The color range is the set of all colors that the human eye can see. So what is the color range on the display screen? Because most displays are limited in the number of colors they can produce, each device must also comply with one or more color standards that define the device’s specific color range. Even though there are quite a few color ranges, you will still find the color range that best suits your needs. So you have grasped the definition of color range, which color range do you need for your computer screen? Find out in the article below.
What is color banding? The color range is used to refer to the set of colors in the spectrum of colors that the human eye can perceive (visible color spectrum).
Let’s take your favorite color as an example. Do you like red-green or blue-yellow? Of course not because the naked eye cannot see these colors.
Whether positive or negative, we are limited by the visible color spectrum or the range of colors that the naked eye can see. This remains true in all aspects of life, not only in nature but also in artificial images created by modern technology. There are no exceptions when it comes to color standards, from computer monitors to tablets and projectors.
We have discussed more details about this color range in the section below and guarantee that after reading this, you will have no more problems.
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Learn about color gradients
We all know that the color range refers to the specific range of colors that the human eye can see, but what exactly is the color range?
Consider what you primarily look for when shopping for a TV or computer monitor. Of course, physical size and width are important, but you probably also pay attention to the colors in the presented image. Deep blacks, vivid reds and blues, and more. An impressive color-driven specs video that reflects reality in ways you’ve never seen before can make the difference between a viewer and a buyer.
Be careful, you can easily confuse color range and resolution. This makes sense because color quality and overall quality seem not only complementary but also interchangeable. On that basis, the color display ability mentioned above and the difference in color display ability between products are directly affected by the color range, color coverage, and color standards.
Color coverage
While color range refers to the actual colors, a product’s color coverage refers to a product’s ability to reproduce and transmit color from its source.
To make it easier to understand, think about the image difference between a modern movie projector, an older generation iPhone camera, and a TV from the 1990s. The way these devices represent color is completely different. Completely different, not only in width and depth but also in terms of color rendering. Therefore, color standards have become part of the content of this article.
However, before you get to the bottom of it, you must understand how color ranges are represented on a technical level. Presented as a triangle on the XYZ axis, point Y indicates the maximum color luminance in the color range and points X and Y indicate the entire range of chromaticity – the tone and brilliance of the color. After accounting for every factor, the final result reflects the full range of color range possibilities.
What is a color standard?
What types of color standards are there?
Often, especially in commercial applications, colors are created by combining other colors rather than creating the color from the color itself. The main reason is due to cost-related factors. Think about it, normally, home printers only contain cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks. All the other colors you can see on the printed page are the result of combining these primaries.
What framework does one rely on to set standards for color production, whether through a printer, screen, or camera? The answer lies in color standards which are directly related to standardized color ranges. On that basis, common color standards include sRGB, Adobe RGB, NTSC, EBU, and DCI-P3.
sRGB
sRGB is the most common color standard. From cameras to computer monitors and TVs, you’ve certainly come across the sRGB standard. However, sRGB is not accidental but popular. sRGB input and output have only very short delays and/or very small differences. Thanks to these benefits, sRGB has become the popular color standard today.
Adobe RGB
Adobe RGB is a color standard designed to compete with sRGB. When done properly, Adobe RGB provides a wider color range and more realistic color representation. Because this color standard focuses on vivid detail, at the time of its launch it was a bit too ambitious and too advanced considering the technologies for which it was intended to become standard. As LCD screens and photography technology become more advanced, the Adobe RGB standard is also used more.
DCI-P3
Among countless popular options, the International Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers has chosen to launch its color standard: DCI-P3. Focusing on digital video recording and presentation, DCI-P3 selects a color range nearly a quarter wider than the color range of the sRGB standard. Considering its structural origin, the DCI-P3 color standard is compatible with all digital projectors in the cinema industry. On the other hand, in the consumer sphere, DCI-P3 is used on the iPhone X’s internal camera.
NTSC
The National Television Standards Committee (NTSC) has created its color standard with the hope that NTSC will become the standard for all newly produced television programs. The NTSC color standard is quite similar to Adobe RGB, with only slight differences in the process of creating red and blue colors. Although it has not yet become a television standard, the NTSC color standard has found a niche in the specialized monitor segment for video and photo editing.
EBU
Similar to NTSC, EBU or the European Broadcasting Union want to create their color standards. Typically, the EBU color standard focuses on the fields of photography, video editing, and graphic design. With the emergence of wider color ranges and ultra-high resolutions, including 4K, the EBU color standard has begun to find a foothold beyond the niche market and is used in mainstream consumer products.
Wide color range and coloring capabilities
As stated earlier, the color range is determined by the position of the color range on the X and Z axes. Until recently, no matter what color standard was used, these data points did not vary too much. The main reason is due to technological limitations at the time these color standards were born.
Nowadays, with the appearance of OLED technology, the limitations of the color range are no longer there, thereby leading to the birth of wider color ranges. Unlike non-wide color ranges that only create colors based on the combination of other colors, wide color ranges are capable of creating pure and original colors.
To be honest, the results of recently developed technology can be quite surprising. From more precise printing to the ability to create even the most difficult colors, anything is possible.