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White Balance Filter
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Jul 25, 2012 08:18:50   #
GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City
 
For more on White Balance devices read this:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/insights/blogs/photography/tools-neutralizing-world.html

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Jul 25, 2012 08:40:02   #
ecobin Loc: Paoli, PA
 
GoofyNewfie wrote:
For more on White Balance devices read this:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/insights/blogs/photography/tools-neutralizing-world.html


Nice summary - thanks for sharing.

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Jul 25, 2012 09:30:50   #
steve Loc: Iowa
 
yeh, d caf LOL

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Jul 25, 2012 10:24:43   #
Mashubi1 Loc: Salem, Oregon
 
One suggestion is to purchase an ExpoDisk large enough fit your largest lens and to be hand held over your smaller MM lens. I have an ExpoDisk but it only works on the smaller MM lens and not my 87mm or 82mm lens. In my defense I purchased it early on before I purchased the other lenses.

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Jul 25, 2012 10:33:16   #
GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City
 
Mashubi1 wrote:
One suggestion is to purchase an ExpoDisk large enough fit your largest lens and to be hand held over your smaller MM lens. I have an ExpoDisk but it only works on the smaller MM lens and not my 87mm or 82mm lens. In my defense I purchased it early on before I purchased the other lenses.

Good point! The lenses I use the most are all 77mm.
Not a problem with the Lally Cap though. It's one size fits all.

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Jul 25, 2012 11:55:14   #
jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ
 
Festina Lente wrote:
GoofyNewfie wrote:
jerryc41 wrote:
Erv wrote:
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

Explanation, please.
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.

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.
quote=GoofyNewfie quote=jerryc41 quote=Erv I am... (show quote)


I'm curious which flash diffuser do you have?

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Jul 25, 2012 12:05:59   #
BigGWells Loc: Olympia, WA
 
I use the white balance cap. Works great. I have 4 different sizes and paid less than 20.00 for all of them. The thing I really like, is how fast you can set your WB. Pop the cap on, click the button, your set.

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Jul 25, 2012 13:42:02   #
ALYN Loc: Lebanon, Indiana
 
Erv: How's that WB gadget work as a coffee filter ? ALYN

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Jul 25, 2012 13:42:32   #
ALYN Loc: Lebanon, Indiana
 
Erv: How's that WB gadget work as a coffee filter ? ALYN

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Jul 25, 2012 14:26:20   #
No1Shutterbug Loc: Greencastle, PA Live in The Villages, FL
 
GoofyNewfie wrote:
ecobin wrote:

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.


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.
quote=ecobin br If your camera has raw capabilit... (show quote)


How do you do 'custom white balance' or manual white balance?

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Jul 25, 2012 14:30:41   #
EricLPT Loc: Jonesborough TN
 
ramcasty wrote:
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...


I found a cheapo version on ebay for 99 cents and it works great.

Eric

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Jul 25, 2012 15:00:09   #
mafadecay Loc: Wales UK
 
Festina Lente wrote:
GoofyNewfie wrote:
jerryc41 wrote:
Erv wrote:
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

Explanation, please.
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.

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.
quote=GoofyNewfie quote=jerryc41 quote=Erv I am... (show quote)


interested how U used your flash diffuser. Would you be so kind as to offer instructions please. I also do not understand how the expodiscs work entirely and the coffee filter is beyond my comprehension. How can you shoot through this material and a. Achieve focus b. Get correct exposure.

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Jul 25, 2012 15:27:03   #
davekapphahn Loc: East Texas
 
I love the coffee coments so I went and got a cup! I use a Mennon plastic $12.00 cap and also the expo disc. The Mennon cap ( which looks like a coffee filter) you point at the subject for a reading and the expo disc you point at your lighting for a reading. I use the Mennon cap when I am in a hurry and and take the time that the expo disc takes. They both work well, but the expo is probably a little more accurate! A mild tune-up in shop fixes it if I do anything to it at all!

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Jul 25, 2012 15:27:06   #
ecobin Loc: Paoli, PA
 
Check this review out. It indicates that Expodisc is the most accurate in all conditions tested but that the Melitta coffee filter is really pretty good! Jerry wins!
http://www.ppmag.com/web-exclusives/2008/11/product-comparison-white-balan-1.html

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Jul 25, 2012 17:51:54   #
Erv Loc: Medina Ohio
 
ALYN wrote:
Erv: How's that WB gadget work as a coffee filter ? ALYN

Hi Alyn
So far I have been happy with just using it. I have not play with a fancy store bought one yet. I have done a lot of shooting with the adjustments from the filter and they have turned out fine. I might break done and get one this fall. I am going to start shooting cars inside again. They were coming out pretty good last fall, but I would like to see if it makes a big difference.
Erv

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