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Monitor color temp “on set”
In Varicamp we were instructed using monitors calibrated to 6500 degrees. Both the flat screens and the Sony CRT were at this level. The camera, we were told, should be set internally to 3200 (tungsten).
For more years than I can remember I’ve always used the same 1984 vintage Sony CRT calibrated around 3500 to 3800 degrees when I shoot interviews, etc. Since I’m usually lighting with instruments in the 3200 degree range this would seem to make the most sense. If I look down at my monitor sitting just in front of my camera and then up at the subject they should look about the same in terms of color rendition… and they do.
Why, then, this preference for 6500?
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2 Replies
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Tubecamera,
I believe you’re mistaken about the color of your Sony CRT. The principal in play is that all displays are color balanced for viewing in a daylight environment. For that reason they are illuminated by a source of about 6500 degrees Kelvin. The human eye adjusts very well and quickly to “off color” balance, so even when you watch the same displays at night or with your tungsten lights on in the room as ambience your eye “corrects” the color and the mind does the color balancing so that the flesh tones for example look correct.
At Varicamp they do advise you to do your camera adjustments with a DSC chart lit by HMI’s (daylight). I believe this is so that the colors of the Chroma de Monde look the same to your eye as on the daylight screen.
Most displays also allow a cooler color setting of 9000K. I believe this is to compensate for the predominant overcast (thus cooler) conditions in Japan (where most of the displays have traditionally been made).
It is safe to say that whatever color light you’re using to light the scene, once you’ve white balanced, should look similar on the a properly setup monitor.
Hope this answers your question.
JS
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The color temperture of the older (1980’s vintage) Sony monitors was much warmer than the ones they offer today but I do think some offer a switch to select between color temp.
BTW: I measured mine using a color meter while displaying a white raster.
I have a telecine room and in there is a 6500 degree Ikegami monitor used for color correction. That room is lit by 6500 degree florescent lamps so the ambient room lighting is equal to that of the monitor. Therefore, there is no need for the eye to have to make adjustments if looking away from the screen at camera reports, system controls, etc.
It is a 6500 degree room.
That said, if the ambient room lighting on location is 3200 degrees (professional tungsten lighting in play now) it would seem incorrect to use a monitor displaying at 6500 degrees. The subject will look much cooler on the screen than sitting there in person.
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