ChromaDuMonde Charts

[Take_1]

OK...

One thing I haven't been able to wrap my head around is to why the ChromaDuMonde and other brand charts are so freakin much money. I mean common... some of these things are $1400.00. Even the ones that are $400.00 is a boatload of cash. What is so special about them that they can command that kind of price point?

On that note, does anyone know of a chart that is significantly cheaper and that will still do an adequate job?

Thanks

 

[Barry_Green]

Best for the price is the VF/X1 Plus, from DSC, it's a chart specifically offered for digital use and has some nice touches like a chroma blue and chroma green patch as well as a full gradient for checking gamma and banding. It's not $1400 like some of the top-of-the-line, it's $600, and if you own an HVX then they'll give you $100 off so a total of $500.

I really like the CamBook for when I do traveling shows and stuff, it's got color and grayscale and multiburst patterns and also the CamBelles for skintones and real-world picture calibration. $660, but it's pretty much any chart you'd ever need. But be aware it's not manufactured to the same exact extremely stringent tolerances as their top-of-the-line charts.

I've also got a ToNi, for checking/calibrating the toe and knee. It's a big beautiful black & white chart with a "black hole" for ultimate black, but it was a tad pricey at $624.

If you just want something for prosumer use, check out their Camette series -- genuine DSC charts at under $100. Has the color chips and grayscale and even a CamWhite on the back. Doesn't have resolution trumpets or multiburst, but then again it's only $100...

Also, check their "clearance" section, you can usually save something like 40% off if a chart's about to "expire".