A method is presented for deriving gamma for a display monitor that does not involve color matching tasks. The method includes displaying a test pattern to a user on the display monitor. The test pattern includes at least one of a pattern of alternating light and dark regions displayed to the user at different gamma correction levels, or a grayscale character string displayed to the user at different digital gray levels against a background of two known luminance levels. Input is received from the user as to at least one of a gamma correction level that results in the pattern of alternating light and dark regions having light and dark regions of perceived equal size, or a digital gray level for the grayscale character string that results in maximum legibility of the text string against the two known background luminance levels. Gamma is derived for the display monitor based upon the user input.