I mostly use a grey card, a http://www.adorama.com/...SEZYBAL12.html?searchinfo=grey%20card&item_no=2 specifically, for white balance..

DIPics.

Shuttrrbug wrote:.

Does anyone use it for compositions that have a lot of white or black(like a snowy landscape, white car or a black dog) in them? Or do youjust use bracketing?I just got one from my local camera store and plan to use it on the400D, but I hate to carry it around..

Thanks for your reply...

Shuttrrbug wrote:.

Does anyone use it for compositions that have a lot of white or black(like a snowy landscape, white car or a black dog) in them? Or do youjust use bracketing?.

What are you looking for the grey card to help with - exposure, or white balance?.

Not that it makes much difference, I suppose - just asking for clarification..

Personally, I find the greatest use of the grey card is for white balance; that tends to be something that can be harder to judge by eye unless I suppose you're extremely experienced..

I just got one from my local camera store and plan to use it on the400D, but I hate to carry it around..

As well as a conventional "card" I have a Lastolite Ezybalance, which is a collapsible card (like those sun shields you can get for your car windows etc) grey on one side and white on the other. It folds into a square about 4" on a side and slips into a zip bag that is a lot easier to carry around..

Image control:Zoom outZoom 100%Zoom inExpand AllOpen in new window..

Digital Calibration Target. I wrote an article for Shutterbug Magazine on how to use it:http://bermangraphics.com/digital-jury-resources/black-white-color.htmLarry Bermanhttp://BermanGraphics.com..

Arrowman,.

I use the gray card for white balance and exposure on for my Canon 400D XTi camera. Here's an example of a shot below taken by "listening" to camera's reflective light meter, and below it is a photo taken by upping the exposure by +1. Not only did the white area in the first image come out gray, but it is also underexposed. I didn't use a gray card for this particular instance. I just reviewed the shot on my LCD. But these are the situations where gray card can be useful..

Image control:Zoom outZoom 100%Zoom inExpand AllOpen in new window.

Image control:Zoom outZoom 100%Zoom inExpand AllOpen in new window..

A gray card is essential for getting your white balance right in your raw converter. Auto WB in the camera is normally very close but nothing beats a shot of a gray card to click balance on in the converter..

As for exposure:.

Remember that your camera's meter is trying hard to see 18% gray so for a snow scene it will under expose and for a dark scene it will over expose..

On film for snow I used to bracket around a central point of +1.5 stops but now we have the histogram to work to so you should set your exposure so that you can get white snow without it clipping. Your highlights should be as far up near the right hand side of the histogram as you can get it without it being hard against the stop..

For snow, add a couple of stops (+2) and adjust from there..

PP.....................................................................http://www.thephotographybiz.com..

I read somewhere once that in the absence of a grey card taking a meter reading from the back of your hand is a good substitute. I'm presuming a white caucasian skin here artymanhttp://www.artyman.co.uk..

Artyman wrote:.

I read somewhere once that in the absence of a grey card taking ameter reading from the back of your hand is a good substitute. I'mpresuming a white caucasian skin here .

That will put you sort of in the ball park. But the palm is more consistent, and averages one zone lighter than a gray card. A one stop adjustment of more exposure puts you very close to an optimum exposure, assuming there is not a huge dynamic range...

Maybe I ought to keep quiet but I am going to throw this question into the mix. Why is it everyone seems to talk about an 18% reflectance (gray) card when the ANSI standard for calibrating exposure systems requires 12% reflectance? As far as I know all current camera manufacturers use the ANSI standard. That makes about a one-half stop difference in exposure.Judy.

Image control:Zoom outZoom 100%Zoom inExpand AllOpen in new window..

Hi guys,.

I have been reading the book "Understanding Exposure" by Brian Peterson and at the end of the book he explains the 18% reflectance. He says you use the gray card to calibrate the palm of your hand, and once you've done that, you can then use your palm to meter the scene in front of you. He explains that when you take a meter reading from the gray card, note the exposure and then take a meter reading from you palm. After you do this, your camera will then show that you're overexposed by +2/3 to 1 stop. This, assuming that you do this in the same lighting condition..

I've had nothing but trouble with this method with my camera Canon Rebel XTi 400D. First, after I take a meter reading from the gray card, I note the exposure. I then point it on my palm. My meter reading doesn't change at all, or it changes by a mere 1/3. I tried this outside on a sunny day in the afternoon a couple of days ago. It's the first book I've read about exposure and I'm totally confused by it..

Also, on that same day, I took a photo from a white area using a +1 exposure without using a gray card and it turned out OK as you can see here..

Image control:Zoom outZoom 100%Zoom inExpand AllOpen in new window..

This is what happens when listening to camera's light meter! Not only did the white area came out gray, but the whole picture is also underexposed..

Image control:Zoom outZoom 100%Zoom inExpand AllOpen in new window..