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Author Topic: Camera calibration  (Read 4017 times)

ErikKaffehr

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Camera calibration
« on: March 24, 2010, 02:33:02 am »

Hi,

There is a significant interest in the Color Checker Passport software and the DNG profile editor for camera calibration. In a sense it's overblown in my view.

Here is what I see:

- Doing camera calibration for some specific conditions is a good thing. Takes care of possible individual variations between cameras.
- Would we shoot repro, it may be a good thing to build a calibration for a specific light source.

On the other hand:

- After doing some basic profiles, like studio strobes, 6500 K sunlight and incandescent we don't need much more than a white balance patch.
- Lightroom doesn't have a hierarchy of DNG-profiles so it's not feasible to have a great number of profiles for different light situations.

I made some tests with different light sources, flash, incandescent and energy saving lamps in the same configuration. I failed to see a large advantage of calibrating for each sort of light versus just using WB on a grey patch.

Finally, the Color Checker Passport software is a free download. If you already have a decent/recent CC-card you should absolutely check. The Adobe DNG Profile Editor is more flexible, that tool is also free.

Best regards
Erik
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Eric Myrvaagnes

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Camera calibration
« Reply #1 on: March 24, 2010, 09:20:13 am »

What you are saying reminds me of one of my grandfather's favorite sayings (generally announced just before he was going to give me some advice): "Advice costs nothing, and is usually worth it." Applies to camera calibration software as well?

Eric

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Jeremy Payne

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Camera calibration
« Reply #2 on: March 24, 2010, 09:27:04 am »

Quote from: ErikKaffehr
There is a significant interest in the Color Checker Passport software and the DNG profile editor for camera calibration. In a sense it's overblown in my view.

I agree ... and after an initial learning curve where I was very fond of the "camera" profiles, I've come to lean on the Adobe Standard for nearly everything.

I (ab)use the custom profile generator to achieve creative color response by slightly tweaking the Adobe Standard ... but that's different.

I think a real use case is to match-up two different cameras on the same shoot ...
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francois

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Camera calibration
« Reply #3 on: March 24, 2010, 09:57:13 am »

Quote from: Jeremy Payne
I agree ... and after an initial learning curve where I was very fond of the "camera" profiles, I've come to lean on the Adobe Standard for nearly everything.
I tend to follow the same workflow. Once the "shine" of camera profiles wore off, I finally settled on Adobe Standard for 99% of my work.
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Francois

flash

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« Reply #4 on: March 24, 2010, 09:34:08 pm »

Each to their own I suppose. I find both the independant scripts and the Xrite software produces profiles that I much prefer to Adobe's, for the cameras I use (1Ds2, 5D2, 50D 40D 20D 10D). I find the Adobe ones to be a sickly yellow thing with poor tonal separation and an awful shift in the hue of reds and yellows. I don't like the Canon DPP ones either though. The 1Ds2 Adobe profiles are OK but the rest are Yuck...

I use only a couple of independant profiles and a dual illuminant profile as my import default. I also like all the cameras I work with to have a standard baseline to work from. As a wedding photographer, I work with multiple bodies and having camera to camera consistancy is a huge benifit for me. I also know that I can make any new cameras work into the "look" I like. Having made camera profiles for each body has saved me several hours on each and every wedding I process. The color checker has more than paid for itself.

Of course if you like what Adobe or Canon is using as a colour profile then you should stick with that.

Gordon
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bradleygibson

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« Reply #5 on: March 25, 2010, 10:25:50 am »

Quote from: flash
Each to their own I suppose. I find both the independant scripts and the Xrite software produces profiles that I much prefer to Adobe's, for the cameras I use (1Ds2, 5D2, 50D 40D 20D 10D). I find the Adobe ones to be a sickly yellow thing with poor tonal separation and an awful shift in the hue of reds and yellows. I don't like the Canon DPP ones either though. The 1Ds2 Adobe profiles are OK but the rest are Yuck...

I use only a couple of independant profiles and a dual illuminant profile as my import default. I also like all the cameras I work with to have a standard baseline to work from. As a wedding photographer, I work with multiple bodies and having camera to camera consistancy is a huge benifit for me. I also know that I can make any new cameras work into the "look" I like. Having made camera profiles for each body has saved me several hours on each and every wedding I process. The color checker has more than paid for itself.

Of course if you like what Adobe or Canon is using as a colour profile then you should stick with that.

Gordon


Hey there, flash gordon,

Do you have any side-by-side comparison samples you can post?
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flash

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« Reply #6 on: March 25, 2010, 08:51:59 pm »

Quote from: bradleygibson
Hey there, flash gordon,

Do you have any side-by-side comparison samples you can post?

Here's three of the same shot. The X-rite profile (on the left) is my "indoor" profile. Then Adobe standard and Neutral. There are no other changes in settings between the images at all. White balance was from the shutter blinds.

Gordon
« Last Edit: March 25, 2010, 08:53:21 pm by flash »
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JeffKohn

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« Reply #7 on: March 26, 2010, 01:39:07 pm »

Those confirm what I see as well, the Adobe Standard profile has a magenta/reddish cast to it that I don't care for at all. Somebody at Adobe must really like this look though, all the daylight-based WB presets in ACR also have way too much magenta in them (at least, for Nikon DSLR's).
« Last Edit: March 26, 2010, 01:39:58 pm by JeffKohn »
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markhout

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« Reply #8 on: March 26, 2010, 04:44:04 pm »

I thought the Color Checker Passport was giving me unreliable results, for whatever reason, likely user error.

I find myself coming back to Camera Neutral often, and put in minor corrections from there (but not in the Calibration tab).
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feppe

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« Reply #9 on: March 26, 2010, 04:50:18 pm »

Quote from: flash
Here's three of the same shot. The X-rite profile (on the left) is my "indoor" profile. Then Adobe standard and Neutral. There are no other changes in settings between the images at all. White balance was from the shutter blinds.

Gordon

Thank you for this! I've been wondering about the skin tones with the Passport as I'm having pretty considerable difficulties nailing correct skin tones. I was hoping the Passport would have additional skin tone patches for different ethnicities to get them right, but it doesn't.

Your test shows that the Adobe Standard has pretty strong magenta cast on skintones, neutral is... neutral. The X-Rite seems most natural (at least in this test) which shows that it would be a prudent investment even without the additional skin tone patches.

Hope I'm not hijacking the thread by asking if anyone else has similar or contrasting experience with the Passport and skintones?

Ronny Nilsen

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« Reply #10 on: March 27, 2010, 07:02:20 am »

Quote from: feppe
Hope I'm not hijacking the thread by asking if anyone else has similar or contrasting experience with the Passport and skintones?

I haven't used my Passport all that much yet, but I to find that it improves skin tones, and some reds and yellows,  over the Adobe standard. For other colors I don't see much difference.

Ronny
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