Has anyone used an ExpoDisc White Balance Filter? Would I be better off with something like this or a regular color checker like the Xrite Passsport?

AlohaBob Loc: Los Angeles, CA

Would I be better off with something like this or a regular color checker like the Xrite Passsport?

dirtpusher Loc: tulsa oklahoma

i like this one pretty well.
http://photojojo.com/store/awesomeness/white-balance-lens-cap/

tsilva Loc: Arizona

Colorchecker is more versatile and allows you to create custom color profiles for your cameras

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

AlohaBob wrote:

Would I be better off with something like this or a regular color checker like the Xrite Passsport?

The expodisc creates a custom white balance, which is ok if you are shooting jpeg. The CCP creates a custom camera profile, which is attached to a raw file in post processing.

I shoot raw 100% of the time, so the CCP is my tool of choice. I also found it more convenient to use, I simply shoot a target, put it away and continue shooting until the light changes. The ExpoDisc requires me to stop what I am doing, move to the location of the subject, place the ED on the lens, take a shot, then make a custom white balance setting, and go back to my shooting position. I found the CCP more accurate in really off-the-wall lighting than the ExpoDisc.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

I use two white coffee filters and shoot through them toward the light source.
I always get a very good custom white balance...and it is very cheap.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Gene51 wrote:

The expodisc creates a custom white balance, which... (show quote)

Gene, is this the model you are talking about?
http://xritephoto.com/ph_product_overview.aspx?id=1257

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

GoofyNewfie wrote:

Gene, is this the model you are talking about?
http://xritephoto.com/ph_product_overview.aspx?id=1257

That's the one I use. It does have an expiration date if you want dead-on neutral color, I think it is 2 yrs from date of purchase. But if you can tolerate a little inaccuracy (most of us can) it can be good for 4 yrs or more. But the color swatches can and do fade, change color, etc over time.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Gene51 wrote:

That's the one I use. It does have an expiration date if you want dead-on neutral color, I think it is 2 yrs from date of purchase. But if you can tolerate a little inaccuracy (most of us can) it can be good for 4 yrs or more. But the color swatches can and do fade, change color, etc over time.

Thanks!
I ran into a perplexing lighting issue last week and thought this may have helped, If I had one. I either did a bad W/B or a tricky situation wouldn't let me. (Hindsight is 20/20).

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

GoofyNewfie wrote:

Thanks!
I ran into a perplexing lighting issue last week and thought this may have helped, If I had one. I either did a bad W/B or a tricky situation wouldn't let me. (Hindsight is 20/20).

Shoot raw, there is no white balance. You assign one in post processing. Of course, if you have auto or a preset white balance setting, the preview file will reflect that setting, but the camera records the full spectrum, unlike when you use an expodisc and use a custom white balance. That is one more reason I like the CCP.

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

If you're going to spend a hundred bucks get the X-Rite.

AlohaBob wrote:

Would I be better off with something like this or a regular color checker like the Xrite Passsport?

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Gene51 wrote:

Shoot raw, there is no white balance. You assign one in post processing. Of course, if you have auto or a preset white balance setting, the preview file will reflect that setting, but the camera records the full spectrum, unlike when you use an expodisc and use a custom white balance. That is one more reason I like the CCP.

I do use raw, custom w/b helps give me a starting point.
Buying the CCP when I get a chance.
Looks great.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

GoofyNewfie wrote:

I do use raw, custom w/b helps give me a starting point.
Buying the X-Rite Color Checker Passport when I get a chance.
Looks great.

Thanks, Gene51.
Got the X-Rite Color Checker Passport software installed and tried it.
The Expo disc was usually pretty close, but this is much better overall color.
I think I'm gonna love it. :thumbup:

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

GoofyNewfie wrote:

Thanks, Gene51.
Got the X-Rite Color Checker Passport software installed and tried it.
The Expo disc was usually pretty close, but this is much better overall color.
I think I'm gonna love it. :thumbup:

I found the same. I bequeathed my expodisc to my son.

Bugfan Loc: Toronto, Canada

I've tried the colour checker passport and it's bang on almost all the time. But it's also a lot of individual pieces and to get the most out of it you're into processing raw images. I don't generally want to carry a lot of stuff and I don't always have the time to process everything through raw.

So my compromise is the expo disk. When I set up for a shoot it takes me about twenty seconds to get a very accurate custom white balance. And in the process all I'm carrying is the expo disk case clipped to my camera bag.

And yes one complaint is that white balance changes over time which is not a concern when shooting raw, but I don't see this as an issue. With a twenty second custom white balance measurement, I don't see a big deal readjusting things once in a while. My events do allow me a few minute break every so often.

Where the passport excels is in those situations where your white balance is in a constant state of change. That's the tool for dealing with that and raw is the only image setting to consider. Thankfully though, my work rarely encounters that issue in a shoot and in those rare moments when it does happen, I simply do more twenty second white balance settings.