Estimating visual difference between reproduction gamuts: moving our pilot study from the lab to online delivery

Abstract

Images reproduced for different output devices are known to be limited in the range of colours that can be reproduced. It is accepted that reproductions made with different print processes, and on different substrates, will not match, although the overall reproduction appearance can be optimized using an output rendering. However, the question remains: how different are they visually? This paper reports on a pilot study that tests whether visual difference can be reduced to a single dimensional scale using magnitude estimation. Subject to recent Covid restrictions, the experiment was moved from the lab to an online delivery. We compare the two methods of delivery: in-person under controlled viewing conditions, and online via a web-based interface where viewing conditions are unknown.