Cinematics
Experience the Art and Science of Home Cinema
Experience the Art and Science of Home Cinema
Video Calibration
Why should you have your video system Calibrated?
Filmmakers use light and colors as a canvas upon which they paint an image on the screen. Colors are chosen for their emotional impact. Use of blue tones can convey sadness. Gray can convey hopelessness and reds can convey anger. Bright vibrant colors can make use feel comfortable and welcome. Often, the coloration of a movie changes dramatically from the beginning to the end as our characters move from one emotional state to another.
Filmmakers work very hard to use the tools they have and if your system is not reproducing their vision faithfully, the movie experience is diminished. We lose the emotional connection that the filmmaker worked so hard to produce.
What's wrong with your display?
Your display was factory preset for showroom appeal, not in-home use. These settings:
Video Calibration can have the following benefits:
What gets Calibrated?
Your entire signal chain gets calibrated from source to display. This includes your source devices such as DVD or Blue-Ray player, Cable or Satellite boxes, Computers or media streaming devices, Game Systems, and any other devices connected to the video signal chain. Often, running a video signal through a component like a surround receiver will effect the image. Professional calibration will take these devices into account and ensure that you are getting the optimal image from source to display.
What are some calibration specifics?
Video calibration largely depends on your display device. Some displays feature extensive calibration controls and some only have the basics. Even if your display only has the basic controls, having them set correctly can yield superb results. The basic controls include Brightness, Contrast, Saturation, and Tint. These basic controls are found in almost every consumer display built today.
Proper Brightness?
Brightness or black level is the control that sets the level of black in the picture. If brightness is set too low, details in the darker parts of the image will not be visible. If Brightness is set too high, the image will appear 'washed out'. Improper setting of brightness will have a dramatic effect on color as well. The color that we see in an image is the result of color being overlay-ed onto a black and white image. If the black and white image starts out incorrect, we will have a very hard time getting the color correct.
Darkness is a powerful tool for film-makers. They use shadows to obscure areas of the image in order to create suspense. That which we cannot see frightens and excites us more than an object in plain sight. In the below scene, the emergence of the alien ship from the darkness of space is meant to be unnerving and awe-inspiring. Properly seen, it is. If your system is not set-up correctly, the dramatic effect of the scene is lost.
The images below have three different brightness settings.
This image has the brightness set too low. This results in the details in the dark parts of the scene not being visible. We see something emerging from space, but we can't make out any form or detail.
This image has the brightness set too high. This image appears washed-out and while we can see more details, the darkness of space appears unnatural. The boiling of the hole in space is less evident and we begin to see artifacts in the background.
This image has the brightness set correctly. Now, we can see the image the way that the film-maker intended. In this case, we are seeing correctly the work that went into producing the incredible special effects in this scene. We are drawn into the scene as the darkness of space opens before us.
Proper Contrast?
Contrast, or white level, is the control that sets the level of white in the picture. If contrast is set too low, The image will suffer from a loss of dynamic range. This can make the image appear darker and less detailed. If contrast is set too high, details in the brightest parts of the image will be lost.
Bright, white images can be over-powering. The image below was meant to speak to us of the vastness of the landscape, and the vast distance to the horizon. We are meant to feel the harshness and barrenness of the planet.
In the below image, the contrast has been set too low. We lose the feeling of power from the light source and the overall effect is a softening of the image. Our hero in the image is fuzzy and the entire image appears out of focus.
One of the interesting effects of incorrect contrast setting is an apparent loss of sharpness. Our eyes measure the overall quality of an image by means other than number of pixels. If we reduce the dynamic range of an image, we not only lose the brightest parts of the image, but we notice a perceived loss of sharpness. Please note that all three images below are the same resolution and all came from the same image. The only difference in the images is the change in contrast. In this case, the softening of the image results in a softening of the landscape. We no longer feel as desperate, in this vast expanse of soft gray.
