White Balance Aids

What do you use to make your custom white balance settings?

For shooting landscapes, I've noticed I get much better color when I make a custom white balance setting from a shot of an old fashioned grey card. I'm looking for something smaller and more convenient to take on an upcoming backpacking trip.

The ExpoDisc and BaLens products look nice, but they aren't cheap. Can anyone comment on how well they work?...particularly the BaLens?

What about this Seculine Vivicap? It's much cheaper. Anyone tried it? http://www.adorama.com/ZVSVC67.html?...=white+balance

I've also considered getting one of those 18% grey microfiber lens cloths to take on my trip, but that might not be so convenient.

Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Paul

Why not just get an old white t-shirt to use.

For me I will use the white line of a road, my white t-shirt sleeve, or anything else white.
even if I have to do a slight color correction in post, I can live with it.

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Originally Posted by icicle

Why not just get an old white t-shirt to use.

For me I will use the white line of a road, my white t-shirt sleeve, or anything else white.
even if I have to do a slight color correction in post, I can live with it.

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I guess I haven't thought to try that. Does that really work any better than picking from the in camera Shady, Cloudy, Daylight, etc. settings?

I have one of those, it works fine, if I remember to use it. Auto white balance works pretty well on the D300, and when I do a custom setting as with the bacap, I don’t always remember to change it back. Just sloppy on my part.

I have heard really good things about the Datacolor SpyderCube for a custom white balancing tool but I have never used one. It's not cheap and it looks like it would take up some room in a bag too.

What I use to set a custom WB is my RAW converter. It's a very simple adjustment that doesn't hurt your image quality.

If you are set on having something to set your WB in the field there are a couple of DIY tricks you can use. Instead of buying an expo disc buy a can of Pringles and use the lid as your expo disc. I have read mixed reviews on this but it might be worth a try. I have also heard of people using a plain white coffee filter for a WB tool. Use it the same way you would and ExpoDisc.

Nice tips everyone...something I never thought about, but will now start to consider more often when in the field!! Thanx photophorous for bringing up the subject and thanx everyone else for the tips!! I'm going to keep an eye on this thread for more ideas if they come along!!!

I have no idea and always use auto wb and change in photoshop if I need but I always shoot raw too.
The reason I respond is to thank you for asking the question so I can learn from the replies you get.

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Originally Posted by Byron Lentz

I have one of those, it works fine, if I remember to use it. Auto white balance works pretty well on the D300, and when I do a custom setting as with the bacap, I don’t always remember to change it back. Just sloppy on my part.

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Hi Byron,

Which one do you have?...the BaLens cap?

Paul

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mjs1973

I have heard really good things about the Datacolor SpyderCube for a custom white balancing tool but I have never used one. It's not cheap and it looks like it would take up some room in a bag too.

What I use to set a custom WB is my RAW converter. It's a very simple adjustment that doesn't hurt your image quality.

If you are set on having something to set your WB in the field there are a couple of DIY tricks you can use. Instead of buying an expo disc buy a can of Pringles and use the lid as your expo disc. I have read mixed reviews on this but it might be worth a try. I have also heard of people using a plain white coffee filter for a WB tool. Use it the same way you would and ExpoDisc.

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Mmm...pringles.. I was just at the grocery store and looked at them. I think they've changed their lids. They're totally clear now, so I don't think it'll work. The coffee filter might be worth a try though.

The SpyderCube looks interesting, but I am leaning more towards an in-camera solution. I always shoot RAW, so I can tweak it a little if necessary, but I really want to have an accurate starting point. Otherwise, I can get thrown off and end up with something way too warm or way too cold.

I like the idea of these devices that serve double-duty as a lens cap. Gotta have a lens cap anyway, so that would make it really convenient. I guess I'm just trying to decide between the BaLens and the much cheaper Vivicap. I sure would like to spend around $20, instead of three times that much.

Paul

Paul,

What camera have you got, if it can take RAW then use that and adjust the temp when converting from RAW.

I have a Canon and its permanently set to 5500 and then I adjust it when PP'ing. I have never used any of the Auto WB's even in the day's of film and adjusted in PP.

