WB trick: Use the Lightsphere dome

[evil4blue]

PeteQ confirmed this for me over the weekend, so now I will post it.

If you own the Lightsphere and have the accompanying dome, inverted of original, you have a nifty little tool for presetting you custom WB. Here's how it works:

1. Set you camera to custom WB.
2. Set it to take a new reading.
3.

For indoor, single light source aim the camera at the light source, cover the lens with the LS dome and fire. You should be ready to go. If it gives you a no good reading, try again. Also, if the camera won't fire because it can't lock focus, switch the camera to manual focus and fire. You don't care about focus, just color of the light.

For indoor, mixed light sources aim the camera at the subject and repeat the above.

For outdoor scenes, repeat the indoor, mixed lighting scenario.

4. Fire away.

This seems to work very well on my Nikons and PeteQ also shoots Nikon so that was my conformation. Anyone shooting Canon, and can try this, please report back if you have success.

Also, I tried this method in the studio this weekend, but could not get it to work. I think the flash duration maybe too quick for the WB meter to register properly, but I need to play some more. This process is very similar to the expodisk and that can be used in studio so, the LS dome should work too. More experimenting to come.

Hopefully tonight I'll have a chance to post some samples.

[PeteQ]

Yeah, like me confirming anything makes it official!

Just to add on, I experienced the same results with flash as Steve did. Tried a custom wb setting ala dome and it gave me a 'Good' reading, but wb was off. I agree with Steve that it is probably a flash duration vs. wb cappture time issue. Standard indoor and outdoor custom setting via the dome looked great!

[cmalana]

This is an excellent idea. I'll have to try it this evening!

[evil4blue]

Never mind the subject or composition, but this is a pretty tough scene for a camera's auto WB system. It's mixed lighting (Ambient, Incandescent, and Fluorescent) with hash back-lighting. The first shot is with the camera set to Auto WB, the second used the LS hood to preset a custom WB.

[evil4blue]

Mixed lighting (Halogen and Ambient Daylight), first photo is Auto WB, second is custom WB.

[Redmouse]

I used to carry a pringles lid around to shoot custom white balance. For lenses that have larger diameters, I used an instant oatmeal in a jar lid. They are both translucent.

[evil4blue]

Originally Posted by Redmouse

I used to carry a pringles lid around to shoot custom white balance. For lenses that have larger diameters, I used an instant oatmeal in a jar lid. They are both translucent.

That is exactly the reason I thought about used the lightsphere dome. It's translucent and since I carry it anyway, its one less thing in my bag. I know, I know, it's not like the pringles lid is all that big, but whatever.

[Redmouse]

I think the lightsphere is a pretty good idea though. Especially since a lot of flash users don't leave home without it. Kudos!

[Joe_Lorenzini]

I have got to try this! I'll give it a go this weekend as I have two indoor shoots (one is Scott's class so that it is out).

Cool idea, hope it works. From your examples it looks like it delivers a bit cooler results.

And Steve, it's time to change the calendar there bud.

_/oe

[evil4blue]

Originally Posted by Joe_Lorenzini

And Steve, it's time to change the calendar there bud.

_/oe

It's always Christmas at my house...lol

That's my wife's desk and I didn't even notice the calendar.