In the second image, the contrast has been set too high When contrast is set too high, details are also lost. The sun on the horizon now obscures the entire corner of the screen. It almost appears that the sun is emerging from behind the clouds and a bright, blue sky beckons to us. This is not the intent of the director in this case. Notice that our snow now has subtle shades of pink in various places. This is another curious effect of incorrect contrast. We begin to see colors where there are none. Our stranded hero appears sharper due to the increased dynamic range, but the landscape appears unnatural. The ability to clearly resolve all the way to the horizon lowers the effect of feeling lost and alone.
In the image below, the contrast has been set correctly. We can see the details present in the brightest part of the image and we have excellent dynamic range. This yields a bright, sharp image.
We have a feeling of immenseness to the landscape, yet we can still feel the wind softening the hard edges of the ice. Our landscape appears a uniform color and we can see the hint of mountains in the distance. Our ability to 'almost' see the mountains where we are headed gives us a sense of perspective about our hero's situation.
Proper Color?
The color (saturation) controls on most modern displays also need to be correctly set for optimal video performance. Saturation refers to the amount of color in the image. More and more often, filmmakers are using color, or the lack of, to convey a very specific emotions. If your system is not set-up correctly, the efforts of the film makers are lost.
In the first image, the saturation has been set too low. The end result is an image that is almost black and white. We have lost skin tones and everything appears monochrome.
In the below image, the saturation has been turned up too much. This is a common error as people try to achieve a certain look from the image. Most consumer televisions come with their color set too high. This yields inaccurate colors and the introduction of colors where the filmmaker did not intend for them to be. While we may be tempted to add this extra color for extra 'punch', we are straying from what the filmmaker is trying to show us. Colors are unnatural and over-blown.
In the final image, saturation is set correctly. This is a difficult image and has been chosen specifically for the filmmaker's use of low saturation to achieve a desired look. In this image, we see that the sky is a post-apocalyptic blue-gray with some green mixed in to add an alien feel. All the colors in the image are washed-out intentionally by the filmmaker to make us feel empty and barren. The lack of color signifies a loss of hope.
Another common tool in the filmmakers box is the use of a particular shade that is cast over the scene to convey an emotion. Once again, improper adjustment lowers the emotional impact of the scene.
In this scene, lowering the color control even slightly, removes the blue from the image that has been intentionally put their to 'sadden' this image. We are meant to view this image, desaturated and overly blue. This is a very unique style and the use of very specific coloration adds impact to the image.
Below, we have added extra color to the image. The red in the flag is brighter, more vibrant. The grass is greener. We have however, lost our blue shade. The image is no longer conveying the sense of loss and has lost emotional impact.
This is the correct amount of color in this image. The rain is falling on a gray/blue cemetery. Even the colors of the flag that we know so well have faded and lost their luster. We feel the sense of loss of hope and even the grass has darkened below us. In this case, our filmmaker has pulled us in emotionally with the use of color.
Proper Tint?
The Tint controls on most modern displays have improved dramatically over the years, but improperly adjusted, they can cause serious errors. Tint refers the balance of colors in the image and when improperly set, can very radically effect what we see.
In this image, Tint has been set too much to the green side. Our actress appears pale and waxen. If the goal of the filmmaker was to make the character appear nervous, or sickly, this would work. Her dress has taken a dramatic turn towards blue. Warmth is gone from the image. The candle in the background has almost no orange in it and burns a steady shade of yellow. We might be tempted to think that this is correct until we see the correct image below.
In this image, Tint has been set too much to the red side. Our actress has taken on a bad sunburn. Her dress has become excessively green and her gold jewelry looks like brass. Compared to the final image, this is very obviously incorrect, yet this is a common error.
In the final image, Tint has been set correctly. Our actress appears healthy and her dress is a pleasing shade of green. In this case, the difference between the top and bottom images is subtle, yet powerful. If we accept the top image as correct, we view our heroin as pale, sickly, or nervous. She looks almost sweaty and uncomfortable. In the correct image, she appears healthy and strong. Her skin has a warm glow to it and there no trace of the sickly tone that we have in the top image.
