Neutralizing Colors - Hasselblad FlexColor V4 Software Reference Manual

The Histogram Window
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Neutralizing Colors

5.
6.
Neutralizing Colors
Working with digital photography is somewhat different from using
conventional film.
To obtain a neutral color balance in your image you will have to perform a
neutralization of the image.
To achieve the correct neutralization it is advised to use a Macbeth Color
Checker Chart. Use the neutralization picker (center) and click on one of
the grey patches of the chart. Alternatively you can use an area in the
image which you are certain has a natural grey balance but you might
experience colors shifting doing so.
Whenever you change the setup, lightning or other physical aspects which
could influence your image it is advised to perform a new neutralization.
Once your image is neutralized it will stay that way until you either
change the setup or perform another neutralization.
You can undo a neutralization setting by selecting Edit -> Undo or
pressing cmd-z on your keyboard.
• When selecting a shadow point, select an object in the image that
you would like to have print black. Check the pixel values at
several potential black points to help you pick the best one (usually
the darkest one that is not already at the minimum of 0 in any of
the colors). All pixels darker than the one you selected will be
black.
• When selecting a neutralize point, select an object in the image that
should be a neutral (gray) color. This will not affect the image
brightness, only the color cast. For best results, select a point close
to the middle of the exposure range, for example with RGB pixel
values around 150.
Click on the target point. The highlight, shadow or gray value will be
reassigned to the values shown for that pixel in the info area. Your
screen will be instantly updated.
Inspect the preview using the Detail window and Color area. Look
for areas that are burned-out (showing values of 255) and also check
the shadow areas to be sure you have not hidden any details in these
areas. You can undo your settings by selecting Edit -> Undo or
pressing cmd-z on your keyboard.
Software Reference - FlexColor 4.0 for Camera Backs