Impressed with new Calibration target

[DannyH]

I just picked up a Photovision 14" pocket calibration target and can't believe the difference in my images. I went through the instructions on the CD. I reset my Fn button to white balance and figured out how to use it. The CD showed me how to use a shot of the black/gray/white calibration target and use my histogram to set exposure and then use the Fn white balance. I tried multiple shots inside, using before and after next to and away from windows, and was blown away how much better my images are. Many of the before shots colors and highlights did not look correct, while my calibrated shots looked spot on. After a little practice, I can do the adjustments in as little as 5 to 10 seconds. I also like that the backside is a reflector, which is why I got the 14" size and not the smaller one. The main reason for trying this was that I did not like many of my outside images. They rarely had the correct lighting or colors that I remembered. While this new toy will not make my photo's any better with composition, at least I'll have technically correct crummy images.

[Graham_of_Rainham]

Re: Impressed with new Calibration target

Hi Danny,

One I have used for years is available for download. It's for the sRGB colour space and if you ask they may also send you a calibrated hard copy print.

I used it to set up my camera, screen, projector & printer so that they all look the same.

http://www.peak-imaging.com/images/fujical/Fujical.jpg

[DannyH]

Re: Impressed with new Calibration target

Thanks Graham. I'll take a look at this. I have a similar one that I have used on a digital projector to get the laptop and it to have similar colors. Everything helps.

[Dogcow]

Re: Impressed with new Calibration target

Personally I use the WhiBal (pocket version) at the moment.
I tried several (including the Photovision) and I found the WhiBal delivering the best results.

[Graham_of_Rainham]

Re: Impressed with new Calibration target

Grey cards are great for getting the midtone exposure correct. I find having a calibrated print very useful where changing conditions can throw the colour balance off. It's a tip I picked up from the Movie Professionals, you will often see them put a calibrated image in front of a camera as well as the clapper board. It allows for an ongoing adjustment of WB for different times of the day and where different locations may introduce colour casts.

It's all a bit subjective, and each of us find our own ways of getting it right.

Most simply set WB to Auto and accept that it's correct.

[MarkVarley]

Re: Impressed with new Calibration target

For what it's worth; most of the time I set WB via presets depending on where I'm shooting, I have a lens cloth thats also a greycard for anything with mixed light sources. However it's not somehting I worry much about as I can easily change it when batch processing the RAWs in ACR.

[DannyH]

Re: Impressed with new Calibration target

One of the ideas that the instructional CD went over was to take a quick photo of the Target in one of your shots of an area, if you don't have time to change settings in camera. Then when your back in lightroom, you can bring up that photo for the correct exposure and white balance by clicking on it in the grey area of the target. It will change the photo correctly and then you can copy that change to the other images of that setting. I thought it was a nice quick way to get the correct settings and then make the changes to the rest of the images.