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Author Topic: Matching NEC PA271W white point to print viewing booth  (Read 5205 times)

wcwest

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Matching NEC PA271W white point to print viewing booth
« on: March 23, 2011, 12:10:57 pm »

I just received my PA271 and am preparing to calibrate it. I have built a viewing  booth to view my prints. I have the solux 3500K and 4700K bulbs. Ambient light is well controlled

I have three questions.

What color should I paint the interior of the booth - flat black, white or gray?
When I calibrate with spectraview ll for photo, should I start by setting the white point to the same as the solux bulb to be used?
For mixed lighting (daylight/eco bulbs) which solux bulb would be most appropriate?

Looking forward to your advice.
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digitaldog

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Re: Matching NEC PA271W white point to print viewing booth
« Reply #1 on: March 23, 2011, 12:18:32 pm »

1. Well my GTI is gray but I think the key here is having something close to spectrally neutral.
2. You can start there but that doesn’t mean the correct value you eventually enter to match the print will be that value.
3. I don’t know why a mixed source would be useful or necessary.
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wcwest

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Re: Matching NEC PA271W white point to print viewing booth
« Reply #2 on: March 23, 2011, 12:30:24 pm »

Thanks Andrew, wasn't expecting such a prompt response!

I was hoping you would offer your advice. I know there are no absolutes but hoping to nail the calibration as closely as possible without endless tweaking. I have found a gray paint sample that when scanned and opened in PS is neutral 128,128,128 so I will go with that for the booth.
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digitaldog

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Re: Matching NEC PA271W white point to print viewing booth
« Reply #3 on: March 23, 2011, 12:33:31 pm »

I have found a gray paint sample that when scanned and opened in PS is neutral 128,128,128 so I will go with that for the booth.

Well scanned how? If you use a Spectrophotometer, that’s going to tell you everything about its neutrality. But a film/print scanner? Nope.
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Czornyj

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Re: Matching NEC PA271W white point to print viewing booth
« Reply #4 on: March 23, 2011, 04:26:03 pm »

I think the most reasonable paint would be something like Munsell neutral gray 8 (20. patch):
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midavis

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Re: Matching NEC PA271W white point to print viewing booth
« Reply #5 on: March 28, 2011, 09:02:51 am »

I recently posted detailed plans for building your own economy color viewing booth, and in I've included the paint mix I chose after getting a bunch of swatches from the local Home Depot and reading them on the spectro.

The color was: Glidden® "Winter Evening"

The booth is great for looking at color proofs, press sheets, products, etc. I've been using mine for years. It has a swing-up shelf revealing an area that accommodates your large desktop scanner, etc., so it's a great use of existing space.

Anyone thinking of building one should download the free plans (PDF). You can put this booth together in no time, and it's relatively inexpensive. Everything you want to know, and the download, is here:

http://rgbcmyk.net/fp/?x=entry:entry110218-080348
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Craig Murphy

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Re: Matching NEC PA271W white point to print viewing booth
« Reply #6 on: March 28, 2011, 09:26:44 am »

What if you bring a color checker in to Lowes etc. and have them read a grey patch?  Think that would work?  I wonder what kind of scan it is when they read a paint swatch.
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CMurph

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Re: Matching NEC PA271W white point to print viewing booth
« Reply #7 on: March 28, 2011, 09:33:20 am »

The paint doesn't have to be superneutral - any bright gray should work.
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alain

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Re: Matching NEC PA271W white point to print viewing booth
« Reply #8 on: June 10, 2012, 07:31:37 am »

Well scanned how? If you use a Spectrophotometer, that’s going to tell you everything about its neutrality. But a film/print scanner? Nope.
Hi Andrew

While I have no spectrophotometer, I know someone who has a colormunki photo (where I can drive to with a painted panel).  I've seen that it has a spot measurement mode, but I can't find more info for it.  Would that give a spectral response?
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howardm

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Re: Matching NEC PA271W white point to print viewing booth
« Reply #9 on: June 10, 2012, 08:11:58 am »

I just found this website and although I'm not making a booth, this specific color may be  bit more neutral but
in the real world, who knows.  Neat that they have all the colorspace #'s.........

http://www.color-swatches.com/glidden/boudoir/50gy-83-060/swatch.html

digitaldog

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Re: Matching NEC PA271W white point to print viewing booth
« Reply #10 on: June 10, 2012, 11:45:33 am »

While I have no spectrophotometer, I know someone who has a colormunki photo (where I can drive to with a painted panel).  I've seen that it has a spot measurement mode, but I can't find more info for it.  Would that give a spectral response?

Yes although I don’t know what software will support spot measurements with the colormunki. I haven’t played with that hardware in awhile.
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howardm

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Re: Matching NEC PA271W white point to print viewing booth
« Reply #11 on: June 10, 2012, 03:22:13 pm »

I think it's the Munki 'ColorPicker' app that is part of the Munki software suite..........

Maybe Argyll too???


Measure colors with ColorMunki device

Connect ColorMunki device. It will appear under Resources.
Click on the ColorMunki icon, under Resources.
In the resulting ColorMunki information panel, "Status" will indicate whether ColorMunki is ready for measurements or needs calibration. Follow the on-screen instructions on how to Calibrate, take strip measurements or take spot measurements to measure colors.
Use ColorMunki to measure the color of an object. For each measurement you make, the number counter next to the ColorMunki icon, found under Resources, will increase.
To view the palette being created from ColorMunki measurements, double-click just to the right of the ColorMunki icon, under Resources.
Drag-drop colors from the ColorMunki palette window, onto your palette listed under Projects.

alain

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Re: Matching NEC PA271W white point to print viewing booth
« Reply #12 on: June 10, 2012, 04:24:26 pm »

I think it's the Munki 'ColorPicker' app that is part of the Munki software suite..........

Maybe Argyll too???


Measure colors with ColorMunki device

Connect ColorMunki device. It will appear under Resources.
Click on the ColorMunki icon, under Resources.
In the resulting ColorMunki information panel, "Status" will indicate whether ColorMunki is ready for measurements or needs calibration. Follow the on-screen instructions on how to Calibrate, take strip measurements or take spot measurements to measure colors.
Use ColorMunki to measure the color of an object. For each measurement you make, the number counter next to the ColorMunki icon, found under Resources, will increase.
To view the palette being created from ColorMunki measurements, double-click just to the right of the ColorMunki icon, under Resources.
Drag-drop colors from the ColorMunki palette window, onto your palette listed under Projects.


Argyll has indeed a spot meter function with spectral measurement results.
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alain

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Re: Matching NEC PA271W white point to print viewing booth
« Reply #13 on: June 17, 2012, 05:16:47 pm »

Hi

Argyll with the colormunki photo worked.
I did do some measurement with the colormunki and I was very pleased with the spectral response from painted panels.  If they where color neutral, they had quite flat readings over the visible range (no single spike or gap)).  I had even several paints with better results than my white balance cards!
A piece of white hardboard (pressed wood with a white coated/painted side) that I had lying around gave the best response of them all.  To white for a viewing booth, but nice to take a white balance.

Measuring the light was another story.  The variations in the spectrum where way higher.
The difference in spectrum between a good 5000K TL (cri >92) and a osram Decostar coolblue 4500K halogen lamp was very telling (and very big).
Unfortunately the Halogen lamp needs a bigger distance from the print to illuminate it, so it will be a trade-off. 
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