Using Expodisc for WB

[shinken]

I initially bought the Expodisc to reduce the incandescent effects of indoor lighting, but realise I got more than what I wish for. The colour reproduced is so neutral that the skin tones look wierd. Upon PS, I realise the skin tones can be adjusted to a level I like much more than I could if I were to use in-cam preset WB. Of course, a heavy (on the CF card and CPU processing) alternative is to shoot raw. In addition, when there's a mixed lighting (florescent+incandescent at different areas of the same pics), the skin tones for preset WB looks extremely wierd, and that's where Expodisc might help a little.

However, the workflow can be extremely tedious, given that I need to PS every single pic under that lighting.

Can other users of Expodisc share on how you guys use it, under what conditions would you use it, and why?

 

[Deadpoet]

I initially bought the Expodisc to reduce the incandescent effects of indoor lighting, but realise I got more than what I wish for. The colour reproduced is so neutral that the skin tones look wierd. Upon PS, I realise the skin tones can be adjusted to a level I like much more than I could if I were to use in-cam preset WB. Of course, a heavy (on the CF card and CPU processing) alternative is to shoot raw. In addition, when there's a mixed lighting (florescent+incandescent at different areas of the same pics), the skin tones for preset WB looks extremely wierd, and that's where Expodisc might help a little.

However, the workflow can be extremely tedious, given that I need to PS every single pic under that lighting.

Can other users of Expodisc share on how you guys use it, under what conditions would you use it, and why?

use it all the time all the time, especially in mixed lighting conditions. the time I don't use it is during fast changing lighting conditions when it becomes impractical. I don't find the color temp too cold. There is a warmer version of the expodisc.

 

[shinken]

use it all the time all the time, especially in mixed lighting conditions. the time I don't use it is during fast changing lighting conditions when it becomes impractical. I don't find the color temp too cold. There is a warmer version of the expodisc.

Thanks for sharing. Would you mind sharing your workflow in warming up the colours during post processing? I played around with the warming filters and colors/saturation. Was wondering if there's a better way.

 

[Deadpoet]

I am assuming that you are not shooting raw. The easiest way is to find a plugin for WB, rather than using the PS filter. Never a fan of the warming filter avail in PS.

Personally, I shoot raw most of the time, and I make the adjustment when extracting the file.

 

[shinken]

I am assuming that you are not shooting raw. The easiest way is to find a plugin for WB, rather than using the PS filter. Never a fan of the warming filter avail in PS.

Personally, I shoot raw most of the time, and I make the adjustment when extracting the file.

Yep, ideally I would be shooting raw. But current PC's processing ability is stretching optimal efficiency even on JPEG. Eventually I hope to. Will start ploughing for plugin. Thanks for the idea.

 

[sheldrake]

I have read the instructions on the expodisc website and it says that to calibrate your WB, you need to basically stand at the position of your subject and take a picture of the light source.

I can think of a few scenario where this won't be possible. Say shooting a concert or shooting the NDP, you probably won't be able to get on the stage right?

Just wondering how you guys overcome this problem?

 

[Isaiahfortythirtyone]

to overcome it: let light of the same colour temp as the light on the stage fall on ur expodisc. then use that to take WB readings.

but actually, i've used many things for WB before, e.g. white t-shirt, white tablecloth at restaurant, white paper, my bounce card and they all turned out quite alright :bsmilie:

 

[vkashi]

...The colour reproduced is so neutral that the skin tones look wierd. Upon PS, I realise the skin tones can be adjusted to a level I like much more than I could if I were to use in-cam preset WB...

i understand what you are saying. although our eyes adapt to the light source, this adaption is never 100%. just think, does a person in a restaurant under candle light look the same as under a fluroscent lit office? of course not (and thank god for that otherwise half the charm of a candle lit dinner would be gone ) it is very difficult to correct this in-camera, so pp seems the only method of doing so. maybe if they had maual preset WB finetuning where we could measure WB and then tweak it a bit!! i know it sounds crazy but i am sure thats what we need

 

[sheldrake]

By the way, I can't seem to find any thread with photograph reviews of the expodisc.

Anyone here have did a comparison between things like grey card, pringles cap, expodisc, etc? Maybe can share some of the photos here? Thanks