Grey Card - usage

donkeymusic

donkeymusic

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Carlo
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Hello, last time i was in a studio we were shown a grey card, just wondered if anyone could suggest what exactly i need?

thanks
 
donkeymusic said:
Hello, last time i was in a studio we were shown a grey card, just wondered if anyone could suggest what exactly i need?

thanks
Click to expand...

for what... your question doesnt make a lot of sense to be honest my friend :)
 
well to measure the white balance.

the grey cards i have seen are advertised as 18% grey, is this all that would need to measure against?
 
the inside colour of lowepro bags are 18% grey which is useful if you dont have card to hand.
 
Apart from having a grey card I also use a Lastolite tri balance. If shooting a wedding etc when I know where people are standing etc I do some test shots prior to the event with the tri balance where the couple will stand - this gives me a white balance reference when you can't get away with sticking bits of card infront of someones face. The tribalance allows you to get your blacks, whites and mids right although (on Mark Cleghorns advice) I use the black surround rather than the black panel for setting black point as using the black panel tends to block the shadows up a bit.
 
Also having the first shot with the card in the shot allows you to sample the grey card and colour balance on screen.

Graham
 
Isn't the grey side for exposure and the white side for white balance?
 
You can use the grey side to set white balance as well. Seems a bit odd but it does work.
 
aztec said:
the inside colour of lowepro bags are 18% grey which is useful if you dont have card to hand.
Click to expand...
The innards of my Lowepro bag are a different grey to my grey card :shrug:

Bob
 
Canon Bob said:
The innards of my Lowepro bag are a different grey to my grey card :shrug:

Bob
Click to expand...

As is mine, and the exposure difference between the pair is exactly +1 stop in favour of the Lowepro.
 
so would i take the first shot and include the grey card?

Not quite sure where i then go from there

thanks
 
donkeymusic said:
so would i take the first shot and include the grey card?

Not quite sure where i then go from there

thanks
Click to expand...

To save much typing, have a read of this and then ask again if something's not clear.

Bob
 
donkeymusic said:
so would i take the first shot and include the grey card?

Not quite sure where i then go from there

thanks
Click to expand...

Edit: crossed post - thanks Bob :)

The 18% grey bit is only necessary for exposure setting. For white balance, anything that is neutral in colour will do, eg plain grey, clean white etc.

Once you have you selected a neutral target, you can then use it to do a custom white balance, or just include it somewhere in the first shot and that is then your colour reference for every picture taken under the same colour lighting.

In post processing, drop on to the target and that will give you a colour correction setting to apply to the whole shoot.
 
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