What it's like to be color blind

[Big-TDI-Guy]

I'm curious - stupid questions - but still.

A monochromatic light source (say a Laser) that produces JUST a single color of light - 532nm (green) or 650nm (red) - diffused over a large surface - but still VERY intense. (say - the only light source in a white painted room)

Would you be able to see ANY light at all? Or would it be dark to you? Being a laser - you wouldn't see any secondary color (barring physics here) - so no Yellows or Blues at all.

Much like an IR light source to "normal" people - you don't even see it - but you can be bathed in blinding amounts of it. (interesting side note - if you have access to night vision or a thermal camera - walk through your local city at night - you would be AMAZED how many IR "lamps" are around your city for cameras and what not) Borderline creepy.

TIA.

 

[Doctor Q]

well I can say that im not color blind I can see the 3 perfectly

Then maybe you can help with PowerFullMac's question above. What colors in the image would constitute an 8 vs. a 3?

Big-TDI-Guy: Good question. Even if the laser light wavelengths were pure and within range, our faulty cones are probably not as purely faulty. But it would sure be interesting to try!

I'll note, by the way, that those who don't see red (like me) see red as darker than it really is, while those who don't see green (which is more common) see green at the proper brightness, just not the right hue.

 

[xodonniedarko]

For me, picking out a tie to match a dress shirt is almost impossible. I don't wear ties often, but I've always brought along somebody color sighted when I needed to buy one.

Get only white or black shirts. Maybe a gray, if you really wanted to. Any any any tie will match with those



One of my co-workers is mildly colored blind and I think it's really funny. The day after Christmas she said, "Look at this purple ring I got!" to which I responded, "that's blue!"


Well, she still liked it

 

[Big-TDI-Guy]

Then maybe you can help with PowerFullMac's question above. What colors in the image would constitute an 8 vs. a 3?

Big-TDI-Guy: Good question. Even if the laser light wavelengths were pure and within range, our faulty cones are probably not as purely faulty. But it would sure be interesting to try!

I'll note, by the way, that those who don't see red (like me) see red as darker than it really is, while those who don't see green (which is more common) see green at the proper brightness, just not the right hue.

Thanks for the answer. I ask, because I was working on a red laser long ago, and was very tired (2+ days on the jobsite) so when I was finished, I packed up and started heading home. On the way to the airport, I almost rear-ended a truck because his brake lights were out. What an @$$hole.

Then I realized I was still wearing the laser glasses that block red STUPID move, I know. I was 18 and tired. But I was amazed that I couldn't see even a "broadband light source" as brake lights emit many colors. (and these glasses are narrow band)

Anyhow - that made me wonder if it was similar for someone like yourself.

If you're near MA or NH, I'd gladly like to try if you're willing. I have access to a variety of monochromatic light sources.

But seriously, it'd be interesting to see. (no pun intended)

 

[Doctor Q]

I don't have trouble knowing that a vehicle has a light lighting, but I do have trouble with red vs. yellow car and signal lights -- see this post about schoolbus lights.

But I do have trouble with the small red lights on answering machine or hotel phones that use red to indicate you have a call waiting. I don't notice that the light is on at all.

 

[Doctor Q]

I noticed that forum Xtoo's signature says "Online Editor / Colorist."

What exactly does a colorist do? I sent a Private Message to see if Xtoo might post here, but anybody who knows about video post production is welcome to explain.

 

[Xtoo]

I noticed that forum Xtoo's signature says "Online Editor / Colorist."

What exactly does a colorist do?.

Hey....
Just got the message. In the post production world (any professional video you may watch on TV, Film, etc, etc) the job of a colorist is to fix discrepancies in camera's white balance. So it all matches seamlessly.

But most important is the creation of stylized looks, feels and sensations for the tv shows, films, docs, music videos, etc. We make a sad scene "sadder" by pulling blue cold tones, or a horror scene "scarier" by using wacky incandescent colors, or a coffee shop scene warmer by adding brown tones.

Every major movie and TV show is "color timed". As well as most professional video work.

Nothing you see on the screen looks like that straight from camera. Every frame has been color treated.

Here is a Wikipedia take on "color grading"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_grading

That is what we colorists do. If you have a chance, please visit my website.
Hope this helps your thread.
Thanks!

