Color Balancing

Algorithms
Jason Su
Estimation Techniques
 Gray world
 “Simplest color balance” – histogram
normalization with saturation [3]
 Robust auto white-balance [2]
 Sensor correlation illuminant estimation [6][7]
Correction Techniques
 von Kries’s method, the chromatic adaptation
transform (CAT) [4]
 D65 desired canonical illuminant/white point
d /  s 0 0 
1  
M  MA  0  d / s 0 M A
 0 0  d /  s 
 s   X WS  d   X WD 
   M Y     M Y 
 s A  WS   d A  WD 

  s   Z WS    d   Z WD 
Correction Techniques
 Choice of MA is the subject of research as well [1]
 Can be optimized to various criteria, such as
mean ΔE or statistical distribution testing [5]
 von Kries
 Bradford
 Sharp – based on sharpened sensors, min. XYZ errors
 CMCCAT2000 – fitted from all available color data sets
 CAT02 – optimized for minimizing CIELAB differences
Gray World
 Estimate the color cast using the mean RGB value
across the whole image
 Convert to xy-chromaticity assuming image
already lives in the sRGB color space
 Apply a chromatic adaptation transform to reach
D65
 Go back to RGB for display
Simplest Color Balance
 Used in Adobe Photoshop’s auto levels command
 Determine the histogram of values for each RGB
channel
 Cut off the outlying values by saturating a certain
percentage of the pixels (adjustable, 1% used)
 Scale the saturated histogram to span the full 0-
255 range
Robust Auto White-Balance
 Convert to YUV color space
 Estimating illuminant by finding pixels that are
similar to gray within a threshold:
(|U|+|V|)/Y < T = 0.3
 Gain the R or B channels accordingly
 Loop until convergence or gray has been
achieved
 Alternatively apply a CAT instead of R/B gain
Sensor Correlation
 Pre-process to eliminate outliers
 Compute the color gamut of the image as the
convex hull of its (R,B) channels
 Correlate image gamut with a priori sensor
response gamuts under different temperature
illuminants to estimate color cast
 Simulated sensor response gamuts with ISET
 13 equally spaced from 188 to 400 mireds
 Correct with a CAT
Original
Gray World – Bradford
Simplest Color Balance
Histograms
Robust Auto White-Balance
Plots
Sensor Correlation – Bradford
Sensor Correlation – von Kries
Sensor Correlation – Sharp
Sensor Correlation – CMCCAT2000
Sensor Correlation – CAT02
Original
Gray World – Bradford
Simplest Color Balance
Robust Auto White-Balance
Sensor Correlation – Bradford
Original
Gray World – Bradford
Simplest Color Balance
Robust Auto White-Balance
Sensor Correlation – Bradford
Original
Original – ISET Simulation of 3268K
Gray World – Bradford
Simplest Color Balance
Robust Auto White-Balance
Sensor Correlation – 3034.9K
Original
Gray World – Bradford
Simplest Color Balance
Robust Auto White-Balance
Sensor Correlation – Bradford
Thoughts & Issues
 Choice of CAT is not clear, perhaps general linear
transform?
 Simplest color balance tends to exaggerate
highlights and shadows
 Robust AWB is slower than other algorithms
when implemented in software
 Sensor correlation requires knowledge of the
particular hardware
 A winner?
References
 [1] S. Bianco and R. Schettini, "Two New von Kries Based Chromatic
Adaptation Transforms Found by Numerical Optimization."
 [2] J. Huo, Y. Chang, J. Wang, and X. Wei, "Robust Automatic White Balance
Algorithm using Gray Color Points in Images," 2006, pp. 541-546.
 [3] N. Limare, “IPOL Algorithm: Simplest Color Balance,”
http://www.ipol.im/pub/algo/lmps_simplest_color_balance/
 [4] B. Lindbloom, “Chromatic Adaptation,”
http://www.brucelindbloom.com/index.html?Eqn_ChromAdapt.html
 [5] S. Susstrunk and G.D. Finlayson, "Evaluating Chromatic Adaptation
Transform Performance."
 [6] S. Tominaga, A. Ishida, and B.A. Wandell, "Illuminant Estimation of Natural
Scene Using the Sensor Correlation Method," Image (Rochester, N.Y.), vol.
4421, 2002, pp. 918-921.
 [7] S. Tominaga, S. Member, and B.A. Wandell, "Natural Scene-Illuminant
Estimation Using the Sensor Correlation," Psychology, vol. 90, 2002.
Questions?