Musings on color management, CHROMiX products and services and other relevant topics.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

ICC version 4.3

The International Color Consortium has just released version 4.3 of the ICC specification today.

Information at the ICC website is here:

We will be looking into what changes are included in this new version, and reporting on it.  New profiles are often a consequence of a new specification like this, but there is no word about when new profiles will be forthcoming.

Friday, October 21, 2011

Smallest camera


I just think this is cute.

This little thing takes still images at 1600 x 1200 resolution and captures video at 30 fps at 640 x 480 resolution. Images are taken as JPEGs and videos as AVIs, saved onto an included 2 GB microSD card (supports up to 32 GB cards). Images and video can be viewed when connecting it to a computer running a Windows operating system.  Includes a USB 2.0 cable. Rechargeable battery provides up to 30 minutes of operation from a one-hour charge via USB. Includes wrist lanyard.  $99.


Thursday, September 15, 2011

John Paul Caponigro recommends ColorThink

Here's another great review of our ColorThink Pro software at John Paul Caponigro's blog:

We're finding that our customers really like hearing about how others use ColorThink.  You get some great ideas by hearing what other people do with the software.  Many people, like John Paul Caponigro find it indespensible for explaining color to others in a classroom setting or seminar.

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Munki confusion



Since X-Rite has come out with a new model of colorimeter for calibrating monitors, I just know this is going to confuse people, so I thought I'd explain things. Internally, X-Rite refers to the device as the "i1D3" to reflect how it is intended to replace the i1 Display 2. But this single device comes in two different models:
  1. - i1 Display Pro
  2. - ColorMunki Display
The i1Display Pro is nothing like the "i1 Pro" - and -
The ColorMunki Display is nothing like the "ColorMunki"



The i1Pro instrument is a well-known spectrophotometer, and can be used to make printer profiles as well as monitor profiles. Let's try not to talk about the "i1 Pro" when we really mean the i1 Display Pro.
Also, the ColorMunki display is an entirely different device from what most people refer to as a ColorMunki device - which is a low-end spectrophotometer for calibrating displays and printers.

The i1Display Pro and the ColorMunki Display are identical in form, but the basic difference is that the i1Display Pro is faster and more expensive, and the ColorMunki Display is slower and costs less. http://blog.chromix.com/2011/06/x-rites-i1display-pro-colormunki.html





Thursday, August 25, 2011

Lion bites ICC profiles


With the release of Apple's new OS X Lion operating system (10.7), there is a new twist that affects those who use ICC profiles. If you have trouble finding your ICC profiles, it is because the users' Library folder is hidden in the new OS. On the Mac, most ICC profiles are stored in ColorSync/Profiles folders, either in the username/Library/ColorSync/profiles, or the HD/Library/ColorSync/Profiles folders. Any software that relies on being able to access and write to the user's folder is going to have trouble with Lion. For example, several monitor calibration applications are able to save any monitor profile they make, but then will not accurately reflect the new profile as being in place as the system profile. Most of these vendors are scrambling to get a new version of their software out to take care of this situation. In the meantime, you can generally get into the settings area of your app and tell it to save your profiles elsewhere - in the HD/Library... location for example.

To access the user's Profiles folders directly under Lion, hold down the alt/option button on the keyboard while you navigate to Go in the main Finder menu. This will make the username/Library folder visible.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

i1Profiler version 1.1.1 now available

X-Rite just released version 1.1.1 of i1Profiler on June 28th. This version has a few improvements in how it performs monitor calibrations:
  • You can choose between small (119), medium (220) and large (478) patch sets when doing advanced display calibration.
  • You can now specify a contrast ratio in order for the display to match the ICC standard PCS black point (287:1).
  • You can now use the contrast ratio of a printer profile as the target contrast ratio for a display profile.
  • They've made miscellaneous bug fixes that seems to be making the whole program more stable according to early reports from users.

Besides the new features, X-Rite is also reporting a list of known issues and important points to be aware of. Every user of i1profiler would find this well worth reading:

http://www.xrite.com/product_overview.aspx?ID=1397&Action=support&SupportID=5503

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

X-Rite's i1Display Pro & ColorMunki Display - NEW


X-Rite has just announced two new monitor calibration products called the i1Display Pro and the ColorMunki Display. i1Display Pro is geared for those who want pro-level functions and control, and ColorMunki towards those who want easy of use. The i1Display Pro uses i1Profiler software, and Color Munki Display uses ColorMunki software.

