Datasheet

11
■ BASIC DIGITAL CAPTURE WORKFLOW
To calibrate your camera, you must shoot a test. The test shot will need to
include some kind of standard target (Figure 1.7).
Figure 1.7 Sample test setup
The most widely used target is the X-Rite ColorChecker 24 Patch Classic.
Originally known as a Munsell chart, this target has been in widespread use for at
least 50 years in the motion picture and television industries. You should be able to
purchase one at any camera store. An ideal test will include this target, a human sub-
ject (for real skin tone), and some written reference for the exposure.
My test setup includes a black trap, shown in the upper right. This is a small
cardboard box with a hole cut on the top: the inside is lined with black velvet. I like to
include this for a real black reference because the black “patch” of the ColorChecker
target is not very black. My test target also includes a highlight reference (some
Styrofoam lens packing is in the lower-right corner). The curved form creates a soft
ramp from near white into a “clipped-to-white” tone and allows you to see just how
much detail is preserved in extreme highlights. These additions are not critical for
calibration purposes, but they help to visualize the dynamic range of the capture in
highlights and shadows.
Note: The skin color patch on the ColorChecker target is intended to represent average Caucasian
skin. Real skin comes in all different colors, and it is practically impossible to represent every kind of
skin. Try to have some real skin that you feel is representative of your cultural average in your shots, but
don’t obsess over it. A real person in the test shot provides a visual reference to balance the technical
nature of the target.
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