By Ron Eggers

March 1, 2005 — Using industry standard color charts, PictoColor's inCamera Plug-in for Photoshop generates ICC profiles for digital cameras and scanners. Often called device profiles, ICC profiles give a computer's built-in color management system the specific device dependent characteristics that are needed to convert color data from one attached imaging device, such as a scanner, to that of a monitor or an inkjet printer.

Although most digital cameras and scanners ship with default ICC profiles, for more accurate color management, inCamera creates a custom ICC profile by evaluating the color data captured by a camera or scanner, using standardized charts, and then comparing that image data with the known color values of the charts. Once generated, inCamera ICC profiles are integrated into the operating system's color management system, and then utilized by Photoshop and other imaging applications when images from the profiled devices are optimized and output.

The Profiling Process is simple. For a digital camera, take a picture of one of the supported charts (they're called targets); transfer the image from the digital camera to computer, open it with Photoshop, and then run the inCamera plug-in. Align the plug-in's flexible template over the chart in the image, and click Ok. inCamera automatically creates a custom ICC profile by comparing the colors captured by the camera to the known color values of the chart.

inCamera, which creates ICC device profiles for any RGB digital camera or scanner, is compatible with Adobe Photoshop 5, 6, 7, or CS. Using IT8.7/1, IT8.7/2 or HutchColor HCT scanner targets, it supports Macintosh and Windows computers and carries a list price of $149.95. An extensive online Users's Guide is available.

(Contact Ron Eggers at Newswatch@earthlink.net)