Based on CHROMiX tests of the i1Display Pro, the results are very good (especially compared to the i1Display 2 product). Expect a review in the near future from CHROMiX.

Both i1Display Pro and ColorMunki Display products should be a welcome new addition to the market. Both are based on a new colorimeter device with a new optical system and with a new filtering technology. Both have a new, intelligent and innovative form factor.

Main features included for both products are emissive measurement, ambient light measurement and sensing controls, flare compensation, iterative profiling, and automatic display control (ADC).

The i1Display Pro is faster (5x) than the ColorMunki Display and the i1Display2 and includes a Display Quality Assurance verification, and a Display Uniformity Test.


CHROMiX beta-tested the i1Display Pro for X-Rite and found it to be a superb product, especially for the price point. We're not sure yet about ship date, but expect August 2011.

The i1Display Pro is expected to be street priced around ~$250 and the ColorMunki Display around ~$175. CHROMiX will be selling both units at competitive prices. And until September 30, 2011... you can trade in an old device and receive up to $40 for an i1Display Pro and $25 for a ColorMunki Display.

Rebate form

Main product information PDF

To buy at CHROMiX: i1Display Pro or ColorMunki Display

Monday, May 9, 2011

Can speakers ruin a monitor?


If you have speakers sitting on your desktop, next to your computer screen, can they damage your monitor or affect its color?

The thought is that audio speakers have magnets in them, and these magnets if they are too big or unshielded can have an immediate effect on the color of a monitor that uses magnetic fields. Colors and shapes will be bent into strange patterns near the location of the magnet. Sounds scary, doesn't it?!

While there is a measure of truth to this rumor, here are a few points to keep in mind:
  • This problem only effects CRT displays, not the modern LCD which uses a completely different technology.
  • This only happens when the speaker has a big enough magnet and is close enough to effect the CRT.
  • You can tell immediately if this distortion is taking place, and remove the speaker from the proximity of the display.
  • If you notice any lasting effects of this magnetic interference, you can run your CRT through its "de-gaussing" routine, and it should come back to normal (newer CRTs run a degauss every time they are turned on.)

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

New Barbieri Spectro Coming

Here's something new. Barbieri is going to announce a new spectrophotometer at FESPA digital in Hamburg, Germany in about a month. FESBA is a digital print trade show for the (mostly) European market, and it starts May 24th. Barbieri makes several other spectros which we have tested and liked (and commented on). I can't wait to see what new instrument is coming out on the market!

Besides the Spectro LFP and Spectro Swing, BARBIERI electronic will present their new model of spectrophotometers which is specially designed for a wide range of Large Format Printing applications.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Eizo CG243W review

This review is long overdue. I had a chance to test drive this display a few months ago, and have just gotten around to writing up my findings. I am amazed at what I had been hiding for several months! In comparing its profiles with other monitors I have reviewed, the CG243 has the largest gamut of all of them. I am astonished (and embarrassed) that it's taken me so long to bring this out.

http://www.colorwiki.com/wiki/Eizo_CG243W_review

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

New ColorEdge CG275W automatic self-calibrating


The ColorEdge CG275W is the first 27" hi-end professional model to include automatic self-calibration. Like the CG245W (released in 2010), the CG275W also has a built-in sensor that can be scheduled at any time at any calibration interval. No doubt that the CG275W will set the new standard for high end color accuracy.

There is no pricing yet. The CG275W is projected to arrive June or July this year.


