Why is Calibration important?
All devices used in digital image manipulation like digital still cameras, video-cameras, scanners, monitors, video grabbers and printers each have their own transmission characteristics. They alter the intensity distribution of the image data, and some in a highly non-linear manner. These alterations are often uncontrolled, causing severe problems when the images are viewed or manipulated using some system other than the one the images were created with. Too dark, too light or flat images and missing details are the most common indication of uncontrolled transfer characteristics. The hue-shift that is a direct consequence of non-linear transformations is left too often without any consideration.
It is for this reason that all devices where image related work is being carried out be accurately calibrated. The journey begins from the digital camera to the computer monitor — where I process my images and then take them to print to the printer or put them up on the web.