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Is it possible to recalibrate LCD of Phase One IQ back?

Y

yashima

New member
Hi everyone,


I think the LCD of my newly acquired 2nd hand IQ back is a little bit off, image a little bit washed out with some colour cast.

The colour balance is quite alot different from Capture One import. So White Balance setting in the back wont fix that. I think it's probably a calibration problem/ICC profile problem.

Am I too spoiled with DSLR's LCD or this is actually not normal? And is it something simple that dealers are able to service or it has to be sent back to factory?

I used a couple of P backs before but IQ LCD has been also disappointing so far ..
 
Last edited:
Y

yashima

New member
Do you mean, Restore to Default? That changes different settings parameter to default, but doesnt affect the LCD ..

Do you find the images on your IQ LCD match Capture One import? Mine are quite a part in terms of colour :(
 
P

Paul2660

Well-known member
The back LCD is not a very good solution for actual color or WB. This is unlike a DSLR screen. I only use the screen for checking focus and blown highlight checking.

I would also use the "daylight" white balance setting if shooting outdoors not the auto.

Personally I have never understood this issue but over the year shave learned not to trust the LCD for color rendering or shadows. This is even more true if you are using a tech camera and have the issues of color cast.

Paul


Paul
 
Y

yashima

New member
Thank you Paul, so I'm glad I'm not alone thinking about this issue, but at the same time quite sad that's what we have to settle with.

It shouldn't be difficult to have a well calibrated LCD, or custom ICC profile :(
 
P

Paul2660

Well-known member
jlm said:
light years beyond the prior-to-IQ backs
Click to expand...
Yes, I fully agree, and the touch interface is excellent along with the zoom at 100%. Overall a great solution, I just find it strange that Phase One can't seem to get the WB/actual image color more calibrated. It used to drive me nuts, but I finally realized just use the screen for focus and highlights and worry about actual color in post with C1.

Paul
 
Don Libby

Don Libby

Well-known member
Warning - I'm feeling slightly cranky this morning.

First, I hardly ever look at the LCD of either my IQ180 orconverted Sony and when I do it's for the purpose of checking focus & histogram. While I look at the image I don't attempt tojudge the quality of the actual image in terms of color.

Side not here - I also shoot with a Sony A7r converted tocapture full spectrum and also use 3-other filters to capture infrared. In each case I shoot a white balancereference shot using an Expo Disk.Theremaining shots are all reddish in color until I get them on the computer.

Back to the IQ. Ikeep the back set to auto white balance. Period, no changes.The files are loaded into C1 Pro andprocessed there with no surprises.

I think a lot of people expect too much from the LCD. This goes for any camera.Try to remember what it was like whenshooting film.We didn't have a cluewhat anything looked like until in the dark room.At least what we have now is the ability tocheck several key factors without waiting days or weeks.We need to begin using the LCD as a tool andnot a crutch.

Let me go one step further. There is a constant near rage on how expensive a digital back is and howmuch it deprecates.Image what the costwould be if suddenly we had the ability to actually perform a calibration ofthe screen similar to our monitors?Thenagain I can see several factors that would make this very difficult to evenbegin with.The IQ back is light yearsahead of the pre-IQ digital back and continues to grow more.However I doubt that it will ever have allthe goodies that everyone wants; there simply isn't a perfect solution foreveryone.

Told ya I was feeling cranky....
 
F

f8orbust

Active member
Don Libby said:
I think a lot of people expect too much from the LCD...
Click to expand...
From their website, P1 states that, '...the display delivers great color rendition that can reproduce tonal gradations of up to 16 million different shades.'

For something that costs - what - $40k - I think it's reasonable to expect a lot.
 
Don Libby

Don Libby

Well-known member
I have no problems with the images shown on my IQ. Do they look as good as what they do on a calibrated monitor? No and neither do I expect them to. Is the LCD better than before? Yes.

I would recommend to the OP that if the images look washed or not as fresh as you think they should then have it checked out.

I warned everyone to begin with I felt crank this morning.
 
Y

yashima

New member
Hi Don,

You don't know what exactly my LCD looks like or whether it actually has some problem or not. Of course I expected to be alot better than P+, after all, thats the only thing I pay for upgrading from P40/P65 to IQ140/160.

I don't expect it to be as good as an iphone, but when flesh tone coming out blue-ish and when I light and shoot deliberately for certain colour cast, it throws me off, then I'm abit concerned. The thing is I feel this is something very easy to fix.

So my point is asking if anyone else has experienced similar problems, and whether a service can correct it, then I'm happy to get it serviced. I thought it was a fair query, isnt it.
 
kdphotography

kdphotography

Well-known member
Have you had (or do you have) the opportunity to compare the LCD screen of your IQ MFDB with another IQ MFDB---and shot under the same conditions? That might give you a better idea is your LCD is wonky or not---prior to sending it in through your dealer.