If its a compact then the Nikon L6 I have is set for daylight permanently unless I'm skiing then I use exposure compensation.

I have rarely used anything other than a piece of white paper to get the white balance right if I think its going to cause a problem. On that occasion it was indoors and people pictures so that I got the right skin tones. Never used one for landscapes.

Roger R.

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Originally Posted by readingr

Paul,

What camera have you got, if it can take RAW then use that and adjust the temp when converting from RAW.

I have a Canon and its permanently set to 5500 and then I adjust it when PP'ing. I have never used any of the Auto WB's even in the day's of film and adjusted in PP.

If its a compact then the Nikon L6 I have is set for daylight permanently unless I'm skiing then I use exposure compensation.

I have rarely used anything other than a piece of white paper to get the white balance right if I think its going to cause a problem. On that occasion it was indoors and people pictures so that I got the right skin tones. Never used one for landscapes.

Roger R.

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I'm using a 450D and shooting RAW. In the past I always just put it on Auto and fixed it later, but I've discovered that I end up with better color when I shoot a grey card for a custom white balance. It just works better for me.

Paul

Quote:

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Originally Posted by photophorous

I'm using a 450D and shooting RAW. In the past I always just put it on Auto and fixed it later, but I've discovered that I end up with better color when I shoot a grey card for a custom white balance. It just works better for me.

Paul

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Shooting a grey card is not the same thing as shooting a white card.
And can Somebody correct me if I'm wrong;
Grey cards are for setting the exposure level to a neutral setting.
White Card are for setting the white balance for the shots at that time.

If you haven't noticed that natural light is not the same over the coarse of the day, and light bulbs are constantly flickering at the rate of 60 cycles a second, so in reality the human eye does not notice then doing that, but a camera will.

I will post a sample between custom white and auto white later tonight sometime.

Paul, when I bought my grey cards (years ago), the package contained two regular-sized grey cards and smaller one in a separate package. This one measures about 5 inches by 4 inches and would easily fit in a backpack and not contribute any weight. I don't know if you can buy anything like that separately or not, but it might be worth investigating. HTH.

Cheers,

WesternGuy

Quote:

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Originally Posted by icicle

Shooting a grey card is not the same thing as shooting a white card.
And can Somebody correct me if I'm wrong;
Grey cards are for setting the exposure level to a neutral setting.
White Card are for setting the white balance for the shots at that time.

If you haven't noticed that natural light is not the same over the coarse of the day, and light bulbs are constantly flickering at the rate of 60 cycles a second, so in reality the human eye does not notice then doing that, but a camera will.

I will post a sample between custom white and auto white later tonight sometime.

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Any shade of grey or white will work for white balance as long as it's color neutral.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by WesternGuy

Paul, when I bought my grey cards (years ago), the package contained two regular-sized grey cards and smaller one in a separate package. This one measures about 5 inches by 4 inches and would easily fit in a backpack and not contribute any weight. I don't know if you can buy anything like that separately or not, but it might be worth investigating. HTH.

Cheers,

WesternGuy

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My back up plan is to cut my 8.5 x 11 grey card down to about 4x5. It was dirt cheap, so I don't mind. Weight is always a concern when backpacking, but I'm really thinking more about convenience. The weather in the Rockies changes constantly, so I think one of those lens cap deals would be a lot easier to use. But since I really don't want to spend $55 on one and nobody can vouch for the $19 one, it's looking more and more like I'll be chopping up my grey card. :D

Paul

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Originally Posted by photophorous

Hi Byron,

Which one do you have?...the BaLens cap?

Paul

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Yes, the BaLensLens cap 77mm

I use a lite disc, it is a small white/grey twistfold disc that is like a small reflector. White balance and grey card in one. It folds up to almost nothing (i can fit it in my pocket) and I can use it as a reflector for macro shots if I need to.

I use a grey card, a small one that I always carry in my bags because I keep other technical notes along with it. One side is white and one is grey. I use the white side.

Although I always shoot raw, I am always MUCH MUCH happier when I take the time to do custom white balance than trying to set it post processing. I think it's worth the extra effort up front if you have the time and ability to do so.