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p.1 #17 · Singh-Ray Gold-Blue filter | |
Dan Martin wrote:
Seeing as they work fine with film, couldn't you just set a manual white balance with an Expodisc (or similar) without the filter, then put the filter on and take your shot?
Surely that would have to be more accurate than randomly clicking around a picture with a gray dropper until you get something that looks like you remember it. Or am I completely missing something here?
There are a few things to point out...
1) The Expodisc works best when it's pointed from the subject towards the shooting location. Ideally, you go to the subject's location, and use it from there. If you're shooting waterfalls, sunsets, from a shore, or a place when the light on your subject is different than the light where' you're using the Expodisc, the results will be off.
2) Using a custom white balance with the Expodisc will completely neutralize the light temperature. This is not always what you want to do, such as when the sun in low in the sky (sunsets, dusk, dawn, etc...). In these situations, you want the light to be warm, not neutral!
3) a 77mm Expodisc costs $100, and not everybody has one.
4) There's no point in "randomly" clicking with the eyedropper - the idea would be to "smartly" click on something that you want to be neutral.
5) White balancing in RAW is as accurate as using an Expodisc in my opinion. But you have the added bonus of understanding how to tweak your white balance in RAW, letting you adjust as desired. Once you learn how to color balance (temperature and tint) a shot done with a Gold-N-Blue polarizer in your RAW converter, it becomes very easy to do.
I'm not trying to knock the Expodisc, BTW. I think it's a great product, but I not sure it's always practical to use for nature photography...
EDIT: Wanted to add: Dan, the Expodisc may work just fine for you with the Gold-N-Blue. I was just meant to explain why I prefer to WB in RAW. I personally don't want to have to fiddle with an additional filter in the field, particularly in cold weather.
Rob
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