Color calibration

The aim of color calibration is to measure and/or adjust the color response of a device (input or output) to a known state. In International Color Consortium (ICC) terms, this is the basis for an additional color characterization of the device and later profiling. In non-ICC workflows, calibration refers sometimes to establishing a known relationship to a standard color space in one go. The device that is to be calibrated is sometimes known as a calibration source; the color space that serves as a standard is sometimes known as a calibration target. Color calibration is a requirement for all devices taking an active part of a color-managed workflow.

Color calibration is used by many industries, such as television production, gaming, photography, engineering, chemistry, medical and more.

Input data can come from device sources like digital cameras, image scanners or any other measuring devices. Those inputs can be either monochrome (in which case only the response curve needs to be calibrated, though in a few select cases one must also specify the color or spectral power distribution that that single channel corresponds to) or specified in multidimensional color - most commonly in the three channel RGB model. Input data is in most cases calibrated against a profile connection space (PCS).

One of the most important factors to consider when dealing with color calibration is having a valid source. If the color measuring source does not match the displays capabilities, the calibration will be ineffective and give false readings.

The main distorting factors on the input stage stem from the amplitude nonlinearity of the channel response(s), and in the case of a multidimensional datastream the non-ideal wavelength responses of the individual color separation filters (most commonly a color filter array (CFA)) in combination with the spectral power distribution of the scene illumination.

After this the data is often circulated in the system translated into a working space RGB for viewing and editing.

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