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Looking for a good accurate neutral gray card that has true 18 % reflectance.
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Oct 11, 2017 21:45:13   #
LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field
 
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Oct 12, 2017 05:16:32   #
wesm Loc: Los Altos CA
 
LoneRangeFinder wrote:
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!

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Oct 12, 2017 05:41:35   #
rpavich Loc: West Virginia
 
If it were me, I'd skip the card and get an expodisc.

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Oct 12, 2017 06:05:58   #
rdubreuil Loc: Dummer, NH USA
 
Color checker passport...

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Oct 12, 2017 06:20:40   #
jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY
 
jamesl wrote:
I am for an accurate neutral gray card that has true 18 % reflectance. I want to use it to accurately set correct exposure. I may vary the exposure one way or the other for creativity but I want the truely accurate initial exposure. Does anyone here use a gray card to set or check for accurate exposure and if so, could you suggest one or more good reliable ones? Any help will be greatly appreciated.


It just so happens that I have some links to gray card information. Pay particular attention to the first one, and Thom's discussion of 12% gray cards.

http://www.bythom.com/graycards.htm
http://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-use-a-gray-card-to-get-more-accurate-exposures-and-color/
http://www.digitalphotomentor.com/how-to-use-a-gray-card-for-custom-white-balance-and-metering/?utm_source=Digital+Photo+Mentor&utm_campaign=f5fb80c5b2-DPM_Blog_Broadcast&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ec33f1d0c3-f5fb80c5b2-263056661&mc_cid=f5fb80c5b2&mc_eid=fddc3ab094

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Oct 12, 2017 06:34:02   #
queencitysanta Loc: Charlotte, North Carolina
 
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=details&O=&Q=&ap=y&c3api=1876%2C%7Bcreative%7D%2C%7Bkeyword%7D&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIkbLq9_Dq1gIVUoh-Ch2wswXYEAQYASABEgKQ5_D_BwE&is=REG&m=Y&sku=1008986

This looks like it's the way of the future to me and much smaller

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Oct 12, 2017 06:36:36   #
Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina
 
Invest in a ColorChecker Passport if you shoot in RAW.
It will transform your photos color accuracy.

Best,
Todd Ferguson

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Oct 12, 2017 07:28:37   #
aellman Loc: Boston MA
 
jamesl wrote:
I am for an accurate neutral gray card that has true 18 % reflectance. I want to use it to accurately set correct exposure. I may vary the exposure one way or the other for creativity but I want the truely accurate initial exposure. Does anyone here use a gray card to set or check for accurate exposure and if so, could you suggest one or more good reliable ones? Any help will be greatly appreciated.


The Kodak card has been the standard for many decades.

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Oct 12, 2017 07:30:15   #
Rab-Eye Loc: Indiana
 
jamesl wrote:
I am for an accurate neutral gray card that has true 18 % reflectance. I want to use it to accurately set correct exposure. I may vary the exposure one way or the other for creativity but I want the truely accurate initial exposure. Does anyone here use a gray card to set or check for accurate exposure and if so, could you suggest one or more good reliable ones? Any help will be greatly appreciated.


I use the Gary Fong gray dome to set white balance, but you can use it to set exposure as well.

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Oct 12, 2017 08:01:09   #
johnst1001a Loc: West Chester, Ohio
 
I have a gray card, use it occasionally, works fine. But one thing that you may find is that unless you calibrate your monitor, and the printer, you will still not get quite the right colors. It all has to be done properly to get the best pictures. That said, I have found that for important pictures, I get the colors right on my computer, and then take it to Walgreens to print, and get a good result. For everyday pictures, not that critical, I can use my printer and get ok results, but not as good as a professional printer. Part of the issue of course is I do not use OEM ink, I use a third party ink, which may not be completely compatible with the photo paper.

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Oct 12, 2017 08:01:23   #
billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont
 
jamesl wrote:
I am for an accurate neutral gray card that has true 18 % reflectance. I want to use it to accurately set correct exposure. I may vary the exposure one way or the other for creativity but I want the truely accurate initial exposure. Does anyone here use a gray card to set or check for accurate exposure and if so, could you suggest one or more good reliable ones? Any help will be greatly appreciated.


Here you go James. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kodak-Neutral-Test-Card-Gray-18-White-90-Reflectance-priced-per-piece-/253183238049?hash=item3af2e59fa1:g:T0AAAOSw3gJZIPvq

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Oct 12, 2017 08:11:06   #
dave.m
 
I too carry one of the WhiBal credit sized cards. It 2 or 3mm thick plastic so pretty robust. As others have mentioned the grey is handy for checking exposure, and the whibal has a white patch also handy for colour balance. Don't use it much but useful for weird lighting conditions.

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Oct 12, 2017 08:13:56   #
jcboy3
 
jamesl wrote:
I am for an accurate neutral gray card that has true 18 % reflectance. I want to use it to accurately set correct exposure. I may vary the exposure one way or the other for creativity but I want the truely accurate initial exposure. Does anyone here use a gray card to set or check for accurate exposure and if so, could you suggest one or more good reliable ones? Any help will be greatly appreciated.


If you use an 18% gray card, you are under exposing by 1/2 stop. This is because the standard for photographic exposure is 12.5%.

Kodak made a mistake in the text describing use of their 18% gray card in 1979. While this was corrected in 1999, the error has continued to be made.

See this link for a discussion:

https://www.adorama.com/catalog.tpl?op=article_050503

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Oct 12, 2017 08:32:42   #
BobHartung Loc: Bettendorf, IA
 
lamiaceae wrote:
Yes, sometimes I'll go old school and use a 18% Grey Card. I've found my cameras anyway are pretty damn accurate for exposures, even going back to my film Pentax K2 DMD to say nothing of my Pentax DSLRs (Hell, even my CellPhone makes accurate exposures). Most often I find I'll use a grey card is if I am using a totally manual lens and find I don't like my initial starting point exposure with a digital camera. I use grey cards only for exposure setting with either the camera's meter or a hand held light meter.

For setting White Balance (if done manually) I may use a White Card. I find the various Kodak Grey cards I have adequate. I have not settled on a white standard; printed card or white piece of paper.
Yes, sometimes I'll go old school and use a 18% Gr... (show quote)


That's why I still carry a good incident light meter.

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Oct 12, 2017 09:20:28   #
AndyT Loc: Hampstead, New Hampshire
 
How far off can a gray photo bag be?

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