Proper Sharpness?
Sharpness is perhaps the most misunderstood of the basic video controls. Sharpness is not a focus control. Sharpness is edge enhancement that is added to image. Often this results in 'ringing' or a halo being added around dark edges.
Once again, the use of a soft or harsh image can be used to convey emotion. Images in soft focus are 'safe'. They have a feel of warmth and comfort. Images viewed at extreme close range or with hard edges make use feel uncomfortable. When we see the details that we know are there, yet rarely see, we connect on a deeper level with out characters.
In the first image, sharpness has been turned down too much. This softens the image and we cannot connect with the image as it appears unnatural and out of focus.
In the image below, sharpness has been turned up too much. This does not improve the image, but instead adds artifacts. Our hero's skin has taken on a leathery texture and he appears unnaturally gray in the beard. Those are not gray whiskers, they are rings created by the sharpness control. By the look of the beard, our hero has aged ten years.
The image has taken on a flat, unnatural quality. While we may be tempted to ramp-up the sharpness, these are the types of artifacts that are common from the sharpness control.
Below is the correct sharpness adjustment. We can see all of the details that the filmmaker intended and they look natural. In this scene, our filmmaker wants us to feel close to our hero and to see the details that make him human like skin and hair structure. Extra sharpness in the above image over-emphasizes these details and we begin to view our hero in a 'clinical' light.
Filmmakers use light and colors as a canvas upon which they paint an image on the screen. Colors are chosen for their emotional impact. Use of blue tones can convey sadness. Gray can convey hopelessness and reds can convey anger. Bright vibrant colors can make use feel comfortable and welcome. Often, the coloration of a movie changes dramatically from the beginning to the end as our characters move from one emotional state to another.
Filmmakers work very hard to use the tools they have and if your system is not reproducing their vision faithfully, the movie experience is diminished. We lose the emotional connection that the filmmaker worked so hard to produce.
What's wrong with your display?
Your display was factory preset for showroom appeal, not in-home use. These settings:
- Waste energy.
- Degrade the picture.
- Shorten the life of the display.
- Your room lighting effects the picture.
- Only in-home calibration can tune the display based in the room it is being used in.
- Only in-home calibration can tune the display based in the room it is being used in.
- Your signal chain is not the same as the factory.
- Your source components need to be calibrated as well for optimal picture.
- Your display ages. This causes:
- Loss of brightness.
- Poor gray-scale tracking.
- Inaccurate color.
Video Calibration can have the following benefits:
- Can reduce energy consumption by up to 15%
- Optimizes your display for room lighting.
- In some cases, presets for different lighting conditions can be created.
- Can extend the life of your display.
- In some cases up to double from factory settings.
- Improves color accuracy for life-like performance.
- People will not look sun-burned, the sky will be blue, and the grass will be green.
- Your favorite sports team will be wearing the correct color uniforms.
- People will not look sun-burned, the sky will be blue, and the grass will be green.
- Your picture will be more detailed, especially in the darkest and lightest portions of the image.
- Your image will be sharper, more focused, and more film-like.
What gets Calibrated?
Your entire signal chain gets calibrated from source to display. This includes your source devices such as DVD or Blue-Ray player, Cable or Satellite boxes, Computers or media streaming devices, Game Systems, and any other devices connected to the video signal chain. Often, running a video signal through a component like a surround receiver will effect the image. Professional calibration will take these devices into account and ensure that you are getting the optimal image from source to display.
What are some calibration specifics?
Video calibration largely depends on your display device. Some displays feature extensive calibration controls and some only have the basics. Even if your display only has the basic controls, having them set correctly can yield superb results. The basic controls include Brightness, Contrast, Saturation, and Tint. These basic controls are found in almost every consumer display built today.
