white balance / grey card DIY

LongLensPhotography

LongLensPhotography

Th..th..that's all folks!
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LongLensPhotography
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I would normally find my way round to sorting out WB in post but this coming job will involve strongly coloured graphics with no reference point within itself. It doesn't have to be 99.999% accurate but over 97+% is very much desirable.

The first idea was a piece of white A4 paper. The only problem is they are not truly white. Now what about these premium sheets from Canson, Innova, etc?

The next idea is to print a few shades of perfect grey on them. Will that sort of out the paper's own colour shift? My printer has 2 different dedicated greys so that hopefully can be considered reasonably accurate?

And finally would you go for matt non-laminated even if it means reprinting one far more often? I fear glossy might pick up all sorts of colours from the environment?

Is there any point printing out any other primaries too?
 
LongLensPhotography said:
Any good ones i.e not too small or reflective?
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I also have a WhiBal in the camera bag. As well as that I have an A4 card one...... Patterson or Kenro brand. No doubt no there are a range of options across all pockets.

I have not checked the WhiBal price but it is a premium product.

As for the A4 card, I think I paid some years back about £10.

In both cases they are purpose design with flat matt surfaces ....though the WhiBal being plastic it does have a slight sheen to it.
 
I’d say if you’ve got a business critical need, then a colour checker is a safer pair of hands than a grey card.
 
Phil V said:
I’d say if you’ve got a business critical need, then a colour checker is a safer pair of hands than a grey card.
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If you are using a cheap grey or white card you may as well just guess and adjust it by eye. If you are trying to do a decent job the as Phil says then you need an X-Rite Colour Checker
 
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