Color consistency between IPads when used for image references

[Austin Schmidt]

I am unavailable for a color timing session. In the past I have always had two monitors that were calibrated to "match" be available to the Colorist and myself in our separate locations so that I could send color corrected stills to communicate the look of the images. This has always cost a certain amount of money and this time a Colorist recommend we use IPad Minis to save cost. According to the Colorist the screens will match as long as the IPads are the same model. This is obviously not the optimal method considering the IPad mini's shortcomings in color space and general viewing size to monitor color correction, but in a pinch as long as the image is consistent between the Ipads it might be handy in a pinch. I don't believe the screens can really be calibrated like regular monitors, so does that mean they all should look the same right out of the box with the factory settings?

Has anyone used this method before or have any positive/negative experiences with this?

 

[Alan Rencher]

Maybe this is what you are looking for: http://spyder.datacolor.com/portfolio-view/spyder-gallery/

[Joerg Polzfusz]

Not sure about the iPad, but on the iPhone I can manipulate the screen's brightness. And this results in different colours. And as there's only a slider (without showing any numbers, percentages, whatever), I kind of doubt that it's possible to have exactly the same colours on two iPhones...

[Dwight Hartnett]

That's not a great idea in practice I'm afraid.

 

While I don't have hard data I'm going to call BS on the same model number = matching panels assertion. If you think about it for a second every critical grading monitor requires calibration to match any other given critical grading monitor of the same make and model but a consumer tablet made with a leftover Ipad 2 panel matches all others from the same batch faithfully? I would want to see some data to back that up. While not amazing the Ipad with Retina display has a better color space (though still sub sRGB) and performance than the Ipad mini and color calibration is still a serious weakness. I wouldn't recommend living and dying by the assumption that two given Ipads are matched (or even that they stayed that way if the did get matched). Unless you're producing content for the Ipad I would fight for a decent pair of matched monitors. While more expensive and less portable than an Ipad even HP Dreamcolors can be had for not an enormous outlay of cash. If you want something that you can set up in an office, on the truck, or a hotel room to time some stills that would be a good solution.

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824176106

 

Chances are your color timer either has one or has something else that it can be matched to. Xrite also has a probe that does a very acceptable job of calibration as well.

 

That being said if you have a good working relationship with your colorist I'm sure an Ipad (I would insist on at least one with a Retina Display though) is "good enough" to communicate what your intentions are for a given scene. I just would not count on the kind of faithful color you are used to with your old set up.

 

Here's a link I found with some data on Ipad mini color space:

 

http://cdtobie.wordpress.com/2012/11/06/color-analysis-of-the-ipad-mini/