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+<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">
+<html>
+ <head>
+ <title>Calibration vs. Characterization</title>
+ <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;
+ charset=ISO-8859-1">
+ </head>
+ <body>
+ <h2 style="text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold;">Calibration
+vs.
+
+ Characterization<br>
+ </h2>
+ Some of the terminology can be confusing. Many people are initially
+ confused about the difference between <span style="font-weight:
+ bold;">Calibration</span> and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Characterization</span>.<br>
+ <h3>What is Calibration ?</h3>
+ "Calibration" is a short hand Graphic Arts term for adjusting a
+ devices behavior to meet calibration targets.<br>
+ Calibration is the process of modifying the color behavior of a
+ device. This is typically done using two mechanisms:<br>
+ &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1) Changing controls or internal settings that it
+ has.<br>
+ &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 2) Applying curves to its color channels.<br>
+ <br>
+ The idea of calibration is to put a device is a defined state with
+ regard to its color response. Often this is used as a day to day
+ means of maintaining reproducible behavior. Calibration is often the
+ most practical way of setting parameters such as white point and
+ brightness of displays. Typically calibration will be stored in
+ device or systems specific file formats that record the device
+ settings and/or per channel calibration curves.<br>
+ <h3>What is Characterization ?</h3>
+ Characterization (or <span style="font-weight: bold;">profiling</span>)
+ is <span style="text-decoration: underline;">recording</span> the
+ way a device reproduces or responds to color. Typically the result
+ is stored in a device <span style="font-weight: bold;">ICC</span>
+ profile. Such a profile does not in itself modify color in any way.
+ What it does is allow a system such as a CMM (Color Management
+ Module) or color aware application to modify color when combined
+ with another device profile. Only by knowing the characteristics of
+ two devices or colorspaces, can a way of transferring color from one
+ device representation to another be achieved.<br>
+ <br>
+ Note that a characterization (profile) will only be valid for a
+ device if it is in the same state of calibration as it was when it
+ was characterized.<br>
+ <h3>What about display calibration and profiles ?</h3>
+ In the case of display profiles there is some additional confusion
+ because often the <span style="font-weight: bold;">calibration</span>
+ information is stored in the <span style="font-weight: bold;">profile</span>
+ for convenience. By convention it is stored in a tag called the
+ 'vcgt' tag. Although it is stored in the profile, none of the normal
+ <span style="font-weight: bold;">ICC</span> based tools or
+ applications are aware of it, or do anything with it, it is just
+ "along for the ride". Similarly, typical display calibration tools
+ and applications will not be aware of, or do anything with the ICC
+ characterization (profile) information.<br>
+ <br>
+ <br>
+ </body>
+</html>