I wouldn't trust the LCD of a DSLR or a MFDB regardless for any critical accuracy----more just for framing, focus, assisting with the capture of the image. Any color critical issues---no way. I take a control frame with a grey card and set WB and profiles in post with C1 Pro. It is quite possible your LCD is off, but I've never heard anyone having such issues---even the cranky whiny ones. :LOL: I'd keep plugging away to figure out if there is something going on with your MFDB LCD or if it is simply user-error. Either way the answer is out there... :)

ken
 
P

Paul2660

Well-known member
I tend to agree with Ken on his overall statement, but I still feel that I can get a lot more "perceived" color from a Sony, Fuji, or Nikon LCD, may just be my eyes.

Unlike Don, I never use Auto WB, as I feel it really creates the worst image on the LCD, but we each have 2 eyes and it's all seen differently for sure.

One thing you can do, it use the LCD on the IQ to take a custom WB from a shot. This actually works very well, and it's something I have started doing for outdoor shoots. You can zoom in to a spot and select the dropper and then save that particular WB for the rest of the shoot. I can't remember if it stays on there for good or not.

Since I started tethering, I have really stopped using the camera LCD for very much anymore as the view at 100% in C1 is so much better for really everything. It's not really very easy to setup (frame) a shot with the CCD backs in LiveView unless you carry the vario ND. With tethering you can set you WB to anything you like and all the shots will then come in with that WB.

I fully realize that tethering in some situations is just not very easy to do or practical. However when you can it's great.

For a while I was just using tethering to setup a shot, but now I just let everything go to the PC and hope nothing happens. Even image review is so much better overall. Sorry I know this is a bit off topic.

Paul
 
Don Libby

Don Libby

Well-known member
yashima said:
Hi Don,

You don't know what exactly my LCD looks like or whether it actually has some problem or not. Of course I expected to be alot better than P+, after all, thats the only thing I pay for upgrading from P40/P65 to IQ140/160.

I don't expect it to be as good as an iphone, but when flesh tone coming out blue-ish and when I light and shoot deliberately for certain colour cast, it throws me off, then I'm abit concerned. The thing is I feel this is something very easy to fix.

So my point is asking if anyone else has experienced similar problems, and whether a service can correct it, then I'm happy to get it serviced. I thought it was a fair query, isnt it.
Click to expand...


Here's an idea. Contact your dealer and see what if anything can be done. If you don't have one then find one as they will be more than willing to assist you.
 
Don Libby

Don Libby

Well-known member
I want to clear the air about something since it was brought up here. I couldn't care less what camera or digital back anyone uses. They all have equally strong and equally weak points. Just because someone has an issue with a Phase product doesn't automatically mean I going to dismiss the problem and see it as grumbling, whining, complaining or any other term people like to throw out.

What I have seen is a general thought process that a digital back (no matter who makes it) should be perfect. By this I mean that it will fulfill all your expectations. It won't. And yes a digital back costs huge bucks both new and used and one should get their monies worth. My recommendation has always been to buy something this expensive from a reputable dealer or barring that have it checked out first before buying it.

Going back to the original concern of the colors on the LCD. The best solution to this problem and any other is to contact a dealer and speak directly with them explaining what the problem is. I also can't help but think back to the days before a LCD was available which was the very early days of digital. Much like shooting film, we shot then waited until we got the file open on a computer or dark room in the case of film. The LCD is a great aid to achieving that perfect shot but it shouldn't be used as a crutch. I just wrote that for general terms as I don't know what the full extent of the problem of the LCD is and please don't read into it any more than what I said in the sentence.


I don't consider what was asked as whining. It was a good question. My recommendation is the same as it was before. Contact your dealer.
 
Steve Hendrix

Steve Hendrix

Well-known member
f8orbust said:
Isn't that sad - but true.



Er, it is ... not sure what the fuss is about other than the usual - any perceived criticism of Phase One is denigrated as 'whining', 'complaining', 'moaning', 'grumbling' etc. etc.
Click to expand...

And then there's the grumbling about the grumblers who are grumbling about the Phase One grumblers.

Apparently it is a highly contagious condition.


Steve Hendrix
Capture Integration
 
Y

yashima

New member
Hi Steve, while we have your attention, could you pls weigh in on the LCD issue? Have you ever come across any backs had this problem? And how would you solve it? (It could be just my unreasonable expectation). I dont have a dealer locally, but will travel to one at the weekend.

This is not a grumble, simply an effort at problem solving. I love Phase One sensor.
 
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