Obituary, The Frederick News-Post
Calvin Samuel McCamy was an optical scientist who contributed greatly to color technology and standardization, most notably in useful monographs, test hardware and methodologies, and closed-form approximations. Calvin McCamy was born on September 22, 1924 in St. Joseph, MO. He was in the US Navy (1942–1947), attaining the rank of Lieutenant, junior grade (j.g.). He received B.S. in Chemical Engineering and an M.S. in Physics at the University of Minnesota and taught mathematics there (1947–1950). He taught physics and did early research in colorant formulation at Clemson University (1950–1952). He lived in Edgewater, MD, with his wife, Mabel and passed away on November 12, 2017 in Frederick, MD [1].
At the National Bureau of Standards (1952–1957), McCamy established principles of fire detection in aircraft engines, discovered the mechanism of fire extinguishment by dry chemicals, and studied the hazards of liquid oxygen. As Chief of the Photographic Research Section and then the Image Optics and Photography Sect. (1958–1970), he conducted research on precise measurement of light transmission and reflection, image structure, satellite photography, photography at extreme reduction, optical information theory, optical filters, color perception, and preservation of microfilms. He designed hands-on experiments for the US Science Exhibit at the Seattle World’s Fair. In particular, he published a monograph based on the theory of light-balancing filters for camera exposure of color films [2].
In 1970, he and wife Mabel moved to Wappingers Falls, NY.
92.1 Macbeth Color Checker Color Rendition Chart
McCamy was employed by the Macbeth Corporation where he served as Director of Research (1970–72) and Vice President for Science and Technology (1972–89). As Vice President for Research of the Macbeth Division of Kollmorgen (1970–1990), McCamy conducted research on optical design, precise transmission measurements, color measurement, optical filter design, simulation of daylight, geometric attributes of appearance, densitometry in photography and color printing, color order systems, color standards, and related mathematics. He designed the Macbeth ColorChecker Color Rendition ChartTM [3] used internationally to evaluate color imaging systems of all kinds. He also invented an annular illuminator [4] that would ensure azimuthally uniform illumination (hence, more reproducible measurements) in a 45/0 spectrophotometer.
McCamy was a member of the National Research Council. At the request of Congress, in 1978, he analyzed photographs and X-rays related to the assassination of President Kennedy and testified before the House Select Committee on Assassinations. His method of identifying images of firearms is used routinely by the FBI.
McCamy was active in national and international standardization of photography, color printing, and color science since 1957, chaired committees of the American National Standards Institute, the American Society for Testing and Materials, the International Commission on Illumination (CIE), and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). He wrote the spectral specifications for optical character recognition for the banking industry and the Universal Product Code for the grocery and other retail industries.
He was on the Advisory Board of the Munsell Color Science Laboratory at the Rochester Institute of Technology, and was Adjunct Professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He was President of the Kollmorgen Foundation and trustee of the Munsell Foundation, both of which awarded doctoral scholarships in color science. He presented seminars on color science around the world, fourteen in Brazil alone.
McCamy published over a hundred scientific papers on color, notably a closed-form approximation to Munsell value [5] and correlated color temperature [6], simulation of daylight [7], and metamers for testing daylight simulators [8]. He was an officer or board member of several scientific societies. He was elected fellow of the Optical Society of America, Society of Photographic Scientists and Engineers, Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain, Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, and the Washington Academy of Sciences and has been honored for his lectures. He was elected Honorary Member of the Inter-Society Color Council and the Hong Kong Society of Dyers and Colorists, Life Member of the U.S. Committee of the CIE, and member of the New York Academy of Sciences. He received the 1997 Armin J. Bruning Award of the Federation of Societies for Coatings Technology and the 1999 Godlove Award of the Inter-Society Color Council.
McCamy was a consultant in color science since 1990. His avocations included photography, astronomy, and playing a 240-stop digital organ he built. His compositions include songs, a string quartet, and a circus March “Clown Alley,” which is played on the calliope at the Barnum and Bailey Circus.