Features include:

  • Factory adjustment of gamma produces the most consistently accurate gradations possible
  • Highly accurate Built-In Calibration Sensor built into lower bezel
  • Allows correlation with 3rd party sensors for device standardization
  • 3D-LUT memory for better additive color mixture and secondary device simulations
  • 10-bit display allows the monitor to show 1.07 billion colors simultaneously from a 16-bit look-up table (LUT), when used with a graphics board and software which support 10-bit output.
  • Digital Uniformity Equalizer (DUE) compensates for fluctuations in brightness and chroma uniformity that are characteristic of LCD panels.
  • EIZO-patented technology stabilizes the brightness after start up or coming out of sleep mode.
  • Integrated sensor counteracts the influence that changes in ambient temperature have on the display of color tones.
  • DVI-D, DisplayPort, and Mini DisplayPort inputs.
  • IPS (in-plane switching) LCD panel with 2560 × 1440 native resolution
  • 850:1, 6 ms gray-to-gray response time and 178° viewing angles.
  • Wide color gamut reproduces 97% of the Adobe RGB color space, 102% vs NTSC
  • ~$200 CG monitor hood included
  • 5 Year Eizo Warranty

....and more


And yes, CHROMiX will carry the CG275W, and all other CG and SX models at competitive prices.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

New 27" FlexScan LCD from Eizo!

To address the need for larger screen sizes, Eizo has recently announced a new 27" LCD monitor:

The FlexScan SX2762W, ideal for cost conscience color professionals.


The FlexScan SX2762W will appeal to many users for its competitive price point (guessing around $1200-$1500). Although it has many great features (see below), the SX2762W and other SX models will be the first non-CG series to have the ability to be monitor-hardware calibrated.

Monitor-hardware calibration allows the monitor itself to be internally calibrated rather than the computer’s video graphics board. This ensures no color tones are lost in the calibration process and results in more predictable on-screen color. Required for this will be the new EIZO EasyPIX Ver. 2 color matching tool. Easy PIX Ver. 2 includes software and the EIZO EX1 color sensor.


Features include:

  • Wide color gamut reproduces 97% of the Adobe RGB color space.
  • 10-bit display allows the monitor to show 1.07 billion colors simultaneously from a 16-bit look-up table (LUT), when used with a graphics board and software which support 10-bit output.
  • Digital Uniformity Equalizer (DUE) compensates for fluctuations in brightness and chroma uniformity that are characteristic of LCD panels.
  • EIZO-patented technology stabilizes the brightness after start up or coming out of sleep mode.
  • Integrated sensor counteracts the influence that changes in ambient temperature have on the display of color tones.
  • DVI-D, DisplayPort, and Mini DisplayPort inputs.
  • IPS (in-plane switching) LCD panel with 2560 × 1440 native resolution
  • 850:1, 6 ms gray-to-gray response time and 178° viewing angles.

....and more


And yes, CHROMiX will carry the SX2762W as well as all other CG and SX models at competitive prices.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Extending Curve2's Color References

We recently had a user ask:

"There are only three color references included with Curve2. What do we do if we use a different color reference?"

First, thanks for the feedback, we read it, we like it, we use it.

Second, I get to say Hey! that's already in there!

Check page 13 of the manual.

All you need to do is:
  1. Create a folder called "Color Standards" in the same folder as the application
  2. Then load any CGATS files you want into it (IT8, P2P or other)
  3. Restart Curve2 (folder is only traversed when Curve starts)
You will then see your additions in the pulldown menu for color references!


thanks,

Steve

Friday, February 25, 2011

Curve2.1 released


We have released a brand-new version of Curve2, our G7 calibration software for printing press calibration. Version 2.1 includes:
  • VPR (Virtual Press Run),
  • Support for PressSync curves, and
  • Support for OneRun targets.
All these features are available for Window and Mac platforms. This is a free upgrade for all Curve2 customers.

Curve2.1: Download Here Purchase NEW or UPGRADE

Don't understand Curve2? Take a short tour with our YouTube videos: 20 min Curve2 Overview


Friday, January 28, 2011

Ron Martinsen - ColorThink Pro Review


A lot of customers tell us how much they love ColorThink, but seldom do we get a chance to share "their love" with others.

Ron Martinsen has a popular photography blog, and he did an extensive review of ColorThink Pro recently:

When you read this, you can't help but catch his excitement. One of our main purposes in the design of ColorThink Pro was to keep the functionality open-ended rather than limited to a wizard-like interface. This way, people can go down all sorts of workflow paths & other rabbit holes and use it for many more purposes than we ever dreamed of. And in the feedback we have gotten from people, we have found that to be true. It's great to see that Ron has "got it" and is taking this program for the 'wild ride' it was made for!