Datacolor User to User Support Group.

I've noticed that the Spectro's probe tip being black like the body is
thus more difficult to visually position in the center of darker
patches. If the very tip had an orange or red ring around it I could
read patches faster with less chance of error. Just a suggestion.
Think I might paint mine.

I'm curious if the Spectro is capable of outputing not just LAB or
density but also accurate RGB values which could be imported into
Excel. Can this be addressed with a software upgrade? 

Bob Marcy
Professional Photography Program
Dawson College
Montreal, Quebec

<http://photo.dawsoncollege.qc.ca>

--- In colorvision_group@yahoogroups.com, "bmarcy1" <b.marcy@...> wrote:
>
> I've noticed that the Spectro's probe tip being black like the body is
> thus more difficult to visually position in the center of darker
> patches. If the very tip had an orange or red ring around it I could
> read patches faster with less chance of error. Just a suggestion.
> Think I might paint mine.
> Bob Marcy

Some people on this list noticed this also. At first I used a white grease pencil then advanced 
to a silver Sharpie...

In a message dated 7/17/06 9:55:05 AM, b.marcy@... writes:


> 
> I'm curious if the Spectro is capable of outputing not just LAB or
> density but also accurate RGB values which could be imported into
> Excel. Can this be addressed with a software upgrade?
> 
> 
There is not really such a thing as RGB values; they are device dependant.   
You have to define RGB in terms of some meaningful color standard like Lab to 
have them be meaningful. So you can convert Lab readings from a spectro to   
Lab-linked RGB equivalents such as AdobeRGB, or sRGB, though even that has some 
assumptions and simplifications involved. 

C. David Tobie
Product Technology Manager
ColorVision Business Unit
Datacolor Inc.
CDTobie@...
www.colorvision.com

I used a silver sharpie to put 4 contrasting stripes on the outside of
the nose.  This makes it easy to view on both the light and the dark
patches!  

--- In colorvision_group@yahoogroups.com, "bmarcy1" <b.marcy@...> wrote:

>
> I've noticed that the Spectro's probe tip being black like the body is
> thus more difficult to visually position in the center of darker
> patches. If the very tip had an orange or red ring around it I could
> read patches faster with less chance of error. Just a suggestion.
> Think I might paint mine.
> 
> I'm curious if the Spectro is capable of outputing not just LAB or
> density but also accurate RGB values which could be imported into
> Excel. Can this be addressed with a software upgrade? 
> 
> Bob Marcy
> Professional Photography Program
> Dawson College
> Montreal, Quebec
> 
> <http://photo.dawsoncollege.qc.ca>
>

--- In colorvision_group@yahoogroups.com, CDTobie@... wrote:
>
> 
> In a message dated 7/17/06 9:55:05 AM, b.marcy@... writes:
> 
> 
> > 
> > I'm curious if the Spectro is capable of outputing not just LAB or
> > density but also accurate RGB values which could be imported into
> > Excel. Can this be addressed with a software upgrade?
> > 
> There is not really such a thing as RGB values; they are device
dependant.   
> You have to define RGB in terms of some meaningful color standard
like Lab to 
> have them be meaningful. So you can convert Lab readings from a
spectro to   
> Lab-linked RGB equivalents such as AdobeRGB, or sRGB, though even
that has some 
> assumptions and simplifications involved. 
> 
> C. David Tobie
> Product Technology Manager
> ColorVision Business Unit
> Datacolor Inc.
> CDTobie@...
> www.colorvision.com

Thank you for your reply David.I believe I mispoke using the wrong terms. 
I mean't that I'd like to see the spectro read and record CMY
reflection values much like my X-Rite TR810 Densitometer. The 810 is a
Status A (photographic prints)/Status M (negative film) reader. 

I was hoping the Spectro was effectively an acurate Status T
(pre-press proofs, inks) reader that could record these CMY values.

Hope that was a bit clearer.

As for the lack of contrast on the probe tip, it seems others have
noticed this and suggested Sharpies. Guess I'll be looking for one
with glitter (grin).

Bob Marcy
Professional Photography Program
Dawson College
Montreal Quebec

<http://photo.dawsoncollege.qc.ca>