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QP ColorKit 1 - QP Card 201 - QP Card 101

QP Colorkit 1 - QPcard 201 - QPcard 101

 

 

 

Part#	Description	Price	Add
75318	QP ColorKit 1	$99.95
75320	QPcard 201 (pack of 2)	$19.95
75322	QPcard 101 (pack of 3)	$13.95

 

QP Colorkit 1 - 75318

QPcard 201 - Actual Size: 142 x 40 mm - 75320

The QPcard 101 is the easiest, most cost-effective aid for balancing digital images - 75322

Frequently Asked Questions

QPcard 101

Q: Is the gray patch on QPcard 101 neutral gray?
A: When we designed our 101 card we looked at the standard 18% gray card from Kodak. We choose pigments that would give as straight curves as possible within the visible field. Our gray reflects 18% light in the blue area, 17% in the green and 16% in the red area. The L*a*b values for our gray are L = 48.26, a = –0.33 and b = –0.85. This is within the tolerance for measuring instruments in the graphic arts field.

Q: Can the gray patch be used for setting exposure, like the Kodak gray card?
A: Yes, it can be used the same way as a Kodak gray card is used, but we do not recommend it. It is much better to check the histogram and make sure that no dark and no bright tones in the subject are being cut. Use the gray patch as a neutral reference only.

Q: Can I use the white and black patches on the card to set white and black point in the image?
A: Only if you have one card with the black patch in the shadow of the subject and one card with white patch in a high-light. This is a very good method for subjects that don't have really light and dark parts.

Q: What are the measured values of QPcard 101?
A: Click HERE and get a PDF with all details.

QPcard 201

Q: The colors on QPcard 201 seems to be painted and not printed on the card, why?
A: Yes, the colors are painted on the card. All 27 colors are mixed separately before being painted on the card. This rather expensive method gives several advantages. Normally colors are printed using only four basic colors: Cyan, magenta, yellow and black. In photographic paper only C, M and Y are used. With these basic colors you can mix most desired colors. The problem with using only C, M, Y, K is that only a few pigments or dyes are being used, and thus gives color mixtures with metamerism problems. Look at a color sample under different lights (e.g. daylight, tungsten, fluorescent light) and it will change in color. Our colors are all separately mixed from pigments with the spectral properties in mind.

Q: How fade resistant is the QPcard 201?
A: The painted color layers are thick and less sensitive to fading when exposed to light. A QPcard 201 (or QPcard 101) is very stable and can be exposed even to sun-light for a long time without fading. A color sample printed with C, M, Y, K inks or printed on color photo paper is much more fade sensitive.

Q: Is 27 colors enough for high quality color correction?
A: The more different colors you have, the easier it is to make corrections. But many colors also increases the price of the cards. We found that 27 is a good compromise.

Q: How did you choose the colors on the card?
A: The human eye is more sensitive to differences in some specific colors. For instance neutral grays, skin tones, chlorophyll greens and sky blues, so we choose these colors first. Then we choose saturated red, green, blue, cyan, magenta and yellow. After that we tried to fill the remaining big cavities in the color space.

Q: What are the measured values of QPcard 201?
A: Click the “Products Specifications” button in the menu and get a PDF with all details.

Q: Are there any other color correction softwares that support the QPcard 201?
A: Not at the moment. If any software producer would like to include QPcard 201 among their supported cards they are very welcome.

Q: QPcard 201 is included in all sample images in QPcolorsoft 501. Do I have to include the card in every image in order to correct it?
A: No, of course not. We included the card in the sample images in order to make them easier to correct. When you use QPcard 201 in a real situation, you first set the white balance in your camera to a fixed position. Then you take a sample image including the card in a light that is typical for your subject. After that you take all your pictures of the subject in the same light. When the pictures are filed in your computer, you open the first sample image with the card, create a correction profile for the whole series of pictures and batch process them all in QPcolorsoft.

QPcolorsoft 501

Q: Is the color correction profile created in QPcolorsoft 501 a so called ICC profile?
A: No. An ICC profile do have some advantages like compatibility between different softwares supporting ICC profiles. However, there are some disadvantages as well. When we created our software we wanted to have a greater freedom than ICC allows. We also realized that we got a more accurate color correction when we processed the images twice, in a double loop. Double processing is not supported with ICC profiles.

Q: What is Neutral, Sinar and Velvia in the References menu?
A: The aim with QPcolorsoft 501 is to get images with desirable colors. The opinion of how desirable colors should look like varies. In this version of the software we have looked at the colors of the card in three different ways.
“Neutral” represents color values measured direct on the card with an instrument called spectrophotometer.
“Sinar” represents the color values we got when we used a professional Sinar studio camera and took a picture of a subject including QPcard 201. We adjusted the picture in way we found satisfactory for the subject. Then we measured the color values from the card in the picture.
“Velvia” represents color values from a Fujichrome Velvia film. We took a picture of QPcard 201 i a photo studio using professional camera and light. The 6 x 7 cm slide was then scanned neutral in an Imacon scanner.
It is easy to use all three references and then decide which one suits your taste.

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