Mac Color Calibration

[amarpunmagar]

Hey guys, I have never had an apple computer before and just recently got a iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2015)" iMac for print & designing. It comes color calibrated. It's currently set to the iMac color profile but there are also some other options included. I know Adobe RGB 98 is one. What is the best color profile for print & designing? I shoot commercial work and my work is used for print and gets printed by me.

[Frans v.d. Geest · Accepted solution]

The color profile for your display can just be one: the one for your display 😉 Other profiles will be wrong (it is not the same principle as setting profiles for documents). That said: if you really want good colors you should profile and calibrate your display with a measurment devive like ColorMunki or EyeOne: these will create a profile that is specific for your dsplay (a D65 with 2.2 gamma is most common).

[cmgap]

'I shoot commercial work and my work is used for print'

What kind of printer are you using and for what kind of work? Are you printing photos from InDesign?

[Mike Witherell]

Leave it on the iMac color profile until you get an Eye-1 calibrator. After operating the calibrator/colorimeter device, you will have a new, custom profile for your monitor that replaces the default original one.

Adobe RGB 1998 is a good choice for your color management method setup for RGB pictures. It is used as the house color space. You set this in Photoshop CC > Edit > Color Settings. Save a named color settings file. Afterwards, go to Bridge > Color Settings and click on your newly named .CSF file. This will cause the Bridge to go forth and change InDesign, Illustrator, and Acrobat to match the same house rules you set up in Photoshop.

These two sides of the coin are color management: calibrating the monitor, and setting up a color management set of house rules. I recommend you read "Real World Color Management" to gain a thorough understanding.

[Derek Cross]

Lynda.com have an excellent online video tutorial on InDesign and color management (you can get a 10-day free trial):

InDesign: Color Management