New gadget ... CBL White Balance Lens - better than Expodisc?

Hi,

just came across a review of a supposedly hot product ... the CBL White balance lens.
Difference to, e.g. Expodisc is that it measures reflected and not incident light, and the difference to Whibal etc. is that it is designed to reflect light coming from all directions.

Looks interesting, but is a bit pricey (more expensive than Expodisc).

Take a look at
http://www.letsgodigit​al.org/en/10800/white_​balance_lens/
and
http://forums.dpreview​.com …age=22407011&ch​angemode=1

Best regards,
Andy

Interesting but very expensive for what it is!

I agree with you.

Still, the price does not look as outrageous as that of an Expodisc that can be very much compared with an old Pringles cap

Best regards,
Andy

Andy_T wrote in post #3249263
Still, the price does not look as outrageous as that of an Expodisc that can be very much compared with an old Pringles cap

Ok, stay off my mac. I was just going to say exactly what you said.



/She - packing a pringles cap

Something I am not understanding...

If the good old coffee filter approach works (yea yea, it ain't pure white...), why on earth these thingy cost 119 pounds (the cheapest model)? Someone please enlighten me.

One possible way to find out is to get one and play with it.

Edit: 159 pounds for DSLR.

What this thingy claims to do better (not so much than the coffee filter, which is not really mentioned in the comparisons , but e.g. against an accepted tool like a 30$ Wibal card) is that its design enables it to focus light coming from all directions in the center.

Whether that's true or just a marketing gimmick, will be hard to decide.

Best regards,
Andy

I went to dpreview and read the comments from one user who actually bought and used CBL. He mentioned something about reflected WB vs. incident WB. If CBL can help to resolve mix lighting situation when shooting in ambient light only, the price is minimal to pay. Interesting!

Has anyone used this or is it a waste of time ?
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http://cgi.ebay.com …15215QQrdZ1QQcm​dZViewItem

I would still go with the expodisc. It draws it's color directly from the source and is hand made and checked.

Pringles caps don't gather the light like the expodisc, and the white'ish' image you capture may not be accurate. Using something because it resembles white doesn't mean it is white. Also different materials react differently to light. Glossy paper would probably give a different reading than a flat matte paper.

WTF?
"The Grey reverse side is formulated from a secret combination of 13 different materials which have been tested to produce the most consistent colour balance and is best suited to Studio Flash Photography and direct sunlight. "
In other words: When you wouldn't need one anyway...

Solution to a problem that does *not* exist.

Here is another solution: Click. For the difference in price, buy a few CF cards and shoot raw.

It's really amazing what marketing bozos can pull on consumers. This device is no better than a standard gray card (white on one side and gray on the other) for the intended purpose except that it has a little handle on it.

Oh - I forgot another "feature" - the carrying bag....

Interesting, I use a Kodak grey card, and the only reason that I'd consider a CBL or a Expodisc is the durability factor and the convenience. The cards take a beating. And I'm not sure that the mat board will hold up in field use. That being said, I've also heard that the manufacturer, who incidentially is in the business of selling grey cards. reccomends purchasing a new card every two months... At $18.00 at my local retailer of photographic accesories, a CBL or Expodisc sounds far less troubling. But I sure do like the thoughts of a local, SE WI is a great place to wear out a grey card. It's winter 8 months out of the year...