ramcasty Loc: california

Hello Everybody!

I am so curious about this "White Balance Filter" looks like lens cap where you use it directly in front of your lens in order to calibrate your white balance on a certain lightning condition... My question, are this kind of device or white balance filter cap really works?

Thanks everyone for taking time on this issue to answer...

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Yes. I use the ExpoDisc. There are others that aren't as expensive (and possibly not as accurate) and I have heard that a bleached coffee filter will work too. You use these like an incident light meter, that is, aim it from the subject toward the camera position to sample the light falling on the subject.

Erv Loc: Medina Ohio

I am still using my coffee filter. Santa didn't bring it this year. :) He did get me a good SU800 tho, so the coffee filter will go another year.
Erv

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Explanation, please.

Gidgette Loc: Boerne,Texas

Erv, is that before or after you use it to make coffee? LOL

Erv Loc: Medina Ohio

Santa didn't bring me the ExpoDisc I asked for. :) So I still use the coffee filter. But my list was pretty long. :mrgreen:
Erv

Erv Loc: Medina Ohio

Most of the time it is before, unless I need an ND filter. :)
Erv

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

You put the coffee filter over the lens, point the camera from the subject to the camera position and do a custom w/b. Works better with decaf.

Gidgette Loc: Boerne,Texas

Thanks for info. I may have to change as it will also be lighter to carry. LOL

Festina Lente Loc: Florida & Missouri

While the ExpoDisk ("ExpoDisc Professional Digital White Balance Filter" ) works just fine (and samples a larger area more accurately than a coffee filter), it remains significantly overpriced in my opinion.
Those who use them swear by them. No argument here, they work and work well.

Just for fun, my friend (who never leaves home without an Expo Disk hanging from her neck) and I did a non-scientific comparison. She used her ExpoDisk to set a white balance inside a church and I used my flash diffuser. We have the same cameras.

Back in post processing we compared the custom WB setting as well as the church interior images. We could not tell any difference visually on the same color calibrated monitor.
She was amazed and felt a tad foolish, but proudly recovered when she said that her $99 ExpoDisk comes with a neck lanyard and a manual while my $14 flash diffuser has neither.
I offered to buy her coffee with the money I saved.

It was an interesting comparison and a lesson on diminishing returns in advertising hype.

But,
-- if you don't know exactly what you are doing,
-- don't know what a custom WB really is,
-- never shoot RAW,
-- hate 18% grey cards,
-- are obsessed with nailing WB down beyond what your eye can readily perceive,
-- or you don't want to make even a small adjustment in PP,
then that $86 neck lanyard might be worthwhile.

BTW, I still don't have a lanyard for my multi-tasking flash diffuser.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

I wear the lanyard by itself at social events.

ecobin Loc: Paoli, PA

If your camera has raw capability then set white balance to auto, shoot raw, and use the $99 to purchase Photoshop Elements or some other software that includes white balance correction. Once you get into Photoshop you'll be amazed how easy it is to enhance your photos. If your camera doesn't have raw capability then you'll need to experiment with it to learn when auto white balance is inadequate and when to use custom white balance.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

That works too. I've been shooting events where I need to put slideshows up immediately after the event, on site.
Using custom white balance, I don't have to do any post in photoshop. I can use the jpegs straight out of the camera.
As with film, best and faster to get it right in the camera.

ramcasty Loc: california

TO EVERYONE WHO ANSWER AND COLLABORATE MY CONCERN REGARDING "WHITE BALANCE FILTER" THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

BY THE WAY, I LIKE THE COFFEE FILTER BUT NOT DECAF FILTER LOL!

HAVE A GREAT DAY TO EVERYONE!

Festina Lente Loc: Florida & Missouri

The ExpoDisk folks need to know this!!
They can start marketing it as the MultiDisk! A true multi-tasking photographic device.
(But be sure to hold out for a fee!)