X-Rite ColorChecker Classic Mega

X-Rite ColorChecker Classic Mega | A large-format reference for colour control

At 102 × 152 cm, the X-Rite ColorChecker Classic Mega is a much larger colour reference chart than a standard-format target. It carries 24 scientifically arranged colour squares, making it especially useful for landscape, event and aerial photographers working with scenes captured from a great distance. The chart combines greys with natural, chromatic and primary colours; its patches include references such as skin tones, foliage and blue sky. Each patch represents a real-world colour and reflects light in a way that corresponds to its natural counterpart. That gives you a defined reference for assessing colour across different lighting conditions, rather than relying only on how a scene looks on a screen. The Mega format is particularly relevant for distant subjects, where colour correction needs a large reference target in the scene. It also has a place in video and print workflows: use it as a reference for camera white balance, colour correction in supported software, or checking the colour of prints. It’s a specialist-sized chart, so its value is clearest when a regular target would be too small for the job.

Why it is useful

• Large 102 × 152 cm target: The generous dimensions suit work involving subjects at extreme distances, including landscapes and aerial images made with a drone. The target’s size is the defining difference from smaller ColorChecker formats.
• 24 reference patches: The chart brings together greys, natural colours, chromatic colours and primary colours in one target. This range gives you several kinds of colour reference in the same frame, rather than a single neutral reference.
• References drawn from natural subjects: Skin, foliage and blue sky are among the colours represented. That makes the chart relevant to scenes where those familiar colours need to be rendered consistently.
• Consistent colour under different lighting: The patches are made to represent actual colours and reflect light like their natural counterparts. Use them as a known reference when judging how lighting has affected the recorded image.
• Camera white-balance reference: The ColorChecker can be used to establish an accurate white balance with a digital camera. This is useful when a neutral reference in the scene matters to the finished colour.
• Photo and video software support: Listed workflows include Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom through a free plugin, Color Finale, and Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve for video colour correction. Hasselblad Phocus and 3DLUT Creator are also named among the supported third-party software options.
• Camera calibration and ICC workflows: Calibrite Camera Calibration software is described for creating ICC profiles for use in Capture One and other ICC-compatible software. Calibrite PROFILER 2.0 adds automatic target recognition for camera calibration, plus a profile manager for organising, activating and removing profiles.

What's Included

• ColorChecker Classic Mega

Technical Specifications

• Brand: X-Rite
• Model: ColorChecker Classic Mega
• Type: Colour reference chart
• Number of colour patches: 24
• Dimensions: 102 × 152 cm
• Patch groups: Greys, natural, chromatic and primary colours
• Reference colours include: Skin tones, foliage and blue sky
• Applications: Landscape, event and aerial photography; video colour correction; print colour checking
• Named software: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, Color Finale, Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve, Hasselblad Phocus, 3DLUT Creator and Capture One