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Lighting 2.0 and Monitor color calibration?

nephitisnephitis Member Posts: 456 Arc User
Okay, I know the answer to this question is highly subjective but I feel like asking it anyways. Some of it will be related to STO but the other half will be more general. So here goes...

Ever since Lighting 2.0 was introduced it altered lighting and shadows quite significantly and almost beyond recognition. This also means a major difference in how colors are represented. It can be difficult to tell whether On or Off provides better color representation if we're just talking about colors alone.

Also, I just happened to have upgraded my monitor less than a day ago from a Samsung S27A950 to an LG 38UC99.

Apart from screen size and IPS panel the LG one is more of a professional monitor with more accurate color representation. But the two of them are quite different in brightness, contrast and especially color temperature. I noticed this especially when going to the Winterland and observing the color of the ice and snow. The Samsung one is more bluish and the LG one is more neutral with greater distinction between white and dark as well greater distinction between different colors. It was neither warm or cold but offers a great selection of customization (RGB, YCbCr, six color adjustments and 10-bit mode).

So here is my question - what color temperature do you generally prefer for your monitor? Warm or Cool, or something custom and what would that be? That is to say, a more yellowish tint or bluish tint to white for example?

I know I can only use my myself as reference but I would like to know what seems to be the generally more chosen golden standard. Feel free to speak of the Kelvin color scale such as 6500K to describe your choice.

I'm not really very knowledgeable in matters such as proper contrast ratio, gamma and color representation so I am calling out for possible better expertise among you players.
Post edited by nephitis on

Comments

  • wendysue53wendysue53 Member Posts: 1,569 Arc User
    the visual colors of every monitor are different, even with two monitors exactly the same chosen at random from the same factory. You can end up with one that has a green cast no matter what you do, one that has a pink cast, one that tints everything grey/black, or even end up watching things in purple. After a time you won't notice it, but it is glaringly obvious when in the presence of a more correct monitor display. Has to do with quality control. I'd go with the monitor that has more 'exact to life' colorations, as that helps prevent oddities when doing graphics. You really could say that it doesn't matter what monitor you use, just how well it works for what you need it to do.

    as for STOs 2.0 update? Yeah, cool concept. Bad implementation. The best thing most players who are not on console can do is to turn it off before it causes issues. It helps a lot with atmospherics and general ambiance, but all my characters end up looking like plastic dolls, and it only increases the lag/stutter that occurs in over-crowded instances. not going against it, just pointing that out. More animations, the less STO seems to work right, and it has nothing to do with my comp so much as the game itself.

    Originally, I thought you were talking ACTUAL temp of your monitor getting hot from your title, but I see that was just a mistake in reading it and that you meant ambiance rather than real temperature. My first response would have been: "Pull the plug and buy a new one if it's running hot". But that was way off.

    Blue or Red? Hmm. Have you ever run a marathon? Not one of those short 5k races, but a real marathon? One of the side-effects of the strain is that the natural pigment of the eye increases. With one, everything takes a heave red cast, with the other it all turns blue and the lesser colors fade. (now if they turn grey, you're frigged, and about to pass out). For some people the red is on the right eye, for others it's the left. It's how those old 3d film goggles used to work.

    what I'm saying is that I guess it'd be personal preference verses work requirements and such.

    I said too much.
  • nephitisnephitis Member Posts: 456 Arc User
    edited December 2016
    Alright, I changed to title to clarify what I meant.

    I have been reading around a little bit and it seems like the consensus for correct color representation sits somewhere around the 6500K color temperature. And for those who wonder, that color temperature seems to represent the more whitish LED color. Anything lower generates a more yellowish or candlelight tint (old halogen bulbs), and anything higher generates a more bluish or Xenon tint.

    Among monitor manufacturers they call it either Warm or Cool. Some monitors may even use the Kelvin temperature scale such as 9300K for cool, 6500K for neutral and something like 5000K for warm.

    And what I meant is that Lighting 2.0 completely changes how colors in STO are represented on your monitor regardless of your color settings, or RGB settings (Red, Green, Blue). And to clarify my question, what is your general preference when you calibrate your monitor?

    Here is an example of color temperature:
    House_Master.jpg
  • wendysue53wendysue53 Member Posts: 1,569 Arc User
    I aim for white being actually white, since art I print has to match up with my printer, so I have to run a bunch of test to get ink and monitor colors to match. Never really pay attention to the color values or the exact number, since that changes depending on the printer I have to use or whether I'm working with digital output.
  • nebfabnebfab Member Posts: 672 Arc User
    Frankly, you'd never see the exact same colours the devs do. So, while some really weird settings are probably a bad idea, I usually go with personal preference and don't worry about it too much where playing games or watching videos is concerned.

    It's different if you're making stuff, especially serious photo editing or video. Then you need at least some consistency between your camera, the monitor and the printer, unless you want to look like you have absolutely no clue.
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