Color science for video

This chapter explains the engineering compromises that are necessary to make practical cameras and practical coding systems. Color science is intended for the specification of color, not for image coding. Although an understanding of color science is necessary to achieve good color performance in video, its strict application is impractical. Video processing is generally concerned with color represented in three components derived from the scene, including red, green, and blue, or components computed from these. Once red, green, and blue components of a scene are obtained, these components are transformed into other forms optimized for processing, recording, and transmission. Accurate color reproduction depends on knowing the way in which the physical spectra of the original scene are transformed into these components, and the way in which the components are transformed to physical spectra at the display. The chapter also discusses additive reproduction (RGB). Accurate description of colors expressed in terms of RGB coordinates depends on the characterization of the RGB primaries and their power ratios.