expo disc

[mrerico]

Just wondering if I am using this right but are you supposed to shoot with the expo disc on and then review the picture and say set custom wb and then change your wb to the custom symbol?

When I take a picture using the expo disc am I supposed to shoot at something white or just whatever I am taking a picture of?


Thanks
Eric O.

[Jon]

You're supposed to point it at the primary light source for your photo (and hope that the secondary light is also about the same colour temperature).

[mrerico]

So it doesnt matter what it is just as long as its near the primary light source I am shooting in?

[Jon]

Wrong. You aim the camera at the primary light source, not something near it. Ideally, from where your subject is.

[mrerico]

So if I were in a room with wierd lighting I wouldnt aim at the white walls I would aim for the areas where the light it coming from?

[Jon]

If you're in a room with wierd lighting, IMO, is where the ExpoDisc falls doown. You're better off then placing a grey card at your subject's position and photographing that, since it'll show the effect of all the light incident on it, from whatever the source. If you use the Expodisc to photograph something other than the light source, you need to photograph a neutral grey or white target so the subject colour doesn't throw WB off. And in that case, why use the Expodisc?

[mrerico]

how about for sports? Say Ice Hockey, would I just shoot at a player under the light source and set custom wb?

[Jon]

No. You aim the camera at the light source to use an ExpoDisc. If you're shooting hockey, use the ice as a white card and set your white balance from that without using the ExpoDisc.

[mrerico]

oh ok...I got it now.

So when would be a good use for using the expodisc? From the sound of it, I think I should have bought a grey card..

[Jon]

I prefer grey cards - more versatile. An ExpoDisc will be usable only when there's uniform light sources on your subject, and you can be at, or near, the subject's position. Like maybe outside on a bright sunny day, or under uniform fluorescent lighting (which has its own problems, though).

[DeCeccoNET]

I agree, the expodisc has a purpose, but as you learn white balancing you grow out of it quickly. I was lucky to recieve one for free as part of doing a job, but as I have moved out of the kit lense range (58mm??) i cant use mine anymore, and will probably just sell it without trying to replace it.

[SkipD]

In my opinion, a neutral gray card and/or a color reference card such as this one are FAR superior color reference tools as compared to the Expodisc.

You can use the reference cards in a couple of ways. One is to do Custom White Balance settings using a neutral reference card. Another is to shoot in RAW mode and put one or both of the cards into the scene for a test shot (using the same lighting as the rest of the series). Then you would use an "eyedropper" tool to sample a neutral portion of either card in the test shot to obtain a reference value during RAW file conversion.

[RichNY]

Originally Posted by azneric3

oh ok...I got it now.

So when would be a good use for using the expodisc? From the sound of it, I think I should have bought a grey card..

No reason that you couldn't use it for shooting hockey, just point it at the lights above the rink to take your custom white balance setting.

[JohnJ80]

Originally Posted by DeCeccoNET

but as I have moved out of the kit lense range (58mm??) i cant use mine anymore, and will probably just sell it without trying to replace it.

What does lens range have to do with it?

J.

[JohnJ80]

Originally Posted by SkipD

In my opinion, a neutral gray card and/or a color reference card such as this one are FAR superior color reference tools as compared to the Expodisc.

You can use the reference cards in a couple of ways. One is to do Custom White Balance settings using a neutral reference card. Another is to shoot in RAW mode and put one or both of the cards into the scene for a test shot (using the same lighting as the rest of the series). Then you would use an "eyedropper" tool to sample a neutral portion of either card in the test shot to obtain a reference value during RAW file conversion.

I don't think it makes much difference as long as the device is portable (small), is truly neutral (no color tint), and you can use it quickly to set the custom white balance. Gets down to a "Tastes great- Less Filling" sort of argument.

J.