HCT User Guide
page 4
Copyright © 2001 HutchColor, LLC
User_Guide_43.docx 2/10/19
Introducing the HCT
™
The HutchColor HCT is a high-precision color target for ICC scanner and camera profiling. Designed
for extremely demanding users, it has about twice as many patches as the standard IT8.7/1 & 2
(‘IT8’) target layout, a better sampling of dark colors and almost three times as many gray scale
steps. These features, combined with individually-measured reference data, help it characterize a
scanner or camera more accurately, especially in high density (shadow) tones.
The HCT Precision Scanner Target
Benefits and limitations
For drum- and flat-bed scanning the HCT yields more precise color and tonal accuracy, especially in
richly-saturated colors and very dark shadows. This leads to more precise scans and better
correction of underexposed originals, however the amount of improvement may be affected by
scanner setup, viewing conditions, subject matter and user-expectations.
For fine-art reproductions and product photography, the HCT provides a higher dynamic range and
wider color gamut than typical camera targets, so a greater portion of the camera's color space is
characterized. However, as with all camera targets, color matching quality is also affected by
variations in lighting spectra, camera filtration and spectral reflectance differences between the
colorants in the subject and the target’s photographic dyes.
It should be remembered that all ICC “capture” profiles (camera or scanner) are optimized to
accurately reproduce the dyes or colorants in the target itself. If the subject’s colorants have different
spectral reflectance curves, color accuracy may suffer due to "metamerism failure". There is no
simple solution for this, except manual editing in Photoshop.
Media and formats
The HCT was originally available in the following formats but availability may be reduced without
notice as film emulsions become discontinued by their respective manufacturers.
