Grey cards and the like for white balance - who uses them?

[Ian]

Who on here regularly uses a commercial accessory to calibrate white balance on their camera - like an ExpoDisc, or a certified grey cards and the like?

Do you feel they are useful even if you shoot RAW?

I have my own opinions, but just wondered what others felt

Ian

[Rodbender]

Re: Grey cards and the like for white balance - who uses them?

Who on here regularly uses a commercial accessory to calibrate white balance on their camera - like an ExpoDisc, or a certified grey cards and the like?

Do you feel they are useful even if you shoot RAW?

I have my own opinions, but just wondered what others felt

Ian

Since going digital I have hardly ever used my grey card. If I'm working under artificial light I take a reading off the card and also take a shot with the card included. This is useful for getting the finished printer settings right. White Balance is so easily adjusted with today's software that It seems to have become part and parcel of my standard processing, so the card gets overlooked on most occasions.

[Stephen]

Re: Grey cards and the like for white balance - who uses them?

Since going digital I have hardly ever used my grey card. If I'm working under artificial light I take a reading off the card and also take a shot with the card included. This is useful for getting the finished printer settings right. White Balance is so easily adjusted with today's software that It seems to have become part and parcel of my standard processing, so the card gets overlooked on most occasions.

My thoughts are pretty much the same. When using Raw particularly it is so easy to adjust the WB, though it can be more problematical when shooting indoors with mixed lighting inc flash. I've found its often best to turn the flash off if the ambient lighting is very warm.

I have always considered the Expodisc to be rather expensive for what it is and an equivalent off Ebay for next to nothing, but I've rarely used it.

[Autumn]

Re: Grey cards and the like for white balance - who uses them?

I got one free with a Magazine, but have never used it.

[jojo]

Re: Grey cards and the like for white balance - who uses them?

I've got a cheapo ebay version of expo disc (have tried it once or twice, didn't think it was much use). I understand that the pukka (and expensive) ones are made up of several different layers of high tech materials (unlike the ebay pringle lid variety!) Got a free grey card in one of Scott Kelby's books (it was made up of two shades of grey (?) plus black and white) Never used it until the other day when I wanted it - then discovered I've misplaced it Photographed a colleagues wedding recently and the mixed lighting indoors was a nightmare!

jo

[Ian]

Re: Grey cards and the like for white balance - who uses them?

I've got a cheapo ebay version of expo disc (have tried it once or twice, didn't think it was much use). I understand that the pukka (and expensive) ones are made up of several different layers of high tech materials (unlike the ebay pringle lid variety!) Got a free grey card in one of Scott Kelby's books (it was made up of two shades of grey (?) plus black and white) Never used it until the other day when I wanted it - then discovered I've misplaced it Photographed a colleagues wedding recently and the mixed lighting indoors was a nightmare!

jo

You could use a sheet of white or grey card or paper... has anyone noticed a big difference in the effectiveness of this compared to a custom designed card or diffuser?

Ian

[Graham_of_Rainham]

Re: Grey cards and the like for white balance - who uses them?

Ok this may amuse you...

I have a Grey card and use it but not many people know about them, so by way of discussion I made this image up with 128 Grey shades and set it to nutural grey when printed on matte paper.

I entered it in a competition and while it didn't win it was a very good discussion pic.

[Bob Ross]

[Ian]

Re: Grey cards and the like for white balance - who uses them?

Hi Bob, interestingly (you may have seen) on Four Thirds User I did some high ISO tests under dim tungsten lighting and set the test cameras to 3000K manual white balance. A Nikon D300 was markedly warmer than the Olympus E-3 and E-30 it was being compared with, with reds looking orange. The RAW files were fine, so it was completely a JPEG issue. The use of an ExpoDisc and custom white balance calibration would have almost certainly avoided this problem.

However, in this instance, I think a sheet if white paper would have been just as effective as an ExpoDisc.

Of course, if you custom calibrate your WB, even when using RAW, your RAW development starting point should be closer to the desired state.

Ian

[Bob Ross]

Re: Grey cards and the like for white balance - who uses them?

Hi Bob, interestingly (you may have seen) on Four Thirds User I did some high ISO tests under dim tungsten lighting and set the test cameras to 3000K manual white balance. A Nikon D300 was markedly warmer than the Olympus E-3 and E-30 it was being compared with, with reds looking orange. The RAW files were fine, so it was completely a JPEG issue. The use of an ExpoDisc and custom white balance calibration would have almost certainly avoided this problem.

However, in this instance, I think a sheet if white paper would have been just as effective as an ExpoDisc.

Of course, if you custom calibrate your WB, even when using RAW, your RAW development starting point should be closer to the desired state.

Ian

Hi Ian,
I agree that a white card would work as well as an ExpoDisc. The problem with the ExpoDisc is you need one big enough to cover all you lenses or a bunch of them. A sheet of white paper would fit all lenses. I have a sheet of plastic stock, left over from my plastic model making, which has held up over time.
The only problem that I've had with the ExpoDisc was that it destroyed a polarizer. Mine has a pressure fit and in removing it from a polarizer, it pulled the rotating ring away from the filter base ring. The retaining spring/ring went somewhere, I'll never know.
I agree that getting the WB near right for raw is important. The M8's DNGs were not the easiest files to correct with Capture One, for me and I was doing a lot of follow up corrections. The M8's AWB is now fully operational, a big help. I went into the M8 spoiled by the E-1. Out came all my WB tools from the days of the Nikon CP5k.
Bob

[paulandre]

Re: Grey cards and the like for white balance - who uses them?

i just balance my light with the in camera settings. works like a charm. like if i have a flash attached i set white balance to the little lightning bolt

[inmotionfotos]

Re: Grey cards and the like for white balance - who uses them?

I do use a grey card for most if not all outdoor portrait shoots. I agree with most of the comments here that software can be used to adjust later but from a work flow stand point the use of the card speeds my processing time.

I shoot the person/couple with a card in the frame to begin each new location. I can then quickly color adjust all of the shots taken in that location. Very rarely do I have to further adjust the actual individual shots.

And it helps with consistancy from location to location for the same client.

Mark

[rogleale]

Re: Grey cards and the like for white balance - who uses them?

It probably not worth using anything other than a genuine ExpoDisc, WhiBal. or other certified products, if you do want to exactly correct the white balance. The white, and gray, on uncertified products will probably not be neutral gray or white because of a spectral reflectance imbalance.
The expensive ones are made so that all colours through the spectrum are equally reflected, not forgetting UV! So called white paper often has a blue tint to make it look whiter - our brain just 'knows' that paper is white!
All that said - don't our cameras do a wonderful job most of the time, with no outside assistance for white balance.

Roger

[himmelblau]

Re: Grey cards and the like for white balance - who uses them?

Can't remember where I read this, but it said that most grey compartments in camera bags are the same colour of grey as a "Grey Card", especially so of the Lowepro camera bags.

Brian

[Ian]

Re: Grey cards and the like for white balance - who uses them?

Can't remember where I read this, but it said that most grey compartments in camera bags are the same colour of grey as a "Grey Card", especially so of the Lowepro camera bags.

Brian

That would be 18% grey

But not my Kata 103 backpack, which has a yellow interior! Apparently they decided on yellow as you can see inside the bag more easily in low light.

Ian