White Balance 'filters'

kacansas03 · 02-17-2009, 05:48 PM

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i have seen in the photography stores these items that look like a filter that screw onto the filter threads of your lens. When i asked they said it was to assist in setting your white balance. Has anyone ever bought one of these?? If so How well did it work???
Thanks in advance, I hope someone knows something!

SOldBear · 02-17-2009, 06:01 PM

I almost fainted the last time I saw the prices of those "white balance filters" or "white balance lens caps."

I shoot RAW, and adjust the white balance in the comfort of my home.

If I really need to do a "white balance" when shooting, I use an 18% gray card (I have several since the film days) or use a white foam cup.

TomK · 02-17-2009, 09:12 PM

OK I am new to digital (K200D). I understand White Balance all right but it sounds like you are equating 18% gray to the bright white of a foam cup. Where did I misundersand???? Not a comment, a real question that might sound too basic if you know the answer but I don't.

Thanks,
TomK

kacansas03 · 02-17-2009, 09:32 PM

Originally posted by TomK

OK I am new to digital (K200D). I understand White Balance all right but it sounds like you are equating 18% gray to the bright white of a foam cup. Where did I misundersand???? Not a comment, a real question that might sound too basic if you know the answer but I don't.

Thanks,
TomK

One has to understand that it is all about the light. White balance changes due to the "temperature" of the light. This is why I do not understand the filter things. Sunlight has a different temp than incandescent light which has not much to do with flash. I prefer shooting without flash although it is easier with a digital camera. For instance in my living room, I mostly have compact florescent lights but they are not all the same type or brand so depending on what is turned on I have to adjust the white balance. So it is nat actually about what is white and what is not white, it is about how intense and bright the light, or in the correct terms the temp of the light. Hope that helps about the 18% gray and the white cup. No one has helped me yet understand these white balance filter things.

SpecialK · 02-17-2009, 09:47 PM

White balance is a color thing, not an exposure thing. Black, white and gray are all the same "color" to a camera. If there is no tinge of color in the gray (as with a true "gray card"), it works fine for white balance. So does a white coffee filter squished between UV filters (I'm told).

I'm with SOldBear and shoot RAW, so WB and many other variables are not an issue during the shoot. But I only adjust WB later if it is really noticeably (like blueish snow).

alohadave · 02-17-2009, 10:14 PM

Originally posted by kacansas03

i have seen in the photography stores these items that look like a filter that screw onto the filter threads of your lens. When i asked they said it was to assist in setting your white balance. Has anyone ever bought one of these?? If so How well did it work???
Thanks in advance, I hope someone knows something!

A coffee filter is nearly free if you already drink coffee. Translucent Pringles lids or coffee can lids will work too.

The reason it works is because the camera defaults to the entire frame for WB adjustments. By diffusing the entire frame, you are blending the light together so the camera can determine the overall color balance.

Personally, I just set the WB size to the spot focus area and take a reading off reflected light on something white. I fine tune it if needed.

solar1 · 02-17-2009, 11:32 PM

If you don't want to look too cheap... https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=ge...lance+lens+cap

abraham_love · 02-18-2009, 02:36 AM

They are only about £3 on eBAy from China. They work well and they are lens caps too. Win/win!

52mm White Balance Lens Cap/Grey Card Lens Filter AX02 on eBay, also, Lens Caps, Camera Lenses, Photography (end time 24-Feb-09 17:11:34 GMT)

reniegreg · 02-18-2009, 07:21 AM

Hold a coffee filter over the lens and point it at the light source when you preset the WB.

MrApollinax · 02-18-2009, 07:36 AM

Coffee filter? Bah! Check this out:

CBL Lens Full Color Balance and White Balance Control System. Say goodbye to color correcting.

Quote:

The Grey Reverse Side is formulated from a secret combination of thirteen different materials which have been tested to produce the most consistent color balance and is best suited to studioflash photography and direct sunlight.

A coffee filter is only made of one material! Paper! This one has Thirteen!!!! and only costs ~$100USD

/end sarcasm

I guess for a pro who may need to adjust WB for mixed light sources this might be something to have. But for a hobbist like myself shooting in RAW and adjusting later is so much more economical.

