X-Rite Passport

On 2015-10-17 04:22:28 +0000, Tony Cooper said:

I just purchased an X-Rite Passport. So far, I have only shot one
pre-set, but the difference is slight. I'll see how it works out with
some better pre-sets.

What do you mean by "better pre-set"?

Are you trying to create general light condition WB & color presets, or
are you trying to set an in-camera WB?

From what you have said I suspect that you have the multi-color target
and Grey WB target. Both of these are useful, but are only half of the
equation, which starts with display/monitor calibration.

For that you are going need to add another tool to your kit, a display
calibration system:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?N=11130968&InitialSearch=yes&sts=pi
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/894645-REG/X_Rite_cmunsml_ColorMonki_Smile_Color_Calibration. html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/798928-REG/X_Rite_CMUNDIS_ColorMunki_Display.html/prm/alsVwDtl

After

calibrating with one of these tools it can adjust for ambient light
changes in your work environment


I'm not sure if it's worth the $106 (including tax)


--
Regards,

Savageduck

On 2015-10-17 16:13:43 +0000, Tony Cooper said:

On Sat, 17 Oct 2015 11:49:56 -0400, Tony Cooper
wrote:
On Fri, 16 Oct 2015 22:44:53 -0700, Savageduck
wrote:
On 2015-10-17 04:22:28 +0000, Tony Cooper said:

I just purchased an X-Rite Passport. So far, I have only shot one
pre-set, but the difference is slight. I'll see how it works out with
some better pre-sets.

What do you mean by "better pre-set"?

The software that comes with the X-Rite allows you set various
pre-sets that are available as Profiles in the Camera Calibration
dropdown in Lightroom.

I suppose I could have used "Profiles" instead of "pre-sets", but the
X-Rite videos use "pre-sets". They become Profiles in Lightroom. It
depends on whether you use X-Rite's term or LR's term.


By "better", I mean "under different conditions". I can have a
Profile for shots in full sun, for shots in shade, etc. Ideally, a
shot should be taken with the ColorChecker in it for each series under
the same conditions. The differences are slight, though, as far as I
can tell.

OK! That is fair enough, and you should only expect subtle changes.
However, display calibration should still be in your tool kit.


As I'm you know, there are various Profiles in Lightroom that are
based on the camera you use. I photographed this poster and made two
virtual copies of the image. Each of the three is the same in all
adjustments except for the Profile.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/5rhghjmds...XBdTSACKa?dl=0

#1 is using the Profile set by X-Rite. #2 and #3 are standard
Profiles for my camera that are already included in LR. I didn't try
all of them.

I am making the assumption that you had the Color check card in the
same light environment and made a reference shot. In daylight I am not
to concerned, but where there are mixed light sources I will try to get
a reference shot with a WhiBal card for RAW WB adjustment.
http://michaeltapesdesign.com/whibal.html

Of the samples above, my eye finds #2 the most pleasing, followed by
#1, #3 just doesn't look right.

I haven't yet shot a human being using the ColorChecker, so I'm
interested in what it will do with skin tones. With a poster as used
in this series, you really don't know what the true colors should be.


--
Regards,

Savageduck

On 2015-10-17 19:59:01 +0000, Tony Cooper said:

On Sat, 17 Oct 2015 09:50:19 -0700, Savageduck
wrote:
On 2015-10-17 16:13:43 +0000, Tony Cooper said:
On Sat, 17 Oct 2015 11:49:56 -0400, Tony Cooper
wrote:
On Fri, 16 Oct 2015 22:44:53 -0700, Savageduck
wrote:
On 2015-10-17 04:22:28 +0000, Tony Cooper said:

I just purchased an X-Rite Passport. So far, I have only shot one
pre-set, but the difference is slight. I'll see how it works out with
some better pre-sets.

What do you mean by "better pre-set"?

The software that comes with the X-Rite allows you set various
pre-sets that are available as Profiles in the Camera Calibration
dropdown in Lightroom.

I suppose I could have used "Profiles" instead of "pre-sets", but the
X-Rite videos use "pre-sets". They become Profiles in Lightroom. It
depends on whether you use X-Rite's term or LR's term.


By "better", I mean "under different conditions". I can have a
Profile for shots in full sun, for shots in shade, etc. Ideally, a
shot should be taken with the ColorChecker in it for each series under
the same conditions. The differences are slight, though, as far as I
can tell.

OK! That is fair enough, and you should only expect subtle changes.
However, display calibration should still be in your tool kit.

As I'm you know, there are various Profiles in Lightroom that are
based on the camera you use. I photographed this poster and made two
virtual copies of the image. Each of the three is the same in all
adjustments except for the Profile.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/5rhghjmds...XBdTSACKa?dl=0

#1 is using the Profile set by X-Rite. #2 and #3 are standard
Profiles for my camera that are already included in LR. I didn't try
all of them.

I am making the assumption that you had the Color check card in the
same light environment and made a reference shot.

Yes, that's the way it's done. It wasn't done the right way, though.
The "right" way would have been to hold the Passport* flat against the
wall either over the poster or next to it. I didn't have any way to
secure it to the wall, so I put it on the ground in front of the wall.

This is not the "right" way since the light should be the same in both
the reference shot and the actual shot. I was shooting from east of
the wall in the afternoon, so the wall was not in direct sun but the
ground was. If someone had been around to hold it for me, it would
have been a better reference.

Do you mean you don't have an assistant in your team!

*The product is the X-Rite Passport ColorChecker in case the different
names I've used are confusing.

Not confusing at all. I knew what you were talking about from the
start, I was just not sure of how you were using it.

In daylight I am not
to concerned, but where there are mixed light sources I will try to get
a reference shot with a WhiBal card for RAW WB adjustment.
http://michaeltapesdesign.com/whibal.html

There are WB squares on the Passport, so the one unit does both.

Of the samples above, my eye finds #2 the most pleasing, followed by
#1, #3 just doesn't look right.

Hard to tell because the artist picked the colors and we don't know if
he picked what was most pleasing to your eye or mine. A photograph of
something with known colors (like an American flag) would be a good
test because we have an expectation of what those colors are.

What he picked was, in this case irrelelevant. My eye convinced me that
#2 was the most pleasing for me. Somebody else is probably going to
think otherwise if they had to make a choice The good thing in most
presentations is these is only one version submitted by the artist, and
no choice for critics to make.

Even skin tones are difficult if you don't know the person. I have
two grandsons, and one has very white skin and the other is more
olive. In this photo, they look much the same but in other photos the
difference is very noticeable:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/y7c7gozgjp...03-44.jpg?dl=0

They appear to have very similar skin tones in that shot. I don't think
that a skin tone reference patch on the ColorChecker is going to
resolve that issue. I believe that this is where a WB correction from a
good reference shot might help. The only problem with that is, that
type of nit picking tends to destroy the sponteneity of the moment.
Possibly get a reference shot after the fact.
That is a reason I like the WhiBal card, I have one of the credit card
size cards I can keep in my wallet, and a studio card.
Anyway, I usually have one with me and it is simple enough to get a
reference shot, correct in LR or ACR, and then apply that WB to all the
shots taken in that light.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/1295663/FileChute/screenshot_353.jpg


I haven't yet shot a human being using the ColorChecker, so I'm
interested in what it will do with skin tones. With a poster as used
in this series, you really don't know what the true colors should be.


--
Regards,

Savageduck

On 10/17/2015 01:44 AM, Savageduck wrote:
calibration system

calibration brings a system to steady state

characterization creates a profile for the steady state

ideally you would use characterization systems along with calibration
systems

then again, there is good enough color

--
Dale
http://www.dalekelly.org