Fallacy of 18% gray.

[mn shutterbug]

I was looking for ideas for making my own 18% gray card. I used to carry one with me, back in the good old days and film. I came across this interesting article. http://www.bythom.com/graycards.htm

[freygr]

I don't see why, Crescent has a photo gray mat board and you can't tell the difference between it and the old gray card I've had since the 60's

[motlive]

thanks shutterbug... ive just spent €30 on some calibration cards..

[another view]

Calumet has a plastic grey card (can't be damaged by water), but I really haven't used one much. I do remember reading about the controversy but I think the important thing is consistency. Like Thom says (on the right), do a test and pick the best one. As long as you're using that grey card, meter and film you'll be right. My plastic grey card has a bit more of a sheen to it than a cardboard one, but again the results shouldn't change as long as I use the same technique and light meter. With film of course you'd have to watch out for reciprocity failure with slower shutter speeds.

[Frog]

Does this mean I shouldn't meter off of our 18% gray skys here in the Pacific Northwest anymore?

[another view]

Does this mean I shouldn't meter off of our 18% gray skys here in the Pacific Northwest anymore?

Or November in Chicago? We were half-joking about that at a gathering a couple of years ago...

[freygr]

Does this mean I shouldn't meter off of our 18% gray skys here in the Pacific Northwest anymore?

Hay your luckly, I have only seen 30% and up gray skys! In fact my daughters automatic head lights do at times turn on in the middle of the day.

[MJS]

I tend to see a lot of 18 % gray, along with 15 other shades and black and white. Color at all would be nice, at least I think it would.

[rovowen]

I shoot a lot of indoor sports. Now I use a cloth given to me by a Canon rep. Don't know if it is 18% or 12% or anywhere in between. But it did improve the photos. Before that, I have used a piece of white paper folded in half and even a white paper plate.
All these methods improved over AWB mode.