SpyderCube

What is everyone's impression of this product? I dug through the forums and there are not a lot of discussions of it outside of when it was released. Anyone using it with great results? I was going to pick up some Whibal cards but this has been on my list of products to possibly get.

I shoot a 3 year old exploring the world 90% of the time and do not bring a lot of gear outside of my 7D and occasionally my 580EX II. In some really difficult lighting situations I will do a custom white balance (not off a white card, just off something I know is near white in the environment to get it close). I have had very bad luck with gray cards in general, they never seem to work well when using the color picker in LR. I've had much better luck using custom white balance in camera when AWB is really off.

I want to start shooting more consistently though and want to tweak white balance in LR a lot less.

It's yet another pointless white balance product. White balance is a personal artistic preference, there's no such thing as correct white balance. Shoot raw and set your white balance to taste.

It reminds me of all those golf products that supposedly correct your swing or make you a master of the short game. All pointless.

I think it does what it's supposed to do (allow you to target a few known values in the raw converter), but is terribly overpriced for what's essentially a hollow box with a paint job, a steel ball and a lanyard.
It probably will provide a decent starting point. (as should a gray card)

http://spyder.datacolo​r.com/learn_videos_spy​dercube1.php

It's *not* meant to set a CWB in camera. You're supposed to use it in the Raw converter. So it will have the same drawback as any "graycard" in LR: No selectable sampler size, so you will pick up color noise or other interferences as you sample "gray": Pick 5 positions on the graycard, and you get 5 slightly different white-balances.

René Damkot wrote in post #10975917
I think it does what it's supposed to do (allow you to target a few known values in the raw converter), but is terribly overpriced for what's essentially a hollow box with a paint job, a steel ball and a lanyard.
It probably will provide a decent starting point. (as should a gray card)

http://spyder.datacolo​r.com/learn_videos_spy​dercube1.php

It's *not* meant to set a CWB in camera. You're supposed to use it in the Raw converter. So it will have the same drawback as any "graycard" in LR: No selectable sampler size, so you will pick up color noise or other interferences as you sample "gray": Pick 5 positions on the graycard, and you get 5 slightly different white-balances.

The WhiBal cards can be used for CWB in camera right? I have much better luck with that than any time I have used a gray card in the past. I never really used a good quality target either, I have used white walls and even signs to do it. I thought of actually getting a passport, but I like the idea of a WhiBal or something I can just keep in my picket or even in my wallet. I would like something that can be used as a gray card or white card for CWB.

It looks mildly interesting to me, but unlike my ExpoDisc, it would be a little clunky to hang over my shoulder to use as a safety reflector when I'm walking my dog at night.


I still may get one though, just to tinker with.

JEC wrote in post #10977335
It looks mildly interesting to me, but unlike my ExpoDisc, it would be a little clunky to hang over my shoulder to use as a safety reflector when I'm walking my dog at night.


I still may get one though, just to tinker with.

The ExpoDisc is right up my alley, I like how it works. I never got one for two reasons, it is very overpriced and I don't like how it is tied to one particular lens size when every lens I own is different size. I know you buy it for the biggest lens you own and just hold it over the smaller ones, I just like that idea especially at that price.

You know, I have owned an Expodisk for several years, but never use it. I shoot Raw and set the WB in Lightroom when needed, and I just don't shoot things where there is a critical need for an "exact" WB. So, if I did need that, I'd work with various tools to "get it right", but as it is, WB is a creative choice!

tonylong wrote in post #10978858
You know, I have owned an Expodisk for several years, but never use it. I shoot Raw and set the WB in Lightroom when needed, and I just don't shoot things where there is a critical need for an "exact" WB. So, if I did need that, I'd work with various tools to "get it right", but as it is, WB is a creative choice!

That's what I do, but I have been finding it very frustrating lately. I am constantly having to tweak WB in LR after shooting, for every ~300 photo shoot I take it is like I have 40-50 different white balances so it is pretty much going to each photo and tweaking them one by one.

It is becoming very time consuming as I end up using AWB most of the time as I shoot in awful conditions. If I see dramatic blue/yellow in the LCD I will shoot a custom white balance and try to get it closer, but I got tired of constantly trying to do a gray card / custom white balance every other shot.

I'm trying to avoid the hassle in LR as I seem to spend way to much time trying to tweak WB, especially on a per image basis.

Heh! I feel for ya!

I'm tempted to go Expodisc myself, that or WhiBal.

Saxi wrote in post #11023713
I'm tempted to go Expodisc myself, that or WhiBal.

Hey, I've got an Expodisc, hidden in my bag, but I never use it!

tonylong wrote in post #11023769
Hey, I've got an Expodisc, hidden in my bag, but I never use it!

I've been having a lot of WB issues lately, been spending too much time dealing with it and looking for something to give me more consistent results. I don't shoot studio much and typically shoot outdoors in harsh sun or indoors. I know outdoors it isn't a big deal but indoors it is. AWB gets it close most of the time, but I notice even when it is really close adjustments make the image pop considerably, but the problem I've been having is I fiddle for a long time to get it just right, I keep second guessing if it is right or not. When I finally consider it done, I often go back to the image and notice it is really blue or really yellow and I think my mind went blind to it when I adjusting it as I was trying to get it right and at some point it becomes hard to really tell. I haven't mastered nailing skin tones and WB.

Sorry for bumping up this old thread, but I'm considering the SpyderCube. One advantage that I see is that there's a tripod mount. I can probably put on a camera plate on to the SpyderCube and quickly put on my tripod. I also have a Whibal card, but it's a bit of a pain to use because I have to hold it with one hand or get someone else to hold it. At $40 for the SpyderCube, it's not cheap, but at the same time, I think it may be more convenient to use. Any other comments guys?

No comments?

No one here knows?