Proper Brightness?
Brightness or black level is the control that sets the level of black in the picture. If brightness is set too low, details in the darker parts of the image will not be visible. If Brightness is set too high, the image will appear 'washed out'. Improper setting of brightness will have a dramatic effect on color as well. The color that we see in an image is the result of color being overlay-ed onto a black and white image. If the black and white image starts out incorrect, we will have a very hard time getting the color correct.
Darkness is a powerful tool for film-makers. They use shadows to obscure areas of the image in order to create suspense. That which we cannot see frightens and excites us more than an object in plain sight. In the below scene, the emergence of the alien ship from the darkness of space is meant to be unnerving and awe-inspiring. Properly seen, it is. If your system is not set-up correctly, the dramatic effect of the scene is lost.
The images below have three different brightness settings.
This image has the brightness set too low. This results in the details in the dark parts of the scene not being visible. We see something emerging from space, but we can't make out any form or detail.
This image has the brightness set too high. This image appears washed-out and while we can see more details, the darkness of space appears unnatural. The boiling of the hole in space is less evident and we begin to see artifacts in the background.
This image has the brightness set correctly. Now, we can see the image the way that the film-maker intended. In this case, we are seeing correctly the work that went into producing the incredible special effects in this scene. We are drawn into the scene as the darkness of space opens before us.
Proper Contrast?
Contrast, or white level, is the control that sets the level of white in the picture. If contrast is set too low, The image will suffer from a loss of dynamic range. This can make the image appear darker and less detailed. If contrast is set too high, details in the brightest parts of the image will be lost.
Bright, white images can be over-powering. The image below was meant to speak to us of the vastness of the landscape, and the vast distance to the horizon. We are meant to feel the harshness and barrenness of the planet.
In the below image, the contrast has been set too low. We lose the feeling of power from the light source and the overall effect is a softening of the image. Our hero in the image is fuzzy and the entire image appears out of focus.
One of the interesting effects of incorrect contrast setting is an apparent loss of sharpness. Our eyes measure the overall quality of an image by means other than number of pixels. If we reduce the dynamic range of an image, we not only lose the brightest parts of the image, but we notice a perceived loss of sharpness. Please note that all three images below are the same resolution and all came from the same image. The only difference in the images is the change in contrast. In this case, the softening of the image results in a softening of the landscape. We no longer feel as desperate, in this vast expanse of soft gray.
In the second image, the contrast has been set too high When contrast is set too high, details are also lost. The sun on the horizon now obscures the entire corner of the screen. It almost appears that the sun is emerging from behind the clouds and a bright, blue sky beckons to us. This is not the intent of the director in this case. Notice that our snow now has subtle shades of pink in various places. This is another curious effect of incorrect contrast. We begin to see colors where there are none. Our stranded hero appears sharper due to the increased dynamic range, but the landscape appears unnatural. The ability to clearly resolve all the way to the horizon lowers the effect of feeling lost and alone.
In the image below, the contrast has been set correctly. We can see the details present in the brightest part of the image and we have excellent dynamic range. This yields a bright, sharp image.
We have a feeling of immenseness to the landscape, yet we can still feel the wind softening the hard edges of the ice. Our landscape appears a uniform color and we can see the hint of mountains in the distance. Our ability to 'almost' see the mountains where we are headed gives us a sense of perspective about our hero's situation.
Proper Color?
The color (saturation) controls on most modern displays also need to be correctly set for optimal video performance. Saturation refers to the amount of color in the image. More and more often, filmmakers are using color, or the lack of, to convey a very specific emotions. If your system is not set-up correctly, the efforts of the film makers are lost.
In the first image, the saturation has been set too low. The end result is an image that is almost black and white. We have lost skin tones and everything appears monochrome.
In the below image, the saturation has been turned up too much. This is a common error as people try to achieve a certain look from the image. Most consumer televisions come with their color set too high. This yields inaccurate colors and the introduction of colors where the filmmaker did not intend for them to be. While we may be tempted to add this extra color for extra 'punch', we are straying from what the filmmaker is trying to show us. Colors are unnatural and over-blown.
