gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

I used to use my hand for an approximation. Works pretty well. My first SLR didn't have spot metering so for close-ups I'd meter off my hand.

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

The discussion isn't about measuring exposure, it's about white balance, which you certainly can't do with your skin.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

I'm sure that is true. I have some 30 or more year old Kodak grey cards and the color is not neutral (any longer). I use or used them for B&W zone system stuff not color or white balance, but for exposure. And still do on occasion.

Waxhouse Loc: Tampa Via Philadelphia

Shoot raw auto WB

RichardSM Loc: Back in Texas

I too use the Whibal. Goto there site below.
http://michaeltapesdesign.com/whibal.html

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I purchased a set of three, white, gray, and black, for about $19. I use them mostly for exposure, but they can be used for WB. I got them from BandH.
--Bob

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

Just get a gray card from a photo retailer, they usually have the 18% gray on one side and a white one on the other and they come in all kinds of sizes and are usually just a few pennies!

photoman022 Loc: Manchester CT USA

GENorkus Loc: Washington Twp, Michigan

You want cheap? How's zero cents? (except for the cost of gas to get there.)

Go to Home Depo, Lowes, your local paint store, etc. and grab a few paint chip samples of whatever color you feel like getting. (They probably don't have the CYMK colors though.)

Should you want gray, they have a bunch of examples. Just look around!

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

That is a great idea.
--Bob

frank99

Second the ColorChecker and the WhiBal cards. The latter are available in a range of sizes, even business-card size that can be carried anywhere. I use the WhiBal for backup to the ColorChecker Passport. If I forget the ColorChecker, I always have the small WhiBal stashed in my wallet. BTW, the color in the WhiBal cards isn't printed on, it's through-and-through. If you stain the card, you can sand it out for a fresh surface. Lastly, the advice to NOT use old gray cards is spot on. They weren't intended to be, nor calibrated as, color reference standards. Same for "white" paper. Many use UV brighteners for enhanced "whiteness". All of this advice is sorta moot if you shoot raw, because you can correct the color to whatever-you-want in post production. But starting with known accuracy from a ColorChecker or WhiBal can save tons of time.

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

That's the problem with gray, there are many variations, and you can't always tell if they are color neutral by looking. I use a Lastolite WB target, white on one side and gray on the other, and with hashmarks for focusing so you don't have to tun off autofocus. And they fold up like a fold up reflector and can be used as one also. They aren't cheap, but I trust that they are right.

toptrainer Loc: Wellington

Thank you all for your advice, I will check out some of the sites and products you all have suggested.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

They aren't cheap, but I use Lastolite EZ Balance. Durable fabric, easily folds to 1/3 it's size to store it. Neutral gray side can be used both to set Custom WB and to determine an accurate exposure. White side can be used to set a Custom WB or as a reflector. They come in 3 or 4 sizes.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Cheap? If that is your need, Get a Delta 1 Gray Card. You can meter it and it's accurate to about 1/3 stop. You can white balance off the gray side or the white side, because both are neutral if it is kept clean.

If you want better, look at the One Shot Digital Calibration Target. It's a lot easier to use for both an exposure test and custom white balance.

If you can put yourself in the same light as your subject, and point your camera back toward where you will be when you make exposures, try an ExpoDisc.

If you just want a click balance reference, a WhiBal will do it.

If you want to make a perfect profile of your exact lighting conditions for super-accurate color rendition, get a ColorChecker PassPort.

Whatever you do, don't trust advice to use a white sheet of paper. Most "white" papers aren't really white, but range from yellow to UV fluorescent blue-white. Some are translucent enough to be affected by what's underneath them. The true white cards sold for white balance are generally known to be neutral.

A two-pack of 8x10 Delta 1 gray cards is about 13 bucks. If you do nothing else, start there.