Color and Greyscale charts

[jamesc]

Posted this in Hardware waited several days, bumped, no reponses, so trying again in Lighting. If that's not ok, mods, let me know. Or, if this is just a dumb question, let me know .

I really want to learn the proper way to test/calibrate my camera and lightmeter, and I realize I'll need some good charts to do so. I currently own a HMC150 and I know that people have already posted tests about its dynamic range and ASA rating, etc., but I would like to be able to replicate those tests on my own.

After searching around, while I would love to purchase the DSC Cambooks ($500-600), they're unfortunately out of my price range. The following would be in my price range:

X-rite Color Checker (Macbeth) - ~$60
DSC Labs Camette Pocket CamAlign Color Chart ~$95
DSC Labs Handy Camette Test Chart ~ $150

Are these good enough for now? What exactly I'm sacrificing by not ponying up for the higher priced DSC charts. I'm assuming they are more color accurate and durable?

My other question is can I use the Color charts as a greyscale chart, or is it better to have a dedicated greyscale chart?

 

[James Fox]

What exactly are you trying to test for? I may have missed it in the above post but never the less. Do you want get dynamic range, ASA or what? Also do you have a light meter?

 

[jamesc]

What exactly are you trying to test for? Do you want get dynamic range, ASA or what? Also do you have a light meter?

Pretty much all of the above. I know that a lot of people already test for ASA and dynamic range, as well as adjusting/calibrating their light meter, but I'd like to learn how to accurately do these tests on my own. Especially given that there are so many potential variables when tweaking settings on the camera.

I do have a lightmeter, a Sekonic L-758Cine, though I'm still learning how to use it.

I'm going to be digging through all the threads/tutorials to learn how to properly perform all the tests and wanted to know more about what I've giving up by going cheaper charts. Will it affect my ability to test dynamic range? Will my calibration be off? Sorry if the questions are a bit unwieldy.

 

[j1clark@ucsd.edu]

Posted this in Hardware waited several days, bumped, no reponses, so trying again in Lighting. If that's not ok, mods, let me know. Or, if this is just a dumb question, let me know .

I really want to learn the proper way to test/calibrate my camera and lightmeter, and I realize I'll need some good charts to do so. I currently own a HMC150 and I know that people have already posted tests about its dynamic range and ASA rating, etc., but I would like to be able to replicate those tests on my own.

After searching around, while I would love to purchase the DSC Cambooks ($500-600), they're unfortunately out of my price range. The following would be in my price range:

X-rite Color Checker (Macbeth) - ~$60
DSC Labs Camette Pocket CamAlign Color Chart ~$95
DSC Labs Handy Camette Test Chart ~ $150

Are these good enough for now? What exactly I'm sacrificing by not ponying up for the higher priced DSC charts. I'm assuming they are more color accurate and durable?

My other question is can I use the Color charts as a greyscale chart, or is it better to have a dedicated greyscale chart?

You can probably get a Kodak Grey Card such as found on Amazon:

Kodak Grey Card

And 'calibrate' from there...

The problem is that the 'grey' card was intended for photographic materials, with a different gamma than video sensor, and so this will not be a 'balanced' grey, and some interpretation of the results will be necessary.

But the idea would be, since you have the HMC150, you can look at the waveform display that the HMC150 has, match that with shutterspeed and aperture, and your meter reading.

It would actually better if you got a spot meter that read off in footcandles... as that is more easily converted into watts for light sources...