current guidance for using camera profiles

[Lisa Nikodym]

I use ACR for raw conversion (associated with CS5).  Up to a couple of years ago, I used to generate my own camera profiles using my shot of a Gretag-Macbeth color chart and the Chromoholics automated script.  Since upgrading to CS5, however, my old profiles don't seem to work as well as they used to (presumably because of updates in how ACR handles camera profiles?).  Anyway, I've started to research whether such an approach is still the best way to go (and how would I do it now?), or whether I should use a newer approach (such as "Camera Matching profiles"?), and I'm getting confused by all I'm reading (much of which is likely obsolete).

Can someone who's up on the current methods answer... what is the recommended best approach these days to using camera profiles in ACR?  My goal is to get a "neutral" (i.e. realistic) profile as a starting point for each of a couple of typical lighting conditions.  However, if that's no longer easy, than I might be convinced to use a generic profile generated for my model of camera (is that what the "Camera Matching" profiles are?).  In case it matters, I use a Nikon D300.

Thanks,
Lisa

[madmanchan]

Hi Lisa, ACR hasn't changed the way it interprets camera profiles, so any profiles you made in the past (e.g., for ACR 4.6) should work the same way now (e.g., in ACR 6.4). I'm not sure why that doesn't seem to be holding up in your case, though -- weird!

The Camera Matching color profiles (Camera Standard, etc.) are supposed to produce similar color renderings to the camera makers' own software (e.g., Canon DPP). You can think of them as color presets or "looks" so to speak.

Eric

[Peter_DL]

... what is the recommended best approach these days to using camera profiles in ACR?  My goal is to get a "neutral" (i.e. realistic) profile as a starting point for each of a couple of typical lighting conditions.

I'd recommend to use the Chart Wizard of the DNG Profile Editor.
That is what I do.

Some reading might be required first, however, the initial impression of complexity may soon fall apart.

Sincerely,

Peter

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[Lisa Nikodym]

Eric - thanks for confirming what I was guessing the Camera Matching profiles are.  I'm not sure why my past profiles don't seem to be working as well as they used to , but since you say they should be OK I'll double-check my various settings and make sure nothing else is amiss.

Peter - it looks like the DNG profile editor does the same sort of automated processing of the color chart snapshot to obtain the color tweaks that the old Chromoholics automated script used to.  Very useful!  If I need to general new profiles, that's definitely the way to go.  Thanks for pointing me in that direction.

Lisa

[Peter_DL]

Peter - it looks like the DNG profile editor does the same sort of automated processing of the color chart snapshot to obtain the color tweaks that the old Chromoholics automated script used to.  Very useful!  If I need to general new profiles, that's definitely the way to go.

Lisa – the Chromoholics script did just tweak the calibration tab settings / matrix primaries. If it worked for you, there is hardly anything to say against, although for some reasons I’m quite negative about this script. In my opinion, it was conceptually flawed, even for such limited task. There were other options like the Tindemans script. However, that’s a past discussion, fortunately. Today we "have" the DNG Profile Editor which does a refined Hue/Sat.-adjustment per color (range) of the ColorChecker. Everything automatized with the Chart Wizard. Thanks to Adobe and in particular to Eric for making and keeping the tool available.


Peter

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[Stop Bath]

Perhaps I'm missing something in this discussion but has anyone here just used the ColorChecker Passport from X-Rite?  Peter mentioned it but I'm not understanding if there is something wrong with just using the software it comes with.

[stamper]

Perhaps using your eyes to get a "pleasing" WB instead of searching for a "neutral" or "accurate" WB will in the long run be best and save money and fruitless effort. 

[Lisa Nikodym]

Stop Bath -
I believe what Peter was refering to was just the color checker card, not the "Passport" software that comes with it in the X-Rite package.  I already have the card.  I investigated the ColorChecker Passport, but it costs a significant amount; it would, for a cost, be duplicating what I already have for free with my card and the DNG profile editor.  Thanks for the suggestion, though.

stamper -
Been there, done that, but often got subtly weird color casts that I couldn't quite pin down and couldn't figure out how to correct for to make it "pleasing".  I find it much quicker to start with realistic colors and adjust to taste from there, rather than wandering around in frustration in color space trying to figure out how to get where I want to go.  YMMV.

Lisa

[Nigel Johnson]

...I already have the card.  I investigated the ColorChecker Passport, but it costs a significant amount; it would, for a cost, be duplicating what I already have for free with my card and the DNG profile editor.  Thanks for the suggestion, though.

Lisa,

The ColorChecker Camera Calibration software is available free of charge on the X-Rite website at http://xritephoto.com/ph_product_overview.aspx?ID=1257&Action=Support&SoftwareID=986&catid=28 and can be used with the ColorChecker that you already own as well as with the Passport or the Mini ColorChecker.

Regards,
Nigel