Beta: try out our new 'light' color scheme

I say "finally"! It's about time!

There is one good reason why we came from the old cathode ray tube with green letters in the 1970s and early 1980s to the paper white screen of today.

Please keep the old one as an option. I like it much more. I'm sure I'm not the only one. That black background is, for me, DPR's signature. Every other site is white. I love your black site.

No bright for me.

Dark is more attuned browsing for my low key calibrated editing environment.

The black background is much easier on old eyes. I would need to turn the screen brightness right down for a white background, this would ruin the photos.

Legibility on white is nice, but dislike the corporate blue. dpreview seems to lose all identity and individuality on the white version.

Note that we will not be retiring the 'classic' (black) theme - if you like your color scheme you will be allowed to keep it. This is a new user OPTION. Sending us feedback saying 'don't get rid of the black background' is a waste of your time... We're not getting rid of it.

Thank you dpreview!

How about grey option ?

Don't fix what ain't broke.

I prefer the dark grey format. That way I can photograph the screen with my D810, push 5 stops back to a clean light scheme and then bathe in a sense of smug satisfaction compared to all you poor ISO-variant Canon folk...

As crusty, old, never satisfied photographers, DPR should give us all an array of color intensity sliders that we can individually adjust the site to our own particular taste.

I hope this is an option cause for me the old way is much,much easier to read.

Dear DPR, can you do the same thing for CONNECT to switch to dark theme please. Thank you.

Thank you for this! The new scheme is much easier to look at for me.

My old eyes very much appreciate this option, it's much easier to read -- thanks!

I'll stick with the dark. I am on here a lot at night and appreciate the current arrangement.

WTF, why would we want an inverse color scheme? This is equivalent to reading black text off the surface of a light bulb: idiotic.

The whole inverse (black text on white background) scheme was born out of the "desktop publishing" craze of the late '80s & early '90s. During this time, vendors tried (and failed) to make the screen an analog of a piece of paper. This failed because paper does not EMIT light. The result was people sitting with three electron guns going full blast in their faces all day, a color scheme that Apple still forces on its users. Although Microsoft still ignorantly defaults to it, you can at least set up a proper color scheme at the OS level. Even Linux GUIs let you set up a proper color scheme.

MUUUUUUUUUCH BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Finally welcome DPREVIEW in the 21st century :)

Finally, so much better. As graphic artists learn early on, it takes a bit longer to read inverted text. This way is easier on the eyes. If it is too bright, then your monitor is too bright.

I notice you've chosen to increase the font size in the new theme. I like that.

But I prefer the traditional black appearance - it's easier on the eye and much better for viewing photographs.

So, black please, but with the larger font.

I like it fine just the way it is now....The light theme is an eye-sore.

Folks, read the info above. The new scheme is optional and they will not be getting rid of the black (which personally I prefer, but understand others don't). It's always good to have options. Nice work.

This is definitely something I've been waiting for and good to see that it will extend to the forums.

I'm one of those that finds white/light text on a black/dark background extremely painful on my eyes, so such a change is most welcome.

Bright stark white backgrounds literally burn the eyes out. One of the main reasons I appreciate this site is because I can look at it for long periods of time without developing eye fatigue. If you do change over I hope you give people the option of choosing which background they want. If you do you'll find that most will stick with what you have now.

Really? Nearly 350 comments on this, um, issue? It's not like there was some huge redesign. It's just lighter. Meanwhile, there's not even 90 combined comments on the last two Reader Showcases (which show actual photography by actual photographers).

Wow! SO MUCH BETTER! This is WAY overdue.

It's a well-established fact that white text on a black background is very hard on the eyes when reading.

Now, about your unwillingness to proofread your articles...

Why would anyone want a light background? All web sites should have dark background. So much easier on the eyes.

Please keep it optional if it could be done like that.
I would keep it black. It might be harder to read but that is what sets DP apart from the crowd...

The new brighter colour scheme clearly looks better ..... now please bring back the original camera review studio test scene (the current one is awful).

Cheers,

www.normanday.net

Being not the very youngest anymore I often deplored those 'fancy' grey text on darker background. But really like the classy appearance of this site with white on black. But I can understand that people less lucky with their eyes as I am (I still read without glasses) and with certain sensory difficulties prefer black on white.
There is however a known rule that tells that a little off-white with a not 100% black text is easier on the eyes.

In the mid 1970's I worked in a university photo studio in Amsterdam where we had to produce transparencies of black and white graphics and text. They were used in the Uni theatre for lectures. I had to make the transparencies in medium to dark blue with a white text. At the time there was a 'scientific evidence' that this combination was the easiest to read and never caused fatigue on the eyes.
Interesting to know is that the projector was a prehistoric machine with electric arc light. Like that from an electric welding unit.

Keep it BLACK..!!
It looks very elegant and also, for me, seems to be the ID color of your site.
It also gives no glare from the screen. My eyes love it.
Why to go changing what is OK?
Remember what happened to Coke back in the 80's..?
I'm talking about the BOTTLED DRINK.

Exactly what is needed - hope it will get into production. Thanks a lot.

White good for reading text, black good for looking at pictures. Switchable, perfect!