Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 1.5
A classic example
of when not to spread the
tonal range: a polar bear
in a snowstorm. No part
of this image should be
completely black. Image
courtesy of Dan Zatz at
Video Monitor
Proper monitoring is crucial: you must have a well set up video moni-
tor. There are instructions for doing this in my first book and on numer-
ous websites and online instructions. Although LCD monitoring has been
largely shunned by serious colorists, the production of CRT displays for
video was halted several years ago, leaving many with no choice but to
switch to LCDs or some other technology. The main issue with these LCD
monitors is how colors and tones shift with the viewer's angle to the
screen and how deep a black is able to be displayed. This problem is called
off-angle viewing
.
At a recent NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) convention,
Sony revealed some beautiful OLED video monitors that largely resolved
the off-angle viewing issue and improved performance in the blacks,
which is a weakness of LCD video monitors. These monitors remain very
expensive, but they're getting serious attention from the colorists and
facilities that deliver high-end broadcast and film images.
Many LCD video monitors can be set-up with look-up tables (LUTs)
or by using calibration hardware and software. The cost and accuracy
of these calibration units varies widely from several thousand dollars to
under a hundred dollars. For my computer, I use a midlevel unit by X-Rite
called the i1Display Pro (about $240). It uses a hardware device and soft-
ware to create a custom monitor profile that even takes ambient lighting
into account. This device would not fulfill the expectations of a serious,
full-time colorist, but it creates a profile that seems very accurate to me.
Many high-end video monitors also have hardware-based calibration
options that can help properly calibrate them. As I mentioned earlier, for
video monitors that aren't capable of being set up with a profile or LUT, my
first color correction book offers an in-depth description of how to set up a
monitor to color bars. There are also several resources for doing this avail-
able on the Web and from the monitor manufacturers. Ensemble Designs
Search WWH ::
Custom Search