Jodokast96 · 02-18-2009, 08:02 AM

Want to know what's really messed up? In every single shot on that site, I prefer the ones that weren't "corrected".

kenyee · 02-18-2009, 09:21 AM

get a whibal...they're individually checked w/ a spectrophotometer before being shipped...

kacansas03 · 02-18-2009, 11:34 AM

Shooting RAW and adjusting later has been exactly what I have been doing with my Apple iMac's iPhoto. I haven't evens pent the money on their program for handling digital images. IPhoto works fine but I think I will have to break down and make sure the colors on the monitor are correct, make sure I know what I am doing with the camera's white balance, and lastly get the better imaging software. maybe I will have to ask about that next???? MrApollinax, did you see my call to MN Pentax users?? You would be a great addition to our group.

shuttervox · 02-18-2009, 03:04 PM

Quote:

coffee filter is only made of one material! Paper! This one has Thirteen!!!! and only costs ~$100USD

And not 13 any old "materials"... they are "formulated from a secret combination"!!

It's SECRET! That makes it instantly scientifically awesomer. Seriously.

Quote:

Want to know what's really messed up? In every single shot on that site, I prefer the ones that weren't "corrected".

Ha! I was thinking exactly the same thing.

Sometimes a "color cast" actually ends up giving the photo a "feel" that is actually
closer to what it actually like in real life. A "perfect" WB sometimes looks, to
me, a bit sterile.

Of course, that is just another argument for shooting in RAW and making that
aesthetic call after the fact.

[kurt]

kacansas03 · 02-18-2009, 03:24 PM

I think I am going to have to post the "Blue Christmas Tree" photo that was one of the first I took with my K100D. The tree was decorated in all blue plus had 6 strings of blue LED lights on it. I thought there was something wrong with the camera at first then realized that the corner of the living room the tree was in really did look very, very blue. The photos are really neat because almost everything is blue or almost black looking which is how it looked with all the other lights off. Then my wife changed it so there were all kinds of colors of decorations and a lot less blue lights. That is how I started learning white balance.

02-17-2009, 05:48 PM	#1
kacansas03 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota Photos: Albums Posts: 650	White Balance 'filters' Staff note: This post may contain affiliate links, which means Pentax Forums may earn a small commission if a visitor clicks through and makes a purchase. If you would like to support the forum directly, you may also make a donation here. i have seen in the photography stores these items that look like a filter that screw onto the filter threads of your lens. When i asked they said it was to assist in setting your white balance. Has anyone ever bought one of these?? If so How well did it work??? Thanks in advance, I hope someone knows something!

02-17-2009, 11:32 PM	#7
solar1 Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Southern Calif Posts: 565	Inexpensive route If you don't want to look too cheap... https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=ge...lance+lens+cap

02-18-2009, 03:04 PM	#14
shuttervox Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Canandaigua NY Posts: 74	Quote: coffee filter is only made of one material! Paper! This one has Thirteen!!!! and only costs ~$100USD And not 13 any old "materials"... they are "formulated from a secret combination"!! It's SECRET! That makes it instantly scientifically awesomer. Seriously. Quote: Want to know what's really messed up? In every single shot on that site, I prefer the ones that weren't "corrected". Ha! I was thinking exactly the same thing. Sometimes a "color cast" actually ends up giving the photo a "feel" that is actually closer to what it actually like in real life. A "perfect" WB sometimes looks, to me, a bit sterile. Of course, that is just another argument for shooting in RAW and making that aesthetic call after the fact. [kurt] Last edited by shuttervox; 02-18-2009 at 03:10 PM.

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02-17-2009, 06:01 PM	#2
SOldBear Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Alameda, CA Posts: 3,206	I almost fainted the last time I saw the prices of those "white balance filters" or "white balance lens caps." I shoot RAW, and adjust the white balance in the comfort of my home. If I really need to do a "white balance" when shooting, I use an 18% gray card (I have several since the film days) or use a white foam cup.

02-17-2009, 09:12 PM	#3
TomK Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: NJ USA Posts: 281	OK I am new to digital (K200D). I understand White Balance all right but it sounds like you are equating 18% gray to the bright white of a foam cup. Where did I misundersand???? Not a comment, a real question that might sound too basic if you know the answer but I don't. Thanks, TomK

02-17-2009, 09:32 PM	#4
kacansas03 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota Photos: Albums Posts: 650 Original Poster	Originally posted by TomK OK I am new to digital (K200D). I understand White Balance all right but it sounds like you are equating 18% gray to the bright white of a foam cup. Where did I misundersand???? Not a comment, a real question that might sound too basic if you know the answer but I don't. Thanks, TomK One has to understand that it is all about the light. White balance changes due to the "temperature" of the light. This is why I do not understand the filter things. Sunlight has a different temp than incandescent light which has not much to do with flash. I prefer shooting without flash although it is easier with a digital camera. For instance in my living room, I mostly have compact florescent lights but they are not all the same type or brand so depending on what is turned on I have to adjust the white balance. So it is nat actually about what is white and what is not white, it is about how intense and bright the light, or in the correct terms the temp of the light. Hope that helps about the 18% gray and the white cup. No one has helped me yet understand these white balance filter things.

