I recently picked up an X-Rite ColorChecker chart and used it to create a custom Lightroom develop preset for my Canon 30D using the Chromoholics ACR Calibrator script. It was really simple:
- Download and install the script (download and directions at the link above).
- Take a photo of the ColorChecker.
- Download the photo to your computer and open it in Photoshop.
- Run the script, then use the output values to tweak Lightroom’s Camera Calibration settings in the Develop module and save a preset. Done!
Previously, I’d created a develop preset by eye, using landscape images I’d taken and averaged/optimized the camera calibration settings. The new preset created with the ColorChecker and ACR Calibrator script is slightly better.
I use this preset as my baseline develop settings and apply it to all images on import. This gets a vast majority of my images 90% of the way to a finished state – a big time saver!
I recommend trying this method if you have, or can temporarily get your hands on a ColorChecker chart.
