The X-Rite ColorChecker Video is a two-sided color calibration tool that allows you achieve more consistent results, quicker, and with more ease. Although designed for the professional, non-professionals can also benefit from using this tool. The ColorChecker can be used during production to set camera white balance among different cameras or varying lighting environments. Recording the chart can speed up balancing the color of multiple shots in post, leaving you more time to work on creative choices.
The included color calibration chart contains an updated design philosophy from the standard charts that were developed for print and still photo work. The grayscale provides white, black, dark gray, and 40 IRE exposure patches, allowing you to adjust your lighting to protect highlights from clipping, while maintaining detail in the shadow areas. The color chips on the side of the grayscale contain columns of targets, which display vertically on a waveform monitor, for improved readability. The white target is a 60% target, providing an even brightness that makes setting white balance consistent across different lighting conditions. The chart is large enough to fill your frame in close-ups or be visible in a wide shots.
Grayscale and Chip Target
The chip chart has been simplified and redesigned to be more meaningful. It features a combination grayscale chart with four horizontal strips: white, 40 IRE, dark gray, and black. These four stripes allow you to set your lighting and exposure, providing an objective white, black gray and skin tone target that you can use to adjust your camera's exposure and balance out any color cast in the camera or in post.
In addition to the grayscale targets, the chart includes vertical skin tone targets, a seven-step grayscale, and saturated and de-saturated chromatic colors. With the chromatic chips lined up vertically, the chip chart renders neatly on a vectorscope and waveform monitor, as opposed to a standard chip chart that displays wildly.
White Balance Target
Creating in-camera white balance helps to start at a neutral point for all images you capture. Balancing your footage to a consistent color balance makes editing go smoother, and is less jarring when cutting from one shot to the next. The consistent color balance can also speed up color correction, and with the increased speed and ease, you may find yourself with more time and energy to explore creative color choices.