In the final image, saturation is set correctly. This is a difficult image and has been chosen specifically for the filmmaker's use of low saturation to achieve a desired look. In this image, we see that the sky is a post-apocalyptic blue-gray with some green mixed in to add an alien feel. All the colors in the image are washed-out intentionally by the filmmaker to make us feel empty and barren. The lack of color signifies a loss of hope.
Another common tool in the filmmakers box is the use of a particular shade that is cast over the scene to convey an emotion. Once again, improper adjustment lowers the emotional impact of the scene.
In this scene, lowering the color control even slightly, removes the blue from the image that has been intentionally put their to 'sadden' this image. We are meant to view this image, desaturated and overly blue. This is a very unique style and the use of very specific coloration adds impact to the image.
Below, we have added extra color to the image. The red in the flag is brighter, more vibrant. The grass is greener. We have however, lost our blue shade. The image is no longer conveying the sense of loss and has lost emotional impact.
This is the correct amount of color in this image. The rain is falling on a gray/blue cemetery. Even the colors of the flag that we know so well have faded and lost their luster. We feel the sense of loss of hope and even the grass has darkened below us. In this case, our filmmaker has pulled us in emotionally with the use of color.
Proper Tint?
The Tint controls on most modern displays have improved dramatically over the years, but improperly adjusted, they can cause serious errors. Tint refers the balance of colors in the image and when improperly set, can very radically effect what we see.
In this image, Tint has been set too much to the green side. Our actress appears pale and waxen. If the goal of the filmmaker was to make the character appear nervous, or sickly, this would work. Her dress has taken a dramatic turn towards blue. Warmth is gone from the image. The candle in the background has almost no orange in it and burns a steady shade of yellow. We might be tempted to think that this is correct until we see the correct image below.
In this image, Tint has been set too much to the red side. Our actress has taken on a bad sunburn. Her dress has become excessively green and her gold jewelry looks like brass. Compared to the final image, this is very obviously incorrect, yet this is a common error.
In the final image, Tint has been set correctly. Our actress appears healthy and her dress is a pleasing shade of green. In this case, the difference between the top and bottom images is subtle, yet powerful. If we accept the top image as correct, we view our heroin as pale, sickly, or nervous. She looks almost sweaty and uncomfortable. In the correct image, she appears healthy and strong. Her skin has a warm glow to it and there no trace of the sickly tone that we have in the top image.
Proper Sharpness?
Sharpness is perhaps the most misunderstood of the basic video controls. Sharpness is not a focus control. Sharpness is edge enhancement that is added to image. Often this results in 'ringing' or a halo being added around dark edges.
Once again, the use of a soft or harsh image can be used to convey emotion. Images in soft focus are 'safe'. They have a feel of warmth and comfort. Images viewed at extreme close range or with hard edges make use feel uncomfortable. When we see the details that we know are there, yet rarely see, we connect on a deeper level with out characters.
In the first image, sharpness has been turned down too much. This softens the image and we cannot connect with the image as it appears unnatural and out of focus.
In the image below, sharpness has been turned up too much. This does not improve the image, but instead adds artifacts. Our hero's skin has taken on a leathery texture and he appears unnaturally gray in the beard. Those are not gray whiskers, they are rings created by the sharpness control. By the look of the beard, our hero has aged ten years.
The image has taken on a flat, unnatural quality. While we may be tempted to ramp-up the sharpness, these are the types of artifacts that are common from the sharpness control.
Below is the correct sharpness adjustment. We can see all of the details that the filmmaker intended and they look natural. In this scene, our filmmaker wants us to feel close to our hero and to see the details that make him human like skin and hair structure. Extra sharpness in the above image over-emphasizes these details and we begin to view our hero in a 'clinical' light.