Add "Average" in sample display

[mikemeister_admin]

Would like to see the average of the RGB values as an option in the sample display.  This would be helpful when trying to manually correct color casts.  Right now I have to use a calculator.

[-default]

One way to get this would be to momentarily set the sample's display mode to grayscale.  The value displayed will be very close to the numeric average of the three channels.  If you set your grayscale working space gamma to 1.0, the value will be an exact numeric average.

BTW - if you set a grayscale pin, you can use the floating neutral feature to move the point up and down until you reach your desired rgb value.

[mikemeister_admin]

Great tips!  Will give them a try!

[mikemeister_admin]

Hi Mike,

I'm enrolled on the 101 course at the moment (and having a great time by the way  ;D). Yesterday Greg posted a 'By the Numbers' correction video that you recorded. One of the steps you went through to set a neutral was to take the average R,G, and B values and set that as the target that you wanted your curves to hit. It struck me at the time that being able to have CM compute this value, rather than reach for a calculator would be really useful.

The idea of setting the sample display temporarily to grayscale to see an average doesn't meet this particular need (unless I'm doing something wrong), because it displays the data as a percentage. Is there any chance you could work a 0-255 average of all three channels as a sample point display option (ideally it would be visible in the normal RGB display, rather than a separate option) in the future. Presumably it would be a fairly simple programming task?

Anyway - I love CurveMeister (though would second those calling for some means of running it on the Mac - I don't love Boot Camp ;)), thanks so much for creating such a wonderful tool for us all  :)

Cheers,
Lee.

[-default]

It's certainly possible to do this.  If you use Curvemeister's neutral feature to set a neutral , then the average RGB value is actually calculated as the target value.  You can read these values directly in the info palette for the point in question, or use shift-double click to directly display these values in the color clicker.

Let me know if this covers the functionality that you want, or perhaps I need a little more help from you if I'm not quite understanding your question.

I am glad you're enjoying the class - Greg is dynamite!

[leeharper_admin]

Thanks for your reply Mike  :)

I didn't know that shift-clicking the neutral point would display the averaged value - that's a great tip (and a nice piece of code)! I really like the way that setting neutrals has been implemented in CM. Floating neutrals are brilliant  ;).

Thinking more about the idea of having additional information in the hue clock readout has got me thinking that it would be really useful for those people familiar with the zone system to know at a glance which zone a sample point is in. This could perhaps be an extension to the floating neutral concept, where if a user noticed that a sample point was in the wrong zone CM could help them to move those values into a user specified zone. I'll have more of a think about what exactly I would like to see and then perhaps I'll start a new thread about it - I think something along these lines could be fun  :)

You're right - Greg's great  ;D The 101 curriculum that you've both put together is fantastic - I'm learning so much, it's just brilliant!

All the best,
Lee.

[ggroess]

Lee I'd love to hear you thoughts about the Zone System in CM.
I have spent a great deal of time thinking about it in relation to B&W conversion and L channel tones.

Greg