BabelColor logo
Tutorials

 
Home
Software Specs
Software Download
Software Purchase
White Target
Munsell Posters
Services
F.A.Q.
Tutorials
ColorChecker
Books
Links


(more info)


(more info)


The following documents contain technical presentations related to the quantitative description and measurement of color. Click on their title to view the document in your Web-browser or right-click to download. Except where noted, all downloadable files are in PDF format and require the free Adobe Acrobat Reader or Web-browser plug-in, version 5.0 or newer. When opening a PDF document, you may receive a message to the effect that it contains information that your viewer cannot handle; you should disregard the message.

To get Acrobat, click here or on the following image to go to the Adobe Web site:


APPLICATION NOTES

Illumination measurements

  • Light under control! (890 KB) (Written in collaboration with Roger Breton)
    We measured the characteristics of two fluorescent tubes designed for color rendering, one light booth designed for both direct view and transparencies viewing, and a SoLux tungsten bulb designed to reproduce daylight. We describe how to use the spectrum, the CCT, the chromaticity, the CRI, the Quality Grade of daylight simulators (as per CIE 51 / CIE S 012), and the illumination uniformity data to evaluate an illumination system. The document includes a presentation of ISO 3664 and its principal specifications.

White Balance targets

Printer and Monitor proofing

Miscellaneous

  • AN-5 Taking back control of an IT8 7-4 file with wrong patch IDs (674 KB) (New - April 2009)
    Many IT8.7/4 files are saved with the patches in an order corresponding to the random or visual layout, but with improper IDs. The problem becomes more difficult to handle when the file was generated from measurements, and from a random layout, where the rows may have been scanned backwards, or where the rows were considered columns, and vice-versa. This Application Notes shows how to use PatchTool to fix most of these files.
     
  • AN-6 Evaluating an ICC profile coverage of the Pantone and IDEAlliance data sets (1.3 MB) (New - April 2009)
    A method, using PatchTool Gamut Tools Clip check, to evaluate if a list of colors will accurately be  printed by a press or printer. Examples are given with the Pantone Coated and IDEAlliance SWOP Coated-3 data sets. The application note includes an Appendix which provides additional information on profile conversion accuracy.

RGB spaces

For the ones who want to gain a deeper knowledge of the mathematics behind RGB spaces, here are three "equation heavy" documents. There is overlap in the theory content; this was done so that they are self-contained.

  • RGB coordinates of the Macbeth ColorChecker (319 KB) (updated and augmented June 2006)
    The RGB coordinates of the ColorChecker in 4 RGB spaces (Apple, Adobe, ProPhoto, and sRGB), and the method by which they were derived from L*a*b* D50 data.

    For additional information:
    ColorChecker_RGB_and_spectra.xls (391 KB) (updated and augmented June 2006)

    This Excel spreadsheet contains:
      - RGB tables for 19 spaces, and L*a*b* (D50) values derived from averaged spectrums;
      - RGB tables for 19 spaces, and xyY (D50) values derived from GretagMacbeth L*a*b* D50 data (2005);
      - RGB tables for 19 spaces, and L*a*b* (D50) values derived from CIE (1931) xyY data (1976);
      - Averaged spectral data with Standard Deviation tables (from 20 charts);
      - Graphs of all the average spectrums with standard deviation

    (the RGB spaces in this file are the same as the ones described in BabelColor CT&A Detailed Specifications).

    For simulated (synthetic) images of the ColorChecker in the 4 RGB spaces presented in the above document, as well as in L*a*b* space, go to the ColorChecker page.
     
  • A comparison of four multimedia RGB spaces (560 KB)
    Adobe (1998), Apple RGB, ColorMatch and sRGB compared. Which of the last three has the largest gamut? The answer may not be what you think!
     
  • A review of RGB color spaces (984 KB)
    The complete process between spectral data and RGB coordinates, from xyY to R'G'B', with a section on the various TV and multimedia display standards.

Color theory

The BabelColor CT&A Help file contains many sections dedicated to technical information, including detailed equations for all color difference formulas and conversion between color spaces (L*a*b*, xyY, etc.), and ten tutorials:

 



A series of articles in the Metal Finishing magazine and web site in the context of the paint finishing industry:

 



A series of web tutorials in the graphics.com web site:


The RGB Code: The Mysteries of Color Revealed


Company - Contact us - Legal Information - Privacy Policy - Press/Media
Copyright © 2003-2009 The BabelColor Company. All rights reserved.
Last modification : 03 May 2009