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Dheaton

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Hi Everyone

I want to use a card in the first of my images to make the balance easier when I go to PS and I really didn't know if I need to use a grey card or a white card? I use the Nikon D100.

Thanks in advance
David

--
'Creating Images not Taking Pictures'
http://www.heatonphoto.com
 
Therule of thumb is usually to include a grey card, as it will show you a better representation of midtone value and even color balance. Optionally, put a small square of white paper on your grey card and have both!. I find that a little white is useful for cleaning up color casts when in photoshop
kevin
 
I agree with the previous post--gray is probably more useful, as it will give you both midtone and neutral settings. White can blow out, and which point it isn't useful for either highlight or neutral.

The bigger issue is that white is rarely white--it's almost always an off-white. But a specifically-manufactured gray card that is new and in good condition is likely to be closer to neutral than something white will be.
 
Hmmmm, ok, thanks to both of you. I thought it was camera specific wether to use a white or grey card. I know that in images where I have a neutral grey and when I clik on it with the dropper it makes my images appear very off color. Maybe a real grey card would be different. Any suggestions on where to pick up a grey card?

Thanks again
David

--
'Creating Images not Taking Pictures'
http://www.heatonphoto.com
 
Ya, know you are probably right. I really didn't think of it that way. I don' thave a WB problem. I would like to use a grey card to help with exposures.
Thanks
David

--
'Creating Images not Taking Pictures'
http://www.heatonphoto.com
 
Using a gray card in the first image and then relying on PS to adjust the exposure might not be the best way to go (but it's the way to do it if you use a white card and plan on setting the WB in PS. Obviously, you need to shoot RAW in this case).

You need to set your camera on spot and manual metering, put the card next to your subject, measure on the card (it should fill the entire spot area) and then from there shoot with these settings.
Dheaton said:
Ya, know you are probably right. I really didn't think of it that
way. I don' thave a WB problem. I would like to use a grey card
to help with exposures.
Thanks
David

--
'Creating Images not Taking Pictures'
http://www.heatonphoto.com
Click to expand...
--
Author of Absolute Sharpening Pro (R)
http://absolutesharpening.home.comcast.net

My Olympus E-1 Gallery
http://home.comcast.net/~digital_photo/E1/index.html
 
Grey card for white balance, or even better Macbeth color checker
for color balance. I don't know where mskad got his information but
from all I have heard or read you do not use a white card.
 
I was talking to one photographer (don't know which camera) and he uses a 16x20 foam core board to do this. He said that some cameras use a grey card and others use a white card.

David

--
'Creating Images not Taking Pictures'
http://www.heatonphoto.com
 
Ideally what you want is a certifiable neutral. White can pick up a cast from the

environment that you are in. Eg: White will take on a green cast if you are standing
on the lawn. It is also prone to burning out in which case you have nothing to

balance with. From a pro standpoint I use a Macbeth Card for all my studio color
critical work and carry a grey card in my camera bag, for location work.
 
Robin Horlock said:
... I don't know where mskad got his information but
Click to expand...
Let’s call it experience and good sense ;-)

Most gray cards that you can buy are designed to give you a reference for a correct exposure, not for white balance. A gray card, unless stated otherwise might have a slight color cast (which is not what you want if you are picky enough with WB to use a card in the first place).

Also, under poor lighting condition, a white card will definitively have the edge on a gray card.

The excellent WhitBal black/gray/white cards (www.rawworkflow.com) or the Gretag MacBeth Color Checker that you mentioned do have neutral grays and can not only be used for adjusting the white balance, but also to set the black and white points.

--
Author of Absolute Sharpening Pro (R)
http://absolutesharpening.home.comcast.net

My Olympus E-1 Gallery
http://home.comcast.net/~digital_photo/E1/index.html
 
Well then I guess we will agree to disagree on the white card point.
I would not consider using a white card over a macbeth card, there
is no comparison. As I previously stated a white card will take on a
cast from the surroundings. But I might be wrong, after all I have
only been shooting commercially for 22 years. :)
 
Excellent point. I carry the big DCC checker with me and take photos of it before capturing my subject. I have software to compute the error-minimizing color-space transform to bring all the colors to their measured chromaticities and then further to a designed color temperature. It lets me determine the look largely irrespective of circumstances.



ugly fluorescent interior lighting



warped back to chosen illumination (to match 10am exterior shot)

P.S. I have many photos of my wife (shown here) looking just like this at the great wall, in London tube stations, atop the Jungfrau, in Nikko, at Bryce, etc. It makes for a very funny photo album. ;-)

--
Michael T. Jones
(equipment in profile)
 
Robin Horlock said:
Well then I guess we will agree to disagree [...].
I would not consider using a white card over a macbeth card, there
is no comparison...
Click to expand...
Which was exactly my point! I wrote:

"The excellent [...] Gretag MacBeth Color Checker [...] neutral grays and can not only be used for adjusting the white balance, but also to set the black and white points."

I never wrote that I would use a white card over a MacBeth (or WhitBal), I said I would use a white card over a gray card (like the Kodak 18% for instance) for WB purpose.

--
Author of Absolute Sharpening Pro (R)
http://absolutesharpening.home.comcast.net

My Olympus E-1 Gallery
http://home.comcast.net/~digital_photo/E1/index.html
 
I'd like to use the WhiBal inside a fish tank with a flash. Since the
informational videos at http://www.whibal.com mention that the plastics are
semiglossy as apposed to Gretag MacBeth's use of matte surfaces,
I'm wondering how well this product works with a flash.

Thanks,
 
Greycard for for WB, but you can not use Kodak it's for film. Use a digital greycard like Robin Myers, its flat in all light conditions. Ore use strips, these are white, grey and black.
Regards Onmouse
 
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