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04/28/2005 04:43:55 PM · #1 |
I recently had reason to set a custom white balance on my 20D during an indoor shoot, but found that the method I used did not yield the proper results. I've read alot about people using a grey card (18%) to set the white balance. I went out and bought one, but now, I'd love to know the proper method to use it.
I know how to actually set the custom white balance in the camera, what I'm asking is the proper method to take the photo of the grey card.
Any help would be great. Thanks.
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04/28/2005 04:46:38 PM · #2 |
Auto exposure should work since the camera is trying to render everything in the tone of the grey card, just fill the frame with it.
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04/28/2005 04:55:32 PM · #3 |
| You want to put the card in the same lighting that the subject will be (having your model hold the card for the first shot works well, if it is a portrait-type shoot). Zoom in/get close so that the card is filling the frame. You will probably need manual focus since the camera can't focus on something so lacking in contrast. Take the picture. Choose the shot as your custom white balance shot in the menu. Or, if you shoot RAW, don't worry about doing the custome white balance and use the white balance click tool to set WB before you convert. |
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04/28/2005 04:59:47 PM · #4 |
1. Grey cards are typically used for correct film exposures. Although you can use them for correct digital exposures (in particular) when not shooting raw, it's a good idea to compensate by bumping up the exposure a bit (1/3 to full stop) depending on circumstances (and where possible/practical) when shooting raw (and avoid clipping of course).
2. Grey cards are only somewhat useful for white balance since you generally want a more luminant object for white balance. Personally, I use a gretag macbeth color chart (or the mini version) for this application.
p.s. if you shoot in raw, custom white balance is largely unnecessary although shooting a reference frame (with white card, color checker, even a grey card) is still useful (under the right conditions - controlled/predictable lighting or where you know you want to remove color casts).
Message edited by author 2005-04-28 17:00:18. |
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04/28/2005 06:04:42 PM · #5 |
I got one of these little babies. It's fantastic as it folds right down and packs away in your camera bag (bends into 4 like one of the collapsible reflectors).
//www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=375202&is=REG
Grey on this side, with lines to assist auto focus. Apparently the grey on these fades a lot slower than a standard card, though that might just be marketing hype.
The other side is white.
What threw me when I got it was to find out that you can use either side to set your WB. I thought it had to be the neutral grey but pure white does as well.
In the studio I don't need a grey card as all the walls are now painted the right shade of grey :)
Message edited by author 2005-04-28 18:05:24.
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04/28/2005 06:40:33 PM · #6 |
Originally posted by Natator:
I got one of these little babies. It's fantastic as it folds right down and packs away in your camera bag (bends into 4 like one of the collapsible reflectors).
//www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=375202&is=REG
Grey on this side, with lines to assist auto focus. Apparently the grey on these fades a lot slower than a standard card, though that might just be marketing hype.
The other side is white.
What threw me when I got it was to find out that you can use either side to set your WB. I thought it had to be the neutral grey but pure white does as well.
In the studio I don't need a grey card as all the walls are now painted the right shade of grey :) |
Whooa! $57 for a friggin grey card? You've got too much moola to burn!
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04/28/2005 06:48:55 PM · #7 |
Why would anyone want to use a gray card to set white balance rather than a white card? The kodak gray card packs have 90% reflective white on the reverse side of the cards. I would set my white balance on this at a +1 stop exposure in most cases to get the best rendering of 'white' in the given light. I don't do much custom white balance since I started shooting in raw mode, but when I was doing it in the past, I never had success setting on a gray rather than white.
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04/28/2005 07:09:26 PM · #8 |
I just carry around a 4x4 cut out sheet of Photo Paper. It works very well.
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04/28/2005 07:11:19 PM · #9 |
Can anyone tell me why these cards are so expensive? $50.00, $70.00, $100.00? Is this some custom blending of color that is hard to achieve? I went to Home Depot last night and was able to pick up the 1 x 2.5 inch Formica samples in White, Black, and 2 shades of Grey. They even have a hole in them to link them together. They were out of the plain colors in the larger samples 3 x 4 inch or I would have gotten those. I told the guy what I needed them for and he said "help yourself". I suppose I should compare them to a "real" Grey card, but I'll bet they work better than not using anything.
Comments?
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04/28/2005 07:11:34 PM · #10 |
Have any of you tried the ExpoDisc? I got one and really like it. Pricey but handy.
ExpoDisc
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04/28/2005 07:53:57 PM · #11 |
I just bought one of these, and it works better than anything I have tried.
Digital Calibration Target
Message edited by author 2005-04-29 11:14:22.
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