Preset White Balance and Cards

[iflynething]

I have never got the grasp of shooting a preset white balance. It's hard to get a card or something white to take the picture of without a shadow or something, which I think is going to throw the camera off.

What is the correct way to make a preset white balance from shotting a white card or something white?

~Michael~

 

[Garbz]

Well that's the point of the card. If you're trying to get correct white in the shadow then shadow the card. The card will take the colour of the light that falls on it, so if you have it out in the sun anything else that gets hit by the sunlight + skylight (daylight this is called) will be white. If you put in in the shade then you will only get skylight (shade setting), so that light will look white and the sunlight will look very orange.

 

[iflynething]

Hmm......Thanks for the quick response. That makes enough sense. I might just get an Expo Disc I don't wanna open a can of worms but are they better than white a grey cards

~Michael~

 

[table1349]

Hmm......Thanks for the quick response. That makes enough sense. I might just get an Expo Disc I don't wanna open a can of worms but are they better than white a grey cards

~Michael~

I have never used the Expo disc so I can't comment on how well it works. I use this.
Lastolite

It is a white balance card on one side and an 18% gray card on the other. It has worked well for me.

 

[iflynething]

I have never used the Expo disc so I can't comment on how well it works. I use this.
Lastolite

It is a white balance card on one side and an 18% gray card on the other. It has worked well for me.

I hope it folds down

~Michael~

 

[table1349]

I hope it folds down

~Michael~

Here are the basic features

1. Colour correction pre and post capture.
2. Exposure control pre and post capture.
3. Accurate colour rendition.
4. Collapsible, durable, and cleanable.
5. Double sided grey and white.
6. Unique focusing site.
7. For use with digital or film photography.

It collapses or folds like a reflector to about 1/3 or 1/4 its size and comes with it's own pouch.

 

[iflynething]

Here are the basic features

1. Colour correction pre and post capture.
2. Exposure control pre and post capture.
3. Accurate colour rendition.
4. Collapsible, durable, and cleanable.
5. Double sided grey and white.
6. Unique focusing site.
7. For use with digital or film photography.

It collapses or folds like a reflector to about 1/3 or 1/4 its size and comes with it's own pouch.

That's pretty nifty. How can 18% gray measure the white balance. How can measuring what 18% grey is and 100% white is be the same and get the same results from each card or does the grey and white side measure differently?

~Michael~

 

[Bifurcator]

Grey is for exposure, white is for WB. I carry one of each in my wallet. CC sized. In my case it's thick colored plastic so once every 2 years or so I can just lightly sand them down and get back their original color. I think I've been carrying this particular pair for about 20 years.

 

[table1349]

That's pretty nifty. How can 18% gray measure the white balance. How can measuring what 18% grey is and 100% white is be the same and get the same results from each card or does the grey and white side measure differently?

~Michael~

Sorry, I missed this. I use the white side to set a custom white balance in the camera. Then the first shot I take is of the gray side. 18% gray is neutral. This is what I use to make in minor color corrections in post processing. Usually I only use this when shooting indoor sports in a gym that is mainly light by florescent lighting. The color shift in the place is terrible.

 

[Josh66]

I use a WhiBal card, it has 3 colors on it - grey, white, and black.

The grey part is used for white balance, not exposure (though I think you could use it for that too). The white and black parts are supposed to be used to set your white and black points (I think that's only needed if you're shooting JPG). They say that you shouldn't use the white part because it will get clipped sometimes, making it useless as a white balance referance.

They have some tutorial videos on there too that explain it all. Watch the third video for the explanation of why you use the grey part for white balance.

I just take a picture of it when I want to make sure I get the white balance right, then use the white balance tool in Lightroom on it.

 

[iflynething]

Grey is for exposure, white is for WB. I carry one of each in my wallet. CC sized. In my case it's thick colored plastic so once every 2 years or so I can just lightly sand them down and get back their original color. I think I've been carrying this particular pair for about 20 years.

Well then. i never knew that. Thanks for sharing. I will have to invest in one then.

~Michael~