Custom White Balance Debate

[WarrenG]

I use the lid to my Lightsphere and it seems to work just as good as the Expodisc. I assume this would be equal to a white card right?

[dlbdata]

I use a WHIBAL card for white balance correction and use it doing post processing.

[12stones]

Okay, let's resurrect this a bit. My owner's manual says the 18% gray card will yield a more accurate white balance. My question, though, is how often do you set the custom white balance?

I've been shooting in Auto and want to learn how to go about using Custom so that all my images reflect the actual colors and setting the pics are being taken in.

[JohnT]

Originally Posted by 12stones

Okay, let's resurrect this a bit. My owner's manual says the 18% gray card will yield a more accurate white balance. My question, though, is how often do you set the custom white balance?

Simply put: Whenever the light source (temperature) changes. But there is a little bit of latitude in that. You just have to judge when that latitude is present.

[venchka]

Somebody on this Forum suggested using a Mr. Coffee filter and a rubber band over the end of the lens aimed at the primary light source. Seems logical, hey?

[rick325]

Originally Posted by engstrom

Depends on how much of the frame the card covered. If it was a white card that was just 5% of the frame then the rest of the frame could influence the exposure enough to blow out the white card.

It also depends on the camera. For my 40D, as an example, the only part of the frame that needs to be covered (in neutral) is the full part of the center focus ring.

I generally use, in order:

Something white in the scene
Something neutral in the scene
The palm of my hand (your palm doesn't tan, so is relatively consistent)
A white piece of paper
My 18% gray card (last, only because it takes time to get to and I am lazy).

I love the way Canon does it, since I can still have a normally exposed frame, AF works with a perimeter AF point, and I only need to worry about 8% of the center of the frame.

I find that I set CWB often because it is so easy, and it makes a HUGE difference in perceived sharpness and brightness when using fast lenses, indoors, without flash. AWB normally is spot on when I am outside. Go figure.

[JohnT]

Originally Posted by rick325

AWB normally is spot on when I am outside. Go figure.

Same with my 5D outdoors. Seldom do I need to adjust in post.

[Cope]

Originally Posted by venchka

Somebody on this Forum suggested using a Mr. Coffee filter and a rubber band over the end of the lens aimed at the primary light source. Seems logical, hey?

If you..., you might be a redneck.

[luis_relampago]

They both work pretty good IMHO white or 18% gray card it's a matter of taste. For those with the coffee filter just make sure is not a used one OK!

[3n-Out]

I use the exposdisc and I love it. It is convienent and the 77mm size fits the three lenses I use most. It feel like I get good exposure on whites with it. I wouldn't trade it for the world. Yeah they are costly but work wonderful.

[trahanw]

I shoot Raw using the Whibal Card...WB all photo's in series during processing .Easy Quick. Have the card held up between lighting locations. Also use the expo disk---work ok.