white balance card
- Thread starter scotman
- Start date
IBEJohnson
Well-known member
Remember, Warm Cards create a warm tone by filtering out some of the blue. The gray card dbarak is referring to is completely neutral. So 'better' doesn't really come into play necessarily. Its simply up to you to make that creative decision.scotman said:
Hypothetically, they could come out with a line of Cool Cards which have the opposite effect of the Warm Cards. Of course those cards would be some shade of yellow or orange maybe. (By the way, if anyone markets this idea and becomes rich, I expect 10%)
Scotman, I think the bottom line for you (and maybe everyone) is that you want a white/gray card. In fact, you really need it. This will enable you to get the most accurate color rendition and exposure for any given lighting setup. However, for those times that you want to get creative with various tones, then maybe the Warm Cards are a good thing for you.
OK, one more thing and then I'll shut up. Someone, in some thread (maybe this one) mentioned color samples at a paint store. Didn't really have much of an impact on me until I happened to be at Lowe's last night. One of their paint brands had these little 3"x3" color chips with a HUGE selection of colors, many of which were very light pastels. What I like about them is that each card was only one color. Some brands put 3-5 colors on one card, but this particular brand had cards with a nice matte surface and plenty of space to white balance from. This may be one way to experiment with various effects. If you like the look, then it might be worth getting the more durable Warm Cards.
E
scotman
Well-known member
thanks a bunch and i think this thread can almost come to a close. the warm cards are more durable then the foldable gray card mentioned from BH photo??
how car does the card have to be from the lens. (using a 35mm adapter, should it be in focus)
and what if the lights in the house are a yellowish tint, im low budget, then doesnt that effect the result. like the card needs to be properly lit correct. Thnks
how car does the card have to be from the lens. (using a 35mm adapter, should it be in focus)
and what if the lights in the house are a yellowish tint, im low budget, then doesnt that effect the result. like the card needs to be properly lit correct. Thnks
dbarak
Well-known member
Yeah, what IBEJohnson said! : )
As far as distance, ideally you'll fill the field of view with the card so that that's all you see in the viewfinder. A bit of the actual scene poking around the edges probably won't be much of a problem. You don't have to worry about the card being in focus -- just make sure it's not in shadow if you're shooting in bright light, or vice versa. Make sure it's in the same light you're shooting in (not blocked by you or the camera, etc.)
As far as the color temp of the light, the grey card should operate exactly like a white card so that you'll end up with a proper white balance.
As far as distance, ideally you'll fill the field of view with the card so that that's all you see in the viewfinder. A bit of the actual scene poking around the edges probably won't be much of a problem. You don't have to worry about the card being in focus -- just make sure it's not in shadow if you're shooting in bright light, or vice versa. Make sure it's in the same light you're shooting in (not blocked by you or the camera, etc.)
As far as the color temp of the light, the grey card should operate exactly like a white card so that you'll end up with a proper white balance.