Calibrite finally lets you tripod-mount your ColorChecker with the Target Holder

admin May 26, 2023

One of the biggest issues with the various ColorChecker and ColorChecker Passport devices from Calibrite (formerly X-Rite) is that they’re quite delicate and you have to actually hold them in your hand in order to use them. This often leads to finger slips, resulting in obscured views of the checker or, worse, fingerprints getting on it.

Now, though, you can actually mount your ColorCheckers on a light stand or tripod now that Calibrite has announced the new ColorChecker Target Holder (buy here). It provides a mounting mechanism for holding your ColorChecker along with two 1/4-20″ sockets to let you mount it however you wish.

For all ColorCheckers (except the huge one)

This is a product that should have existed years ago, but until now, we’ve had to make do with 3d printed solutions instead of an official X-Rite/Calibrite product. Unlike the 3D printed options, the Calibrite ColorChecker Target Holder isn’t just for one size of ColorChecker. It holds both the full-sized ColorCheckers and the smaller ColorChecker Passports. Calibrite has published a complete list of all compatible products.

So, it’s not just the huge one (or the really huge one) that it can’t hold, but the really tiny ones, too, like the ColorChecker Classic Nano (buy here), but it covers the vast majority of those used on a daily basis by most of us shooting stills or video.

Versatile mounting options

The lack of any direct mounting points on any of the ColorCheckers is the main reason that some people prefer to go with the DataColor SpyderCHECKR (buy here). It can’t really be helped, that they don’t have one. It’s just a function of ColorChecker design. But it’s why I still usually grab the SpyderCHECKR when I head out on location to a shoot, despite owning a couple of ColorCheckers. It’s easy to mount thanks to its built-in 1/4-20″ socket.

The new Calibrite ColorChecker Target Holder solves this issue for the ColorCheckers. There are two 1/4-20″ sockets on the ColorChecker Target Holder. One underneath is ideal for light stands with a vertically oriented 1/4-20″ thread on top that can’t be adjusted. And while you can also use this socket for tripod plates, there’s another one on the back. This provides you with multiple mounting options for different needs – such as overhead or downward-angled cameras.

Although the 1/4-20″ sockets do require an additional accessory rather than being built into the ColorCheckers themselves, you only need to get one holder for use with all your ColorCheckers. Whether they’re passport or regular-sized with either photo or video target swatches, they all fit.

And Calibrite hasn’t released it at an unreasonable price, either. Sure, it’s not quite as cheap as some might like, but it’s not extortionate.