KODAK Digital LAD Test Image

User's Guide
and
Digital Recorder Calibration and Aims
The KODAK Digital LAD Test Image is a digital image that can be used as an aid in setting up
digital film recorders to produce properly exposed digital negatives and in obtaining pleasing
prints from those negatives.
The recommended procedure is as follows:
• Record one or more frames of the KODAK Digital LAD Test Image at the head end of
every job.
• After the digital negative is processed, measure the density of the digital LAD patch and
compare with aims.
Table I: Summary of Digital Recording LAD aims
Status M density above D-min
Film Type Mode Red Green Blue
KODAK VISION Color Intermediate Film 5242 Neg 0.87 0.93 0.91
KODAK VISION Color Intermediate Film 5242 IP 1.02 1.09 1.08
EASTMAN EXR 50D film 5245 Neg 0.67 0.72 0.69
• Note that the table gives Status M density aims with D-min density subtracted.
Measure the D-min density from your laboratory and add it to the densities
given in Table I to determine the total Status M aim density.
• When the negative is sent for printing, a satisfactory print can be obtained if the printing
lab is instructed to adjust the printing color timing so that the digital LAD patch prints to
the recommended LAD densities for the print film being used. (e.g. 1.09/1.06/1.03
Status A density for KODAK VISION Color Print film 2383).

Digital
LAD
patch

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 Digital Film Recorder Calibration
The following is a summary of recommended practices for calibration of digital film recorders
when recording CINEON or DPX format images. It is based on practices that were developed
by Eastman Kodak Company and is often referred to as the CINEON calibration aim.
References are listed at the end of the document.

Step 1: Calibrate the Recorder to the CINEON Calibration Aim

The calibration aim is the relationship between the code values of the image (the input) and the
density on the film (the output). It is calculated by the following equation:
Printing Density = 0.002 * CV
Where CV = codevalue (10 bit, 0 to 1023)
And Printing Density = the density above D-min of the negative as “seen” by
the combination of print film and the illumination of a standard motion
picture printer.
Note that the densities are not Status M densities, but rather printing densities. Table I gives the
corresponding Printing Density for selected code values. It also gives equivalent Status M
densities as well as Status M density above D-min for the film commonly used for laser film
recorders, KODAK VISION Color Intermediate Film 5242.

Table II: Calibration Aims for Digital Recording onto

KODAK VISION Color Intermediate Film 5242

Printing Density Printing Density Status M

Code Value (above D-min) (above D-min) Status M
R G B R G B R G B R G B
0 0 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.009 -0.014 -0.048 0.079 0.556 0.622
22 22 22 0.044 0.044 0.044 0.052 0.033 0.000 0.122 0.603 0.670
95 95 95 0.190 0.190 0.190 0.193 0.188 0.158 0.263 0.758 0.828
200 200 200 0.400 0.400 0.400 0.397 0.411 0.385 0.467 0.981 1.055
Digital LAD 445 445 445 0.890 0.890 0.890 0.871 0.932 0.915 0.941 1.502 1.585
520 520 520 1.040 1.040 1.040 1.017 1.091 1.077 1.087 1.661 1.747
685 685 685 1.370 1.370 1.370 1.336 1.442 1.434 1.406 2.012 2.104
800 800 800 1.600 1.600 1.600 1.559 1.686 1.682 1.629 2.256 2.352
900 900 900 1.800 1.800 1.800 1.753 1.899 1.899 1.823 2.469 2.569
968 968 968 1.936 1.936 1.936 1.884 2.043 2.046 1.954 2.613 2.716
1000 1000 1000 2.000 2.000 2.000 1.946 2.111 2.115 2.016 2.681 2.785
1023 1023 1023 2.046 2.046 2.046 1.991 2.160 2.165 2.061 2.730 2.835

D-min 0.07 0.57 0.67

Note 1. These total Status M densities are valid only for the D-min densities given.
Calculate your total densities for your D-mins.

Some recorders, such as the KODAK Lightning and Lightning II Laser Recorders, have the
calibration formula given above programmed into the calibration software. They convert the
Status M densitometer readings taken during the calibration process to printing densities before
calculating the film calibration look-up table. Other recorders may make use of a calibration
table file given in terms of Status M densities. The values given in the table above may be used
in such a file. In addition, these aim files may be generated to eliminate the small negative values
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at low code values as well as limits at high code values to be compatible with available density
range.
Table III: Calibration Aims for Interpositive Digital Recording onto
KODAK VISION Color Intermediate Film 5242

