Silverman Loc: Michigan

I am looking for any Photographers who have used the WB Exposure tool known as the Expodisc. How did it perform? Was it easy to use in a Photo Shoot? Was the Quality good? Would you recommend using this WB Exposure correction tool? Thanks in advance for your feedback.

williejoha

Works fine. Have been using mine for the last 7 years. I only use it for specialty stuff when the lighting is tricky.
WJH

etaoin Loc: Wichita, KS

A quick search will give you about 20 threads extensively discussing the Expodisc.

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

It's not as good as a color graded target like the Xrite Color Checker Passport. Had both. Gave the expodisc away.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Some will say not to worry and to adjust the W/B in post but it's going to be subjective, unless you have have some sort of standard to go by like a white balance card of some kind.

Auto white balance works pretty well but it's not always consistent.

I use the ExpoDisc for setting a quick custom white balance.
Literally takes about 5 seconds.
Gets you very good color straight out of the camera.
I use it for events where I have no time to post process before sending to the web.
I've seen a comparison between various similar products...including a white coffee filter and some are pretty close to the ExpoDisc, other not so much. Surprisingly, the coffee filter did very well.


For accurate color, the XRite Color Checker can't be beat.
It not only helps set the white balance, but tweaks the other colors accurately so takes the camera mfg color bias out of the equation. The colors in a photo taken with Canon, Nikon, Sony....will theoretically look the same.
One has to adjust in post processing but it's not hard after the first time.
You shoot the target for each lighting condition and apply the profile the program makes with that to the raw file in post.

Great for accurate color rendition, like copying artwork, etc.

Do you need pleasing or accurate color?

I have and use both.

Do you have a calibrated monitor? That's essential too.

BboH Loc: s of 2/21, Ellicott City, MD

Last time I looked, some years ago, the XRite only worked with Photoshop. Is this still the case? I use PaintShop

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

I am not sure what Gene was looking for but I disagree with him. If you look at color temperature and tint, the two products give no real difference. However, where ColorChecker excels is the faithfulness of reproducing color. This is not a matter of white balance but of sensor technology and processing. The differences are small and you might get the same overall result by selecting different profiles in Lightroom. If you are a professional and shooting something like products and color where color fidelity is important, then use ColorChecker.

You need to profile ColorChecker for each body, lens and light source. After that, you can stick to its gray card for white balance and select the appropriate ColorChecker profile. I have also used the Expodisc instead.

I use both the gray card and Expodisc randomly. Both tools are excellent and easy to use. You will not go wrong with either. It all comes down to expectation, convenience and price. If you go with Expodisc, buy one for your second smallest lens. That way, you can use it on two lenses. You do not have to have one for every lens.

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

Put your money toward the ColorChecker Passport. Some of the best money I have spent on photography...

granbob Loc: SW Wisc; E Iowa; W Illinois

I have used the Expodisc to set the light balance before photographing high school basketball games in a gym and have had good results. I also take an incident light reading and use that to set manual exposure and take a few check shots during warmups. That system has worked well for me.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

It WORKS extremely well, but it’s rather impractical in many situations. That’s because you must hold it over the lens, and point it at the primary light source, FROM the subject’s position. It has to diffuse the exact same light that will expose the subject — if you want an accurate exposure and an accurate custom/manual/preset white balance.

Despite those encumbrances, it IS one of my recommended tools. My favorite is the PhotoVision One Shot Digital Calibration Target. The most accurate is the X-Rite ColorChecker Passport. The quick and dirty, cheap solution is the Delta-1 brand 18% Gray Card.

Doc Barry Loc: Huntsville, Alabama USA

Expodisc is a fine tool, but really should be used for incident light WB custom setting. Stand where the subject is located and aim the camera towards where you will be shooting from. With ColorChecker or gray card, shoot from where you are going to be and capture the card or ColorChecker in your photo (or get close enough to fill the frame w/o shadowing the card and set your custom WB). If the lighting is rather diffused everywhere, then often the Expodisc calibration is fine from the shooting position.

I have compared the Expodisc, gray card, ColorChecker, and CBL Lens and all give the same good WB. I note that the CBL Lens gives a histogram reading about 20 counts higher than the others which are all the same.

The Expodisc also is in my kit as it the ColorChecker.

fstoprookie Loc: Central Valley of California

I have used an EXPODISC for the last 10 years with excellent results. I have looked at other WB & Color calibrations, but still prefer my EXPODISC

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

Proponents of the Expodisc class of devices like them because they are often very convenient and easy. A big part of their enthusiasm is the fact that it represents a substantial improvement over AWB in the camera, or using a white balance eyedropper in post processing. Few have actually tried anything better as a result. These are two links to informative sites that provide some good information on the Expodisc, including how even if you use it correctly can still leave you with a color cast that you have no control over, and the ColorChecker Passport which gets you 100% color neutrality 100% of the time, and if you want a warmer/cooler tone, you can use the tiles on the target to precisely dial in the amount of color shift.

http://www.ronmartblog.com/2009/12/review-expodisc-by-expoimaging-custom.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDtebpvATzc

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

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