monitor calibration and color space

[ygb]

last night I had made an attempt to calibrate my monitor with spyder3 elite. when the software started it stated that it will be calibrating in sRGB, and I couldnt figure out how to change this, whether its possible and if I should do it. The more I read the more confused I am.
I shoot in raw. It seems that lightroom has its own color space. if my monitor is calibrated to sRGB and I am working in lightrooms color space - what am I looking at colors wise? should the monitor's color space and editing software's color space be in some sort of agreement?
if anyone could point me to a good resource that talks how to calibrate the monitor and how it works with softwares color space I'd appreciate it. the more I google the more confused I get.

thanks!
Yuliya

 

[KmH]

Are you sure it said sRGB and not just RGB?

RGB and sRGB are not the same thing.
RGB is an entire family of color spaces, one of which is sRGB.
How much bit depth is your computer display capable of showing?
The software may be detecting a limited computer display bit depth is available and is calibrating your display accordingly
sRGB has much smaller color gamut than Adobe RGB, and even smaller still than LR's Develop module color space - ProPhotoRGB @ a gamma of 1.0.

LR's Develop module uses the ProPhoto color space coordinates, but with a gamma of 1, instead of ProPhoto's normal gamma of 1.8.
The previews you see in LR's Library module are displayed using the Adobe RGB JPEGs

 

[Alexr25]

The sRGB setting is correct unless you are running a high end monitor that can display a wide gamut colour space.

I shoot in raw. It seems that lightroom has its own color space. if my monitor is calibrated to sRGB and I am working in lightrooms color space - what am I looking at colors wise?

You are looking at your monitor color gamut, that's why you profile the monitor, so that the software you are using knows how your monitor displays colors and how to convert from whatever color space its using into the monitor's color space.

should the monitor's color space and editing software's color space be in some sort of agreement?

No, you want to keep as much color information in the image as you can, this means editing in a wide color space only and converting a smaller gamut when your output devices can't support the wide gamut.
If you do a google search for "monitor color space" you should come up with plenty of sites.
The following site gives somewhat basic but accurate info Color Management Understanding Color Spaces
and http://www.drycreekphoto.com/Learn/color_management.htm a somewhat more extensive coverage of the subject.

 

[spacediver]

I wrote a guide on how to calibrate the white point balance of a particular line of monitors (Trinitron CRTs). The introduction may help you gain some background conceptual information.

It would also help to measure the primaries of your display, so you know what you're working with (see my post here on instructions on how to measure your monitor's gamut).

 

[table1349]

One of the best resources on the web. Making fine prints in your digital darkroom Getting started