Gretag MacBeth Light booth Calibration
- Thread starter ozziegood
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I'm unfortunately at a loss in that I've never heard of a MacBeth Booth. My best recommendation (if you haven't already done so) would be to research the websites of the ISO17025 accrediting agencies. Second would be to contact the manufacturer of the MacBeth Booth and ask them if they have any recommended calibration vendors.
Do you know any other names it may go by? Alternatively, can you tell me the manufacturer/model? If you can post that, I can look at the calibrated parameters and perhaps give you some additional input. There are a lot of calibrated instruments whose certifiable parameters are more common than the apparent function of the system.
Do you know any other names it may go by? Alternatively, can you tell me the manufacturer/model? If you can post that, I can look at the calibrated parameters and perhaps give you some additional input. There are a lot of calibrated instruments whose certifiable parameters are more common than the apparent function of the system.
Jerry Eldred said:
A Macbeth booth is a controlled light source that's used for color matching. Because colors can look different depending on the type of light used for viewing (among other potential complications) it's important for customers and suppliers to agree on viewing standards. Gretag Macbeth has pretty much cornered the market for controlled lighting applications.
It would be best to check with the manufacturer for calibration information.
R
ralphsulser
MacBeth also makes a computerized color matcher that takes the individual aesthetics put of the decision by plotting and providing numerical scores for huechroma values and light/dark, then combines the total for a score based on your master sample comparison. It has been a few years since I used one but they were about $25K 10 years ago. We used it to measure samples of production start up compared to Boeing provided master samples.
R
Rob Nix
I remember using a MacBeth booth back in 1978 for checking the color of injection molded interior car parts. As I recall, it was a combination of incandescent and florescent lamps that simulated daylight. But I don't remember in 7 years ever having to "calibrate" it. That seems too subjective, even for a "computerized color matcher". I'd be interested in seeing what the parameters are for that.
J
Justin
Correct, Gretag Macbeth is the only place you can get your MacBeth light calibrated. And, yes, it needs calibration.
Simulating different light sources requires that the lamps and unit are putting out the correct heat, visible spectrum, current, etc...
These values must be accurate in order to simulate the various light sources. A bulb, for example, that should be operating at say 200K, will not have the correct output if it is only running at 180K.
It is expensive also, about 500 USD per unit + parts and they send an engineer onsite to do the calibration. We run 10 booths and they must all be calibrated on a yearly basis.
Simulating different light sources requires that the lamps and unit are putting out the correct heat, visible spectrum, current, etc...
These values must be accurate in order to simulate the various light sources. A bulb, for example, that should be operating at say 200K, will not have the correct output if it is only running at 180K.
It is expensive also, about 500 USD per unit + parts and they send an engineer onsite to do the calibration. We run 10 booths and they must all be calibrated on a yearly basis.
I gather that this device is unlikely to be in the Home Depot for paint matching.....
Lightwave measurements (of any kind) can be tricky. As has been pointed out, the light source is one key. The visible range is very small, so a CW light source over that range should be fairly easy to find, unlike some of the much broader ranges (e.g. UV/SI). Each color has a slightly different wavelength within that visible range.
The second part is the reading device, typically an optical detector of some type.
The light source requires checking and possible replacement, and typically the power supply is what is truly calibrated on the input side. The detector also requires calibration and depending on how good the device is, it may or may not drift quite a bit.
I am also not familiar with a MacBeth booth, though I am very familiar with lightwave measurement.
Hershal
Lightwave measurements (of any kind) can be tricky. As has been pointed out, the light source is one key. The visible range is very small, so a CW light source over that range should be fairly easy to find, unlike some of the much broader ranges (e.g. UV/SI). Each color has a slightly different wavelength within that visible range.
The second part is the reading device, typically an optical detector of some type.
The light source requires checking and possible replacement, and typically the power supply is what is truly calibrated on the input side. The detector also requires calibration and depending on how good the device is, it may or may not drift quite a bit.
I am also not familiar with a MacBeth booth, though I am very familiar with lightwave measurement.
Hershal
holden breau
Registered
hello Ozziegood, did you finalize your Macbeth booth calibration?
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