Higher Gamma = darker more contrast 50-100% grey scale, less contrast 0-50% grey scale,īecause all three colors are tracking gamma it also effects color saturation and hue. Lower Gamma = brighter more contrast 0-50% grey scale, less contrast 50-100% grey scale, Gamma 2.5 curves, climbing even slower to begin with, then a even steeper curve at the end. Gamma 2.2 curves, climbing slowly to begin with then curving up to a steeper climb Gamma determines how rapidly the display changes in brightness through the grey scale steps. Middle grey unlike for cinema film is not at bottom of adjustment but in the middle. Higher Gamma usually makes the image look darker, higher contrast and more color saturated.įor TVs including films on blu-ray etc. Lower Gamma usually makes the image look brighter, less contrast and less color saturated. Some people use a calculation off the REC709 encoding gamma to create a display gamma curve rather than using a simple exponent and some use a smooth slightly S-shaped curve in emulation of film to try and have better shadow detail than a high gamma all the way down might give, while retaining the higher contrast look of high gamma. The smoothness of the gamma curve is also important, if it is lumpy the picture may look odd, disconnected. The brighter the surroundings the more contrast is perceived and the brighter you want the display so the lower the gamma used.Ĭalibrated gamma is down to viewing conditions, display white level and personal preference depending on who you ask 2.22 or higher acceptable, 2.2 to 2.6 acceptable, 2.35, 2.4, 2.45, 2.5. Mastering display monitor gamma is 2.22 USA, 2.35 UK, with tolerance for 2.2-2.5, everything should be mastered to be watchable at gamma 2.2-2.5Īccording to some people consumer display gamma should emulate CRT gamma, but depending who you ask that is 2.22, 2.35 or 2.5.ĭesired display gamma is dependent on viewing conditions, the darker the surroundings, the less contrast the viewer perceives so the higher the gamma used to compensate. 2.2 to 2.4 is a good spread of reasonable values, but there's no 'one size fits all' value for gamma.

In a very controlled environment that same slow rise might be visible and natural. The effect of this is to distribute more of the limited number of input values to the dim part of the brightness range where you need them, and fewer to the bright part of the range where you can't see the difference.īut what value is 'right'? If your viewing environment is too bright, then a high gamma where the output rises very slowly might get washed out in the ambient light. If you squander brightness values in the bright range, where your eye cannot tell the difference between one number and the adjacent numbers, then you don't have enough discreet values in the dim range where you can detect the difference.Ī gamma greater than 1 causes the output brightness to rise more slowly when the input stimulus is low and more quickly when the input stimulus is high. There are only a fixed number of bits devoted to brightness in the signal being provided to the TV.

A small difference in brightness is detectable when the image is dim, but as it becomes brighter you need a bigger and bigger increase in brightness for the difference to be noticeable. Your eye has a non-linear response to changes in brightness.

Gaming gamma control