Details:
Summary:
One critical variable for proofing workflows is the color viewing technologies. In many virtual proofing instances, color viewing booths are tasked with serving two roles: the traditional “hard proofing mode,” in which a hard copy proof is evaluated, and a “monitor match mode,” where the viewing booth is dimmed to match the monitor in circumstances when retouching tasks are performed.
In particular, the hard proofing mode is prescribed by ISO3664:2009, which prescribes aiming for a high uniform illuminance of 2,000 lux. This level of illuminance is too high for a monitor match mode when retouching applications require a simultaneous comparison of a hard proof and a monitor display of the same image. The need for a dimmable viewing booth has been addressed by viewing booth manufacturers with three technologies: a user-adjustable dimming control (e.g., potentiometer), an external sensor, and a direct connection to the virtual proofing software.
ith the user-adjustable method, the user simply adjusts the booth illumination
until a visual match to the monitor display is achieved. This can be thought of as a qualitative method: it is wholly dependent on the visual evaluation of the user.
A more quantitative method involves using an external sensor. With this method, the user places the sensor on an area of the monitor representing substrate-white, and the booth automatically adjusts the booth to achieve an illuminance match.
Another quantitative method involves a direct connection to the virtual proofing software. Here, the booth is connected to the workstation running the software, and the user indicates that they wish to move from hard proofing to monitor match mode. The illuminance of the booth is then automatically adjusted.
A review of the academic literature resulted in no found studies that evaluated potential differences between the sensor method and the direct connection method for evaluating viewing booths.
Viewing booth warm-up time is another variable in critical color viewing applications, especially for booths using fluorescent tube luminaires. As the fluorescent tubes warm, variables relevant to color viewing shift until a stable condition is achieved. This is true when working from a cold start, e.g., when the booth is turned on in the morning after being off all night. It is also true when the luminance of the booth is adjusted. In recent years, viewing booths with Light Emitting Diode (LED) luminaires have been introduced. As LEDs do not generate heat at the same level as fluorescent tubes, variation in warm-up time requirements as compared to fluorescent tube technology is expected.
Other relevant variables for standardized viewing include the correlated color temperature (CCT), general color rendering index (Ra), chromaticity error (CE), metamerism index visual (Mivis) and metamerism index UV (Miuv).