Ordinary control card latest version of original Macbeth ColorChecker

The X-Rite ColorChecker Classic, the latest version of the original Macbeth Color Checker is with 24 color fields. (A reduced version for mobile use can be found in the handy X-Rite ColorChecker Passport.) This control card has become since its launch in 1976 developed a standard. Your color properties have been widely studied and documented, so that the control card can be very well used for calibration purposes. Unfortunately, the manufacturer must provide such information not; However, the required data on the Internet are freely available.

For example, for the six neutral Swatches no. 1924, the individual color deviations from a theoretical, exactly neutral gray known what a very precise white balance allows. In commercially available gray and white cards Whatever course, differ somewhat from an exactly neutral gray, looking to such information usually in vain.

An important limitation of using these control chart is that the swatch Nr. 18 cyan is outside the sRGB color space and therefore not displayed correctly when using this color space or can be taken into account during calibration. When using the Adobe RGB color space, this restriction does not exist.

The main weakness of the Color Checker is the lack of integration in the currently available software for image processing. The ColorChecker is a neat control card with sufficient accuracy known reference values; but there is no viable software solution to correct above the ordinary white balance, the color of the images according to automatic. Although the freely available program X-Rite ColorChecker Camera Calibration works very well together with the ColorChecker; However, it provides unusable results in the form of DNG profiles with extremely incorrect color saturation and not optimally corrected colors. Significantly better DNG profiles (and incidentally a very accurate white balance) are obtained with the also free program Adobe DNG Profile Editor; but with proper exposure and white balance is correct an uncorrected natural raw camera profile of a good digital camera produces better images than the generally automatically corrected DNG profiles of both programs. Such programs, however, are in any case meant only for easy profiling in the non-professional use. If color correction is actually required, thus the user is only the time-consuming manual adjustment of the image processing parameters based on the review of the ColorChecker.

Processing of the Color Checker is neat. The multilayer bonded structure gives the Control Card adequate stability and leaving a narrow border around the color patches, which allows the ColorChecker to touch with bare hands without touching the Swatches. The packaging in which the ColorChecker is supplied can be used as a simple envelope for transport and storage.