Canon Picture Style

Both Windows XP and the Mac OS X systems offer simple built-in methods for checking your monitor. However, these basic tools do not offer the significant calibration that's possible with various monitor calibration systems which can be purchased separately.

The following steps illustrate how to perform very basic monitor calibration. Advanced users are recommended to look into high-end calibration systems for greater color control.

If you work in a Windows environment and install Adobe Photoshop Elements or similar software, the software will automatically install Adobe Gamma control panel documentation. Open this file and calibrate your monitor to eliminate its unique color differences.

Opening the Adobe Gamma file will start the Adobe Gamma wizard. You can then adjust the various display properties of your monitor, moving from one property to the next by clicking the Next button.

Here, you can adjust the brightness and contrast of your monitor.
For contrast, you should use the highest setting. Adjust brightness to match the brightness of the surrounding physical environment.

Once you adjust the brightness, contrast, Gamma, white point, and other properties, your monitor will express a natural gradient from shadow to highlight at an optimal white point with a pure gray. When all the adjustments are completed, the software will generate a profile customized to your display.

Mac OS X includes the ColorSync color management system as a standard feature. Your monitor, therefore, can be calibrated by clicking the Display option on the System Preferences.

Clicking the Display option on the System Preferences and then the Calibrate button under Color will start the Display Calibrator Assistant and the interactive adjustment procedure.

Once the brightness and contrast of the monitor are adjusted, the software will begin adjusting the computer settings.

Here, the software adjusts the output signal from the computer to the monitor and sets the white point and Gamma.

Once the adjustments are finished, the color space information is saved as the ICC Profile.