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Big Computer Four - part 8 of 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

by Mike McNamee Published 01/04/2017

BabelColor CT&A and Patch Tool
As part of the upgrade to the machine we upgraded to the latest version of BabelColor CT&A and Patch tools. These programs are for colour geeks only but, if you are inclined that way, £210 is money well spent for the fun you can have, most especially if you already own an i1 profiling spectro. Some of the tool set is shown in the screen grab but we do not intend to go through the functions chapter and verse. However, the important ones are the measurement of light strength and quality in the viewing area, screen calibrations (including testing to Fogra certification levels) density measurements, and paper whiteness measurements. These are in addition to the more usual colour measurements for analysis and quality control, colour spectrum measurements and, for absolute geeks, an RAL paint identifier.

At Imagemaker we routinely use almost all the tools as part of printer/paper colour auditing and we use the Patch tool for analysis of bulk colour patch data (it does loads of hard sums in a flash!).

While the desk was clear of workstations we installed new overhead lighting, changing from low-energy fluorescent of appalling quality (we always use a viewing booth) to the rather pleasant HiSPEC panel lights. These are slimline (10mm deep) 595 x 595mm square units intended for suspended ceilings. We also purchased mounting bezels to flush mount the panels directly to the ceiling. Installation took about 10 minutes. We used Babel CT&A to test the light quality. From six feet above the bench the single panel delivered 422 lux at 3,864K, with an impressive colour-rendering index of 88%. This is close to ISO 3664 requirements for P2:Critical Appraisal specification. The lighting is pleasant to work in, it’s not proofing-booth standard but after the slow-to-warm low-energy bulbs it is a bit of a dream! The CRI surprised us; it’s as good as some specialist viewing lights and the spectrum is smooth for LED because the light is remitted from the coated panel. The panels cost £46 ex VAT including the bezel and can be seen at:

www.hispec.co.uk › Commercial Lighting › LED Panel Lights

See also: www.babelcolor.com

where you will find a wealth of articles and white papers on all subjects related to colour measurement and photographic lighting.

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1st Published 01/04/2017
last update 09/12/2022 14:51:40

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