02-17-2009, 09:47 PM	#5
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,480	White balance is a color thing, not an exposure thing. Black, white and gray are all the same "color" to a camera. If there is no tinge of color in the gray (as with a true "gray card"), it works fine for white balance. So does a white coffee filter squished between UV filters (I'm told). I'm with SOldBear and shoot RAW, so WB and many other variables are not an issue during the shoot. But I only adjust WB later if it is really noticeably (like blueish snow).

02-17-2009, 10:14 PM	#6
alohadave Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Quincy, MA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,024	Originally posted by kacansas03 i have seen in the photography stores these items that look like a filter that screw onto the filter threads of your lens. When i asked they said it was to assist in setting your white balance. Has anyone ever bought one of these?? If so How well did it work??? Thanks in advance, I hope someone knows something! A coffee filter is nearly free if you already drink coffee. Translucent Pringles lids or coffee can lids will work too. The reason it works is because the camera defaults to the entire frame for WB adjustments. By diffusing the entire frame, you are blending the light together so the camera can determine the overall color balance. Personally, I just set the WB size to the spot focus area and take a reading off reflected light on something white. I fine tune it if needed.

02-18-2009, 02:36 AM	#8
abraham_love Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: London Posts: 51	They are only about £3 on eBAy from China. They work well and they are lens caps too. Win/win! 52mm White Balance Lens Cap/Grey Card Lens Filter AX02 on eBay, also, Lens Caps, Camera Lenses, Photography (end time 24-Feb-09 17:11:34 GMT)

02-18-2009, 07:21 AM	#9
reniegreg New Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Chicago Posts: 9	Hold a coffee filter over the lens and point it at the light source when you preset the WB.

02-18-2009, 07:36 AM	#10
MrApollinax Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Minnesota Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,529	Coffee filter? Bah! Check this out: CBL Lens Full Color Balance and White Balance Control System. Say goodbye to color correcting. Quote: The Grey Reverse Side is formulated from a secret combination of thirteen different materials which have been tested to produce the most consistent color balance and is best suited to studioflash photography and direct sunlight. A coffee filter is only made of one material! Paper! This one has Thirteen!!!! and only costs ~$100USD /end sarcasm I guess for a pro who may need to adjust WB for mixed light sources this might be something to have. But for a hobbist like myself shooting in RAW and adjusting later is so much more economical.

02-18-2009, 08:02 AM	#11
Jodokast96 Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Erial, NJ USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,134	Want to know what's really messed up? In every single shot on that site, I prefer the ones that weren't "corrected".

02-18-2009, 09:21 AM	#12
kenyee Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Boston, PRofMA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,026	get a whibal...they're individually checked w/ a spectrophotometer before being shipped...

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02-18-2009, 11:34 AM	#13
kacansas03 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota Photos: Albums Posts: 650 Original Poster	Shooting RAW and adjusting later has been exactly what I have been doing with my Apple iMac's iPhoto. I haven't evens pent the money on their program for handling digital images. IPhoto works fine but I think I will have to break down and make sure the colors on the monitor are correct, make sure I know what I am doing with the camera's white balance, and lastly get the better imaging software. maybe I will have to ask about that next???? MrApollinax, did you see my call to MN Pentax users?? You would be a great addition to our group.

02-18-2009, 03:24 PM	#15
kacansas03 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota Photos: Albums Posts: 650 Original Poster	I think I am going to have to post the "Blue Christmas Tree" photo that was one of the first I took with my K100D. The tree was decorated in all blue plus had 6 strings of blue LED lights on it. I thought there was something wrong with the camera at first then realized that the corner of the living room the tree was in really did look very, very blue. The photos are really neat because almost everything is blue or almost black looking which is how it looked with all the other lights off. Then my wife changed it so there were all kinds of colors of decorations and a lot less blue lights. That is how I started learning white balance.