Reflective Target Calibration for Scanners

[Jay Decker]

Got myself into a project where I have to scan color photographs. Is it worth calibrating the scanner? Are there reflective calibration targets? Can you calibrate your scanner the same way you do with transparent target? Where is a good place to purchase a reflective target for an Epson flat bed scanner?

Thanks,

Jay

[Ari]

If your scanner works well, I would instead calibrate the computer screen, as that's where differences will be important.

[Peter De Smidt]

See: http://www.targets.coloraid.de/

In your case, you'd want R1 or R2. You would also need a way make an icc file from a scan of the target. I use Lprof, which is free.

[neil poulsen]

It's always good to color manage your monitor.

But even beyond that, producing a good, reflective scanner profile can substantially improve your scans.

The coloraid target from the link looks like the standard Kodak target. I count 264 patches on that target, which is OK as far as it goes.

The best target of which I'm aware is the Hutchcolor target

http://www.hutchcolor.com/HCT_contents.htm

sold at

http://www2.chromix.com/ColorGear/Shop/cart.cxsa?task=add&sku_id=161&-session=SessID:43AB831707ca706218XJRk1EF6D4

for $256 plus postage. With the target comes a custom reference file that is measured from the actual target that you receive. By comparison, it has well over 500 patches. So, it's capable of finer distinctions in color. For my purposes, while it's expensive, it's worth the extra cost.

A downside of the Hutchcolor target, is that the reference file does not include the spectral decompositions. (But then, neither does the Kodak.) It contains only the LAB or XYZ (I forget which) triplets. But for most cases, in particular for scanners, that's sufficient.

[Peter De Smidt]

Neil, which ICC profile creator do you use?

[Professional]

Can i buy this target[hutchcolor] somewhere else than chromix.com?

[pherold]

At the Hutchcolor site, he has a list of dealers in the US and around the world, so you can check there.

For our part, we do a sizable amount of business internationally. People seem to recognize us as a known and respected name, and we have a lot of experience shipping internationally.

[Kirk Keyes]

Silverfast sells IT8 reflective and transparency targets here:
https://www.silverfast.com/order/en.html?productline=scanner&special=it8order_no_sf

You can get either a Kodak or a Fuji reflective target starting at 33 Euros.