Dynamic contrast anyone?

[Guest]

In another topic I posted something about loving the light in Flight but still finding things dark and grey compared to real life (pictures). I suddenly remembered the Dynamic contrast option on my monitor and decided to play with it a little.

 

WOW! As if you turn the sun on! For normal use (dekstop, Photoshop, internet) dynamic contrast is way over the top for me but in Flight it REALLY seems to work pretty well...!!! Pity I can't make a screenshot of the difference (because it's a hardware thing and screenshots look the same with or without DC).

 

I wonder if anyone else is also using Dynamic contrast? Or maybe other tricks to make the light shine even more in Flight?

[jcomm 5,930]

Didn't even know about it :-|

My card is a Nvidia G450X... I'll check the option ASAP! Thx!

[Guest]

Didn't even know about it :-|

My card is a Nvidia G450X... I'll check the option ASAP! Thx!

 

It's a monitor setting, not a GPU setting. I have a Samsumg monitor and for that one you can download and install Magic Tune which enables you to change the various modes through software: that's easier to do then having to use the buttons on the monitor (where you have to wade through various menu's to get things done).

 

It's a bit stupid... I completely forgot that I calibrated (sort of) my monitor for Photoshop: compared to what I get with Dynamic contrast EVERYTHING looks grey and dull...! Now when I want to play Flight I simply switch to Dynamic contrast and boy, what a difference...!!! Again, it's a shame I can't make a comparison screenshot because the effect is hardware dependant and you don't see any difference on a screenshot.

[jcomm 5,930]

Ah, ok, Duh! I should have read your message more carefully ;-) Mine is a FUJITSU, and I'll check that option and report back when at home :-)

[Guest]

BTW Now I also know why I always had to turn my lights on to see the gauges in the VC... LOL My screen simply wasn't setup well enough for the game! Stupid me. I am flying around dawn now and even with the lights off I can see the gauges, just as I would expect them to be seen. Boy, why didn't I think of this a few months ago...!!! :Monkey:

[jp1018 0]

Does anyone have some comparison shots of dynamic contrast?

I'm definitely going to try it!

[Guest]

Does anyone have some comparison shots of dynamic contrast?

 

No, because, as I said you can't take screenshots of the effect. It's a hardware setting. When I take a screenshot of Flight with and without Dynamic contrast they both look the same. The effect is something like using the auto level command in Photoshop. When I use it it's as if a grey layer is being lifted from my screen.

 

Obviously the difference between Dynamic contrast and a normal setting totally depends on your current screen settings. If you already have a lot of brightness and contrast and what not then you will notice less of a difference.

[LHookins 3,103]

Dynamic contrast was one of the first things I though of when I saw how dull the colors were in Flight. I remember my nVidia card having a setting for it, but the current ATI card does not, far as I know. My monitor does not have a dynamic contrast control, unfortunately.

 

Do we have an external utility that would do it for everyone?

 

Hook

[Kengi 0]

It does look at lot better in a high contrast monitor configuration. Different monitors may have different presets to give you a similar effect.

 

I do recall a software package which would change brightness and contrast based upon time of day, So there probably is something out there which could give people a similar effect using the video card settings. I'll look around if I get some spare time later.

[samtx 1]

Well, I usually turn off Dynamic Contrast on displays because it bothers me to see the levels changing from shot to shot in movies.

 

On the other hand, for FSX I am using the ENBSeries graphics tweak which adds some contrast: darker darks and brighter highlights which is a similar effect. There is plenty of discussion on ENBSeries tweaks for FSX (and whether or not it causes crashes), but I'm not sure if it has been tested with Flight.

 

ENBSeries custom settings

 

default

 

ENBSeries custom settings

 

default

 

It's subtle because I dialed the effect down, but it makes a difference in motion fullscreen. To me the default feels flat, while the tiny bump in contrast with ENBSeries brings more depth.

[matt_gold 1]

I love threads like this. Very interesting evaluating what makes something looks real.

 

Here's a pic....amazing what a little fake depth of field and levels adjustment can do.

 

(yes this is 'shopped to all hell, that's the point) ;)

 

 

[HiFlyer 9,359]

I am using an Lg IPS display. I always choose either SPVA or IPS monitors for the best color fidelity I can get, and Flight has always been bright and vibrant for me. A lot of people think computer monitors are all pretty much the same, but that is completely wrong! The one in the video is a good compromise between great image quality and price, and a good example of a once super expensive tech brought down in price just recently by its wide-scale use in Iphones and Ipads.

 

The much higher apparent color fidelity also makes these a must have for low cost image editing solutions. (Not professional. Get true IPS for that, and yes, true IPS is expensive!)

 

http://www.amazon.co...g/dp/B004KM4AQY

 

[LHookins 3,103]

I just remembered: the nVidia driver option was called Digital Vibrance. I looked all over the Catalyst control center, and the only such adjustments were under Video. They'll only work with movies? Changing the settings doesn't affect my desktop in any case.

 

I have no experience with LCD screens and such, only CRT monitors. Most of the time you want to set the contrast on those to maximum unless that makes the colors look garish. Unfortunately, maxumim contrast tends to make things like text blurry at the edges of the screen, especially on an older CRT. And it looks like all CRTs are going to fall under that category very shortly.

 

Hm. New monitor, or TrackIR. New monitor or TrackIR. Decisions decisions.

 

Hook

[RoboRay 126]

Hm. New monitor, or TrackIR. New monitor or TrackIR. Decisions decisions.

 

TrackIR.

[LHookins 3,103]

TrackIR.

 

You're right. I've already got a monitor, and TrackIR should be a lot cheaper than what I'd spend on a new monitor. (The Viewsonic 21" G225f cost me $500 new).

 

Hook