Printing Density Printing Density Status M

Code Value (above D-min) (above D-min) Status M
R G B R G B R G B R G B
0 0 0 1.930 1.930 1.930 1.878 2.037 2.039 1.948 2.607 2.709
22 22 22 1.886 1.886 1.886 1.836 1.990 1.992 1.906 2.560 2.662
95 95 95 1.740 1.740 1.740 1.694 1.835 1.834 1.764 2.405 2.504
200 200 200 1.530 1.530 1.530 1.491 1.612 1.607 1.561 2.182 2.277
Digital LAD 445 445 445 1.040 1.040 1.040 1.017 1.091 1.077 1.087 1.661 1.747
520 520 520 0.890 0.890 0.890 0.871 0.932 0.915 0.941 1.502 1.585
685 685 685 0.560 0.560 0.560 0.552 0.581 0.558 0.622 1.151 1.228
800 800 800 0.330 0.330 0.330 0.329 0.337 0.309 0.399 0.907 0.979
900 900 900 0.130 0.130 0.130 0.135 0.125 0.093 0.205 0.695 0.763
943 943 943 0.044 0.044 0.044 0.052 0.033 0.000 0.122 0.603 0.670
1000 1000 1000 -0.070 -0.070 -0.070 -0.058 -0.088 -0.123 0.012 0.482 0.547
1023 1023 1023 -0.116 -0.116 -0.116 -0.103 -0.137 -0.173 -0.033 0.433 0.497

D-min 0.07 0.57 0.67

The relationship between Status M and printing density changes from film to film. Table IV gives
Status M code values for EASTMAN EXR 50D film 5245. This film is commonly used in CRT
film recorders.
Table IV Calibration Aims for Digital Recording onto EASTMAN EXR 50D film 5245

Printing Density Printing Density Status M Status M

Code Value (above D-min) (above D-min)
R G B R G B R G B R G B
0 0 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.210 0.600 0.980
95 95 95 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.210 0.600 0.980
200 200 200 0.210 0.210 0.210 0.201 0.217 0.207 0.411 0.817 1.187
400 400 400 0.610 0.610 0.610 0.584 0.631 0.601 0.794 1.231 1.581
Digital LAD 445 445 445 0.700 0.700 0.700 0.670 0.724 0.690 0.880 1.324 1.670
600 600 600 1.010 1.010 1.010 0.967 1.045 0.995 1.177 1.645 1.975
685 685 685 1.180 1.180 1.180 1.129 1.221 1.163 1.339 1.821 2.143
800 800 800 1.410 1.410 1.410 1.350 1.459 1.389 1.560 2.059 2.369
900 900 900 1.410 1.410 1.410 1.350 1.459 1.389 1.560 2.059 2.369
1000 1000 1000 1.410 1.410 1.410 1.350 1.459 1.389 1.560 2.059 2.369

D-min 0.21 0.60 0.98

Record a Digital LAD Image

Once the recorder is calibrated, it is recommended that a Digital LAD image be recorded along
with each production job. This digital LAD image will consist of or contain a patch recorded at
a set of LAD code values. This patch may be printed to standard LAD densities on the print to

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obtain a reasonable starting print balance. Suitable print densities for the LAD patch are
1.09/1.06/1.03. Status A for KODAK VISION Color Print Film / 2383

The recommended code values for a digital LAD patch are:

Red Green Blue

445 445 445

Note that these code values do not result in densities that are exactly the same as
those recommended in the KODAK Publication H-61, Laboratory Aim Density (See
Table IV, next page). However, the densities are close and still result in an image well
placed on the straight-line portion of the film characteristic curve.
Table IV also gives the recommended aim densities for digital recorders when used to make
interpositives. The LAD aims for negative are different than for interpositive or master positive,
even though they're printed from the same code values.
Finally note that some facilities may choose to use a digital LAD with code values other than
445, 445, 445. We chose these values to be consistent with a large body of industry practice.
However, other values could be chosen, such as a set of code values that give densities closer
to the publication H-61 densities.

References
G. Kennel, “Digital Film Scanning and Recording: The Technology and Practice,” SMPTE
Journal, March, 1994.

“Laboratory Aim Density, Using LAD to Set Up an Electronic Color Analyzer and Printing
Control,” KODAK publication H-61.

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 Table IV: Summary of Digital Recording LAD aims
Mode Red Green Blue

Negative Mode 5242

Code Values for Digital LAD 445 445 445
Printing Density for Digital LAD 0.89 0.89 0.89
Status M density above D-min for Digital LAD 0.87 0.93 0.91
Status M density for Digital LAD 0.94 1.50 1.58
Normal LAD aims (per publication H-61) 1.00 1.45 1.55

IP Mode 5242
Code Values for Digital LAD 445 445 445
Printing Density for Digital LAD 1.04 1.04 1.04
Status M density above D-min for Digital LAD 1.02 1.09 1.08
Status M density for Digital LAD 1.09 1.66 1.75
Normal LAD aims (per publication H-61) 1.15 1.60 1.70

Negative Mode 524554

Code Values for Digital LAD 445 445 445
Printing Density for Digital LAD 0.70 0.70 0.70
Status M density above D-min for Digital LAD 0.67 0.72 0.69
Status M density for Digital LAD 0.88 1.32 1.67
Normal LAD aims (per publication H-61) 0.80 1.20 1.60

KODAK, EASTMAN, EXR, VISION, 5242, 5245, 2383, CINEON, LIGHTNING and
TAKE PICTURES FURTHER are trademarks of Eastman Kodak Company.
 Eastman Kodak Company, 2001. All rights reserved.

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