dependent monitor profile.

Apple will have to make the changes to how ColorSync treats untagged color if it wants to solve fix the existing red saturation problems with the new popular wide-gamut monitors.

HERE if you want help CALIBRATING MAC MONITORS.

PROBLEMS WITH 1.8 Mac GAMMA, Pre 10.6 ColorSync Color Management System

The problem the OS9 OSX 10.4 10.5 Mac OSes has always had is how ColorSync treated untagged RGB — and of course the Internet is based on 2.2 gamma sRGB — ColorSync is engineered to apply its Default monitor profile to untagged RGB, and it can't be changed.

This is an antiquated approach for how color management works. The color shift is easy to PROOF in Photoshop, or your web browser.

HERE if you want help TROUBLESHOOTING MAC COLOR PROBLEMS.

Evaluate these two untagged photos in your web browser:

Normal (untagged sRGB 2.2 gamma) - Hover Over (untagged Apple RGB 1.8 gamma)

In any web browser, you should see a big shift when holding your cursor over the above image and moving off it.

I cover this issue in-depth on my Web Browser Color Management Tutorial online...

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USE 2.2 MONITOR PROFILE GAMMA

My best advice — even if your Mac is running Tiger 10.5 and earlier — calibrate profile your monitor to 2.2 gamma and 6500 (Native White Point).

AND READ apple.com article: "Color and gamma settings for print and web."

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Please read this web tutorial for more information about web browsers and color management troubleshooting.

HERE is an internet test page for evaluting 2.2 gamma monitor profiles.

For the main tutorial on the color shift with Adobe RGB (1998), for example: The colour looks unsaturated washed out when Photoshop "Save for the Web" or "Jump To" or "Edit In" ImageReady, and/or on the internet, please see my:

Color Shifts on the World Wide Web: PhotoShop® "Save for Web" ImageReady®.

For my ASSIGN Versus CONVERT to Profile tutorial.

+++++++

To DOWNLOAD ALL the high-resolution 300 ppi tutorial files to print, and this page's 72 ppi Untagged JPEGS, including the full unaltered original PDI_Target.jpg PhotoDisk PhotoDisc PDI Target file and Getty Images, PhotoDisc Licensing info:

My favorite test file (PDI_Target_AdobeRGB.jpg): PDI Graphic
DOWNLOAD PDI Target(AdobeRGB)ONLY.zip (5MB) for PC.
DOWNLOAD PDI Target(AdobeRGB)ONLY.sit (5MB) for Mac.
• PDI_Target_AdobeRGB.jpg is an excellent test file for its various skin tones and neutral gray desaturated areas and device independent ColorSpace.
• Use PDI_Target_AdobeRGB.jpg to evaluate the monitor profile in Photoshop and workflow settings.
• If Photoshop displays this AdobeRGB.jpg file with natural skintones and neutral grays, the monitor profile is at least okay.
• Likewise, if the print from this AdobeRGB.jpg file matches the monitor, the printer profile and settings are good.
• Used properly, this file can confirm a good workflow, and help troubleshoot a bad one.
• If this Adobe RGB file is good in this No-Color-Adjustment workflow, but other files are bad, the problem lies with the other files.

For sRGB, Abobe RGB (1998) and Apple RGB, Tagged and Untagged tutorial versions!
DOWNLOAD all PDI TargetFolder.zip (13MB) for PC.
DOWNLOAD all PDI TargetFolder.sit (13MB) for Mac.
Does NOT include the following iPhotoTESTfolder files.

DOWNLOAD *iPhotoTESTfolder.sit (6MB) for Mac.
DOWNLOAD *iPhotoTESTfolder.zip (6MB) for PC.
* iPhotoTESTfolder contains a collection of six files of one image in various ColorSpaces, in tagged/untagged states, designed to PROOF how the different profiles, ColorSpaces, gammas react on screen.
• iPhotoTESTfolder files are not included with the above "DOWNLOAD all" folder.
iPHOTO Test Files also reference my Assign Versus Convert Photoshop Tutorial gballard.net.

Note:
• PDI_Target images are owned and Copyrighted by PhotoDisc gettyimages.com.
• PDI_Target DOWNLOAD files have been altered by G. BALLARD for this tutorial, in accordance with PhotoDisc's licensing terms. The unaltered Photodisc JPEG and License are included in DOWNLOAD.

For Color Management printing workflow tips on using these files, please see my Photoshop Epson ColorSync WorkFlow tutorial gballard.net.

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