Recommendations for a good slate, clapboard for color reference.

[shortnstout]

Hi all,
I've been using a clapboard recently and have also recently discovered how helpful having a color reference (esp. neutral gray, white, and black) at the beginning of shots. Does anyone have a recommendation for a good clapboard that has reference colors and white/gray/black with the right amount of reflectivity with 18% gray. Seems to be easier to have the references on the clapboard but am not confident in the clapboards I've seen searching the web. BTW, I'm not really looking at paying hundreds of $$ for this- I think there should be something reasonably priced out there. I'm willing to just get something like this - and tape it to the back of my slate if I have to.
THanks!

 

[djkarn105]

Slates have always seemed especially overpriced to menbut you don't really have much of a choice. The best option is the slates with colored stripes on the sticks but those are fairly pricey on BH. I wouldn't trust something cheap since the whole point is a reliable reference.Short if that, you have the right idea. An 18% gray swatch on your slate will be infinitely helpful to your colorist in post. You've got the right idea though. In high end vfx they shoot a grey sphere and Macbeth chart in every lighting and camera setup for reference in post. The idea is just to have a common reference point for post.