Black Levels - MacBook Pro Retina

[jnewell]

I'm using a loaner MacBook Pro with retina display and am having some trouble with black levels. When I look at this page: http://www.lagom.nl/lcd-test/black.php the whole top row and most of the second row disappear into the black background. Googling display adjustments for retina displays didn't turn up any helpful answers, but I may be formulating the search badly. I am not sure I want to try calibrating the display and my i1Match software doesn't want to run on the Intel Mac anyway.

Suggestions gratefully received. :smile:

 

[fredlong]

If you haven't yet, try running the calibration in the Color tab of the Displays Preference Panel. It's not as good as a hardware based calibration, but works pretty good if you squint enough to make the little pictures a blurry mess while you're making the adjustments.

Fred

 

[T N Args]

Looking at your website link, I thought I was having the same experience as you (I have the same laptop), even though my monitor is Spyder-calibrated. But that was when trying to look at the website.

Once I downloaded the image, opened it in Preview, viewed it Full Screen, and made sure I was in a pitch-black room (i.e. following the instructions on the website you linked), then I could see all the black levels. Try it. (Give your eyes time to adapt).

 

[jnewell]

Looking at your website link, I thought I was having the same experience as you (I have the same laptop), even though my monitor is Spyder-calibrated. But that was when trying to look at the website.

Once I downloaded the image, opened it in Preview, viewed it Full Screen, and made sure I was in a pitch-black room (i.e. following the instructions on the website you linked), then I could see all the black levels. Try it. (Give your eyes time to adapt).

Thanks - I did download the image (and also imported it into Lightroom). I saw the note about viewing in a darkened room but to be honest haven't tried a really dark room. :smile:

 

[jnewell]

If you haven't yet, try running the calibration in the Color tab of the Displays Preference Panel. It's not as good as a hardware based calibration, but works pretty good if you squint enough to make the little pictures a blurry mess while you're making the adjustments.

Fred

Tried that - I think...all I saw was basically gamma and white point - did I miss something or fail to get a more advanced version?

 

[fredlong]

Tried that - I think...all I saw was basically gamma and white point - did I miss something or fail to get a more advanced version?

After clicking the Calibrate button, check the Expert Mode box in the new window that pops up. Then click Continue.

Fred

 

[jnewell]

After clicking the Calibrate button, check the Expert Mode box in the new window that pops up. Then click Continue.

Fred

Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!!! Will try that.

 

[jnewell]

Unfortunately, if anything, that made the problem worse - the top two rows are basically indistinguishable from the background.

Google shows a fair number of users having the same problem with black levels, but I haven't found any answers (and as I mentioned, using a calibration program isn't in the cards for this machine at this time).

I must be doing something wrong, but I can't figure out what...

 

[T N Args]

Well, it's not the computer. I can distinguish every black level including 1.

Perhaps this shows that calibration is as valuable as they say, for users who care about these details.

 

[fredlong]

Two things. In the energy saver Preference Pane click the Battery button and uncheck "Slightly dim display while on batter power"

The other thing is, I wouldn't worry too much about any of those blocks darker than about 10 or so as they will be buried in noise and most likely pushed down to pure black anyway.

Fred

 

[orfeo]

calibrate your contrast levels, something everyone should do, moreso those editing photos on that same screen...

 

[jnewell]

Well, it's not the computer. I can distinguish every black level including 1.

Perhaps this shows that calibration is as valuable as they say, for users who care about these details.

As stated in the original post, this is not my machine. I can assure you that I care more than you do about details. This is a borrowed machine and my X-Rite calibration software doesn't work on an Intel-powered Mac - but thanks for your good will and constructive input.

 

[jnewell]

Yes - but currently I'm losing the top two rows, which is a real problem. Comparing this to Windows PCs, the images are completely blocked up in the lower end of the DR.

Possibly calibrating the display with a colorimeter would fix the problem but this magnitude of error shouldn't need that investment to fix.

 

[jnewell]

To close this out:

1. Took the rMBP to the local Apple store to compare - all of the displays there (iMac, rMBP 15" and 13", MBA 13") had the same issue; a few of the MBA 11" displays were better.

2. Got ahold of an i1Display Pro and spent a couple of hours fiddling with profiling - issue remains.

I think I'll check in at a few other forums like LL and see if the Mac users there have any thoughts.

 

[krugorg]

Cool test, thanks for sharing. Just a quick test here at the office, but it works better on my MBA 13's screen than it does on my external Asus IPS panel. I will give it a shot at home tonight.

 

[ex machina]

Let us know what you find!

 

[jnewell]

Well, regardless of the Lagom.nl black level test, I spent a couple of hours re-profiling my Dell FHD XPS 13 and this rMBP and I think I'm comfortable that they're quite close. Not identical, but close. Neither really matches my desktop, but that was never expected, even from displays as good as these two notebooks.