Two new ColorChecker® targets from GretagMacbeth help digital photographers improve process to capture great color

Las Vegas, NV; February 12, 2004 - GretagMacbeth, the worldwide technological leader in color measurement and management solutions, today announced two new color targets - the GretagMacbeth ColorChecker® White Balance card and ColorChecker three-step Grayscale card - designed to help digital photographers easily and efficiently achieve accurate, consistent color results by providing quick reference points to balance color and establish optimum lighting from the start of a photo session. The two new targets are aimed at professional and high end prosumer photographers as well as professionals in the video cinematography and graphics arts markets.

Because the perceived color of white can change based on ambient lighting conditions both in the studio and outdoors, achieving optimal white balance is an important factor in accurate color reproduction. The new GretagMacbeth ColorChecker White Balance card will help digital photographers adjust the digital camera's color sensitivity to exactly match the ambient lighting conditions that the camera sees and ensure that the camera's raw image is as close to real life as possible. The new GretagMacbeth ColorChecker White Balance card is a full size version of the white reference square from the standard, 24-patch GretagMacbeth ColorChecker that has been scientifically engineered to provide a precise uniform surface that is spectrally neutral in all types of light conditions.

For the digital photographer in a studio environment, setting the correct ratio of main to fill lights and balancing the camera has long been an arduous back and forth process. GretagMacbeth's new ColorChecker three-step Gray Scale target is designed to make this process faster and easier by offering the photographer specific check points in a single target. Alternatively, when it is used under ambient light conditions as a reference in the first shot in a series, the photographer can quickly correct an image's color by balancing on the mid tone gray value. GretagMacbeth's new ColorChecker three-step Gray Scale target (white, 18% gray and black) provides reference values that can be checked and used to adjust colors within most common photo processing software packages.

"GretagMacbeth is committed to ensuring digital photographers have a complete suite of solutions that are efficient, easy to use and cost-effective so they can achieve accurate, consistent and reliable color," said Ray Frugia Product Manager for Lighting and Munsell products at GretagMacbeth. "The new ColorChecker targets for custom white balance and grayscale adjustments are an important first step in this process. They help photographers color balance their digital cameras with a minimal amount of effort. Once this is achieved, GretagMacbeth's color management solutions like Eye-One Photo and the new ProfileMaker 5 Photostudio Pro can be used to capture the color rendering characteristics of the camera as an ICC profile that will ensure accurate rendering of images throughout the reproduction process."

First developed in 1976, the GretagMacbeth ColorChecker has become the de facto industry standard for evaluating the color gamut of a wide range of input devices including SLR and digital cameras, video cameras and scanners. As the digital camera market expands GretagMacbeth continues to introduce new ColorChecker products to satisfy new digital imaging requirements.

For more information, please visit www.gretagmacbeth.com