(Likely Stupid) White Balance Set Questio

[SoCalLeicanator]

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I have noticed (as others) that sometimes the AWB leaves something to be desired for on the Q2.  Here is the likely stupid question. When one sets manually using the "grey card" option, am I supposed to be using an actual grey card or a white card ( I have a set with white, grey and black) ?  I tried using the white card on a recent shoot and every came out yellowish.  Thanks for your help.  

[Daedalus2000]

What is important is that this card you are using is neutral in terms of color, because it becomes your reference for neutral color. So if you think in terms of Red Green and Blue, each color should give you the same value. If it is grey or white has to do with how much of the light it reflects back, but ideally it should NOT be too white or too black. But it is important to be calibrated for color balance. The white card you used probably had a little more blue in it, so the camera added some yellow to balance it. So better to use a commercial card.

One idea, which avoids a card, is to fix your white balance to a specific value (e.g. daylight when you shoot in the day) and just leave it there, or to use the manual white balance using the Kelvin numbers and adjust to a value that gives you the look you want. 

 

[SoCalLeicanator]

1 hour ago, Daedalus2000 said:

What is important is that this card you are using is neutral in terms of color, because it becomes your reference for neutral color. So if you think in terms of Red Green and Blue, each color should give you the same value. If it is grey or white has to do with how much of the light it reflects back, but ideally it should NOT be too white or too black. But it is important to be calibrated for color balance. The white card you used probably had a little more blue in it, so the camera added some yellow to balance it. So better to use a commercial card.

One idea, which avoids a card, is to fix your white balance to a specific value (e.g. daylight when you shoot in the day) and just leave it there, or to use the manual white balance using the Kelvin numbers and adjust to a value that gives you the look you want. 

 

I bought the card at a photography store so I hope that isn't the problem. I will take your suggestions.  So, if I understand correctly, I could use any of three cards, white, black or grey and get the same result?

[Daedalus2000]

9 hours ago, SoCalLeicanator said:

I bought the card at a photography store so I hope that isn't the problem. I will take your suggestions.  So, if I understand correctly, I could use any of three cards, white, black or grey and get the same result?

I am guessing here, but I would think that the set you got is for exposure adjustments and not white balance, but if you want to use what you have, use the one that you think is more accurate for neutral color. I would avoid the black card (too little light reflection) so I would try the white and grey cards and see which one gives better results. Probably the grey will give you better results, I think they try to make that as color neutral as possible but it depends on the quality of manufacturing.

If you are not happy with them, buy a card calibrated for color balance like this one:

https://www.amazon.com/WhiBal-White-Balance-Pocket-Card/dp/B004G3NW5M

This may help  as well:

 

 

Edited January 28, 2022 by Daedalus2000

[wda]

On 1/28/2022 at 2:34 AM, SoCalLeicanator said:

I bought the card at a photography store so I hope that isn't the problem. I will take your suggestions.  So, if I understand correctly, I could use any of three cards, white, black or grey and get the same result?

You are making the assumption that all grey cards are equally accurate. They are not. They should all be spectrally neutral. They are not. If you seek accuracy, buy a Pantone ColorChecker, watch a video on its use and you might see a difference. Fine tune your results,  and save them as a preset to be used when copying new files into your raw processor. That is the way to get consistency.