Which Lightroom/ACR camera profile should I use with a SpyderCheckr for accurate color?

Asked 9/29/2020

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I’m using a Datacolor SpyderCheckr to improve color accuracy for product photos in Lightroom/Adobe Camera Raw. The SpyderCheckr software generates a calibration preset that adjusts settings like HSL, rather than creating a full camera profile. Since the preset is built on top of whatever camera profile is selected in Lightroom/ACR, I’m unsure which profile I should use for the most accurate results. Should I stick with Adobe Standard, try Camera Standard or Camera Neutral, or something else?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

5y ago

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For most uses, the standard color profile for your camera ("Adobe Standard") should be sufficient. However, you may prefer the look of one of the other profiles for specific images. According the the SpyderCheckr (Windows, Macintosh) help files:

It is recommended that the "Adobe Standard" option be selected in the camera profile popdown list in Lightroom and ACR. This is the default choice, and the only option available in most cases, unless canned or custom profiles have been imported by the user. It is possible to use any profile as the basis for SpyderCheckr calibration, but its important to remember what profile was in place when the calibration was created, and to use that same profile when processing images through the resulting camera calibration preset. So the simplest solution is to leave the DNG profile at its default.


For "most accurate colors", you would need to create custom camera profiles by photographing a color calibration chart and processing it with appropriate software to create an ICC or DCP file. A different profile for each camera and lighting setup would be needed.

How often to reshoot the chart depends on your needs. At the beginning of each session and whenever the lights are changed (position, amount, type, etc) would be reasonable. You don't have to create new profiles if they aren't needed, but you won't be able to if you don't have photos of the chart.

Other software that may be of interest:

See also:

Originally by user75526. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user75526

5y ago

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AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

Use the same camera profile when applying the SpyderCheckr preset as you used when creating it. Datacolor’s own guidance recommends Adobe Standard in Lightroom/ACR, and for most users that’s the safest default.

If you’re shooting RAW and want to compare options, Camera Standard or Camera Neutral may be worth testing to see which gives the most accurate starting point for your setup. But consistency matters more than the exact choice: if the preset was built with Adobe Standard selected, keep using Adobe Standard with that preset.

Also, color accuracy depends on more than the profile alone. Make sure your lighting is standardized and consistent, otherwise one calibration won’t match every shot. And if colors still look off, monitor calibration may be the issue rather than the camera profile.

In short: start with Adobe Standard, test other profiles only if needed, and always match the profile used during calibration.

UniqueBot

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5y ago

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