Colour Checkers in the Workflow – From Capture to Grade for Consistent Colour

When you film across different cameras, lighting setups, and shooting environments — labs, classrooms, organ lofts, sailing on the Thames, or drone work — keeping colour consistent is one of the hardest challenges.
This is where a colour checker becomes essential.

At Philip M Russell Ltd, we use colour checkers as part of every filming workflow: science videos, sailing footage, product demonstrations, organ recordings, and even still photography. It’s the simplest way to ensure that skin tones look real, lab colours remain accurate, and edits match between sessions.

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Why Colour Consistency Matters

Different cameras see colour differently.
Different lights change colour temperature.
Different days introduce shifts — cloudy vs sunny, LEDs vs fluorescents, lab lights vs daylight.

Without calibration, footage from:

• the Canon R5C

• Insta360 X4

• GoPro

• Sony studio cameras

• drones
  may all look slightly different.

A colour checker fixes this at the point of capture.

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How a Colour Checker Works

A colour checker includes a series of known, standardised colour patches:

• skin tones

• primaries and secondaries

• grayscale steps

• absolute black and white

• calibrated neutrals

Because these values are known, your editing software can:

• automatically correct white balance

• adjust tint

• match colours between cameras

• stabilise exposure

• give you a neutral, reliable baseline

Instead of guessing, the software corrects based on measured truth.

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Step-by-Step Workflow

1. Capture

Hold the colour checker in the frame at the start of each filming setup.
Make sure:

• it faces the camera

• is lit by the same light as the subject

• fills enough of the frame to sample accurately

2. Import

Bring the footage into DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut, or DarkTable/Lightroom/Camera Raw (for stills).

3. Apply Colour Matching

Use your NLE’s colour-match tool (Resolve’s is excellent):

• select the colour checker type

• draw a box around the chart

• auto-match

• fine-tune as needed

4. Grade with Confidence

Once the colours are neutral and correct, then apply your creative grade:

• LUTs

• contrast

• saturation

• warm/cool stylised looks

• film emulation

Because you’ve standardised the base, your grade becomes:

• more predictable

• easier to match across projects

• far more professional

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Why It’s Essential for Science Videos

In science communication, colour is data.
Think about:

• cobalt chloride equilibrium experiments

• phenolphthalein pH changes

• red/blue/green LEDs

• copper flame tests

• thermal imaging overlays

• photosynthesis oxygen indicators

Mis-colour in science isn’t just bad aesthetics — it can mislead.
A colour checker ensures the footage reflects reality.

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Why It Matters for Music & Sailing Videos

• Skin tones look natural

• Boat colours match across shots

• The Whaly Coyote, RS Toura, Vanessa and other boats stay consistent

• Indoor church lighting can be balanced with daylight shots

• Multi-camera organ recordings cut smoothly

Colour accuracy reinforces professionalism.

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The Takeaway

A colour checker is one of the smallest, simplest tools you can add to your workflow — and one of the most powerful.
From capture to grade, it ensures that every project looks consistent, clean, and correct.

If you want your videos to look professional, this is the starting point.