 

[Doctor Q]

Human vision vs. dog vision

Dogs have better night vision than humans, but the colors that a dog sees are similar to what a red-green color blind human sees. Arf!

I wonder how often a dog is born "dog color blind" compared to "regular dog vision."

 

[nikopolidis]

I was told that about 20% of men are exposed to be colour blind.. Men not women. And it is when you can't distinguish some tints of blue from each other but not every colour... I think we should ask someone who has this feature...

 

[Doctor Q]

I have a question for any of you with normal color vision:

Click to see the full-size image. Do you see any recognizable shapes in this image?

I'll tell you more about it after a few people have had a chance to answer.

 

[rdowns]

I see lots of boobs circles.

 

[Lau]

Apart from the overall pattern, I can see a large shadowy darker shape on the left and some yellow lines at the edges, but that's about it!

(I'm not colour-blind, btw.)

 

[biker74]

Mainly yellow, small blue area, top left, mainly blue down the bottom, with yellow lines here and there. There is also a more prominent yellow at the left side too.

By the way, what colour do you see grass as?

 

[Doctor Q]

By the way, what colour do you see grass as?

Live green grass looks green to me, but dead brown grass also looks green to me. Don't hire me to tend your lawn.

 

[EricNau]

I can see a few numbers, I think.

 

[Applespider]

Nope, not really. In fact, aside from a few lines and a couple of splodges, my brain can't even invent something in the pattern other than a few interlinked circles.

 

[Doctor Q]

Good! That's what you are supposed to see, because that's what I see.

The image I posted above is a simulation of what I see when looking at this original image. I'm told that this original image contains kid-style drawings of a tree, airplane, sun, house, cars, stick figure, and a kite. Again, click for the full-size version.

I see absolutely none of those shapes when I look at this image. This image and the image in the post above are the same to us protanopes (no red vision). I don't know how it looks to deuteranopes (no green vision).

This is one of the best examples I've found to date of how my vision differs from normal. If you held this image up-side-down, I wouldn't know the difference. My wife still marvels that I can't see a single one of the shapes, and you'd think she'd be used to me by now!

 

[EricNau]

Wow, that's very interesting. I could make out the 52 and the 5 in the original image, but that's all.

 

[Cabbit]

Don't know if this is classed as colour blindness as i can tell apart all the colours and shades except if i spend to much time with to much light i switch to greyscale until i am someware dark again then i get colour back.

Good! That's what you are supposed to see, because that's what I see.

The image I posted above is a simulation of what I see when looking at this original image. I'm told that it contains kid-style drawings of a tree, airplane, sun, house, cars, stick figure, and a kite. Again, click for the full-size version.

I see absolutely none of those shapes when I look at this image. This image and the image in the post above are the same to us protanopes (no red vision). I don't know how it looks to deuteranopes (no green vision).

This is one of the best examples I've found to date of how my vision differs from normal. If you held this image up-side-down, I wouldn't know the difference. My wife still marvels that I can't see a single one of the shapes, and you'd think she'd be used to me by now!

Yip i see them all, few numbers dotted in there too.

 

[northy124]

I'm colour blind but when you know and have to live with it you tend not to notice if you do what I do (Write long reports in black and white, Standard in M$ Word).

 

[rdowns]

Now that you mention what's there, I see some of them.

 

[noaccess]

I see a clear difference between the two images, but I don't see any objects.

What's different now is the fact that the greenish-brown splotch in the upper-left part of the image is now reddish, plus this reddish curvy shape that seems to surround it and the other, blue splotch around the same area.

There are some green lines, but I see them in the simulation as well.

Are those drawings supposed to be easy to spot for people who have aren't color blind?

 

[Doctor Q]

Yeah, it should be easy to see the shapes with normal vision.

By the way, you can buy the image as a poster here. I recommend it!

The webpage includes this diagram of the "hidden" shapes.

 

[skunk]

I see nothing recognisable whatever. Nor do I see any difference between the images.

 

[Doctor Q]

I see a clear difference between the two images, but I don't see any objects.

I see nothing recognisable whatever. Nor do I see any difference between the images.

Do you two belong in the list of color blind MacRumors members, or does the second image not work for some people with full color vision? Based on the comments here, I just added northy124 to the list.

(Of course, in skunk's case, it's a question of colours, not colors.)