To the average person, the ColorChecker chat looks like nothing more then a cheap piece of plastic with a bunch of random colored squares on it. To a photographer however, the ColorChecker is often times one of the most invaluable pieces of equipment in their arsenal. With more uses then one of those two inch thick Swiss Army knives, once you unlock the powers of the squares, you will never go without one. Purchased for about $60 from Amazon (link to product page), it is quite possibly the best deal in town.

What is it? - The ColorChecker chart, formerly produced by GretagMacbeth, now produced by X-Rite, is a plastic based board, measuring roughly 8.5×11, with 24 differently colored squares on it, all equally sized and spaced. The colors are not printed, but instead applied to a special polymer, formulated to minimize color shift over time. Each chart comes with a small panphlet, identifying the exact color of each square in both RGB values, as well as LAB. Each color is made to represent a real life value, including skin tone, sky, grass, water, etc. The purpose of this chart is to be a reference for these colors, as well as all colors, to assist in the calibration of cameras, scanners, as well as help check the calibration of monitors and printers. Read more