Andreas, I’m trying to work through the process of profiling my camera. Whereas I truly appreciate your in-depth article, there are a few things which aren’t very clear. Perhaps you can clarify?
Let’s start off with why you feel that Harry Durgin’s video tutorial is incorrect. I’m sure that by explaining this your answer will likely augment that which is already in your article! More knowledge is a good thing. It will probably fill some of the current holes in the general level of understanding.
Let’s move on…
I’m using the Color-checker Passport. You note that it’s important to have an L-value of 96 for the neutral white patch. I’ve noticed that this is dependant upon exposure.
- What does one do if none of the Raw photos in the set of ever-increasing ISOs are exposed so as to give this value?
- If say, only the ISO 100 exposure produces this value but the subsequent shots do not, what is one to do?
(The L-values on all of my shots are unique).
You say “disable most modules, especially the base curve!..”.
- What do you mean “most”?
- Which ones can remain?
- Which ones other than the base curve must not be enabled?
You mention that one must create a custom white balance before taking the profile shots. In the instructions you include “If your camera has a custom white balance feature…”
- If the camera doesn’t, what is one to do?
- Like most, mine has a custom white balance feature. However, following from the above, can one correct the white balance in post by using dt’s White Balance module without compromising the profiling workflow?
With regards to darktable-chart, you say “Now it is time to start darktable-chart”…
- I think that more than a few people would appreciate greater details explaining how this is to be done from the Command Line
- Am I correct to infer that this functionality is not available from the “regular” darktable version and that one must roll one’s own?
- If your answer to the above is “yes”, the next question posed to the developers is “why”. I would think that self-compiling is well beyond the abilities of many of dt’s users, particularly if they’re not running Linux!
I’ll finish-off with a personal observation: I don’t give a rat’s butt about what the OEM’s designers feel that my unprocessed fotos should look either in-camera or prior to post. Hence, I don’t care if my fresh RAWs don’t look like the OEM’s jpegs. I simply want my baseline to reflect (hah: a pun!) real-world colours. From there it’s only up to me to begin doing funky things 