Re:The ColorChecker, photography's most important 24 squares...
by skhr0680 on Sunday September 06, 2026 @09:42PM
(#49592856)
Like Pantone books, color checkers don't last long before the colors fade, maybe a year or less. I remember being surprised at how much money we were spending on them.
Re:The ColorChecker, photography's most important 24 squares...
by azornathogron on Monday September 07, 2026 @06:21AM
(#49596483)
I don't know anything about it, but I find this interesting, perhaps slightly surprising. It doesn't suprise me that it would fade, but, that being a presumably known problem, do the color checkers not have a good cover/case for storage? (something foil backed or similar to really block out the light)? Or do they even fade quickly just from being taken out briefly for use?
Re:The ColorChecker, photography's most important 24 squares...
by isomorphic on Tuesday September 08, 2026 @12:36AM
(#49605646)
The colors may also fade/drift upon exposure to air and humidity, not just light.
Re:The ColorChecker, photography's most important 24 squares...
by azornathogron on Tuesday September 08, 2026 @06:52AM
(#49608544)
Oh, interesting. That does make sense.
Everyone has their own budget (esp. for hobbies), but if you're into photography, a USD 100-120 'accessory' does not seem "expensive":
* https://calibrite.com/us/product/colorchecker-classic/
* https://calibrite.com/us/product/colorchecker-passport-photo...
How much would a new (or new-to-you/used) camera body cost? Or a lens? Given that it would last probably over a decade, that's a pretty low annual amortization cost. Perhaps ask for it as a birthday or Christmas present?
Though it may depend on your subject matter: probably less of a need for it if you do landscape or street photography, as compared to portraits or products.
Some of the monitor calibration devices can get more pricey if you want to go down the colour calibration rabbit hole:
* https://www.datacolor.com/spyder/products/