[Review&QnA] WhiBal G7 White Balance Pocket Card
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[Review&QnA] WhiBal G7 White Balance Pocket Card
About this item
- Best specs of any gray card product (a*&b* < 0.5 from perfect neutral)
- Only WhiBal is precision measured to certify specs of each and every card shipped.
- Designed for perfect compatibility with Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom.
- Sturdy and virtually indestructible only .040" thick. Scratch, fade, and water resistant..
- Complete WhiBal Pocket Card and 6mil polybag case
Reviews
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
Great product, great results
There are countless gray card products available, so finding one for your particular workflow can be challenging. I widdled down to two options and decided to try them out. Like most modern photographers, I bounce between Lightroom and Photoshop. I wanted a solution for getting the color right in both. WhiBal was the one that gave me the power and consistency I wanted. It wasn't the cheapest choice, but it produced the best results for me. I also liked its portability and durability - it ensures that not only will I bring it on shoots outside my studio, but I won't be afraid to use it.
The attached photo may help you make your own decisions. I would have preferred to give 4.5 stars because there wasn't an identical match, but I'm happy settling on the generous side of the rating to leave room for user error and differences in the algorithms each program uses.
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
WhiBal G7 works just as it should
Definitely many of us don't pay attention to WB, specially when shooting people. It is a must to get skin tones appropriately. This tiny gadget simplifies the whole process. It's pretty accurate and easy to use.
Take a centered photo of the gray card as close as you can using the same illumination that you will use on your subject, either natural light or a speedlight. Then adjust the custom white balance in camera using that image following your camera instructions manual. All the following images will be adjusted. Jpg's and raw files will use that value. Remember to do it again whenever your light changes.
You can also use the dropper wb adjustment tool in camera raw or Lightroom to get the wb values from the card image and paste it to the other photos.
PLEASE, BE ADVISED THAT THIS IS ONLY A QUICK ILLUSTRATION OF HOW EASY IT IS TO USE A GRAY CARD. YOU SHOULD FOLLOW THE MANUFACTURER INSTRUCTIONS.
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
This is like insider trading for light balance!
This product should be illegal. I thought I took decent pictures until I started reading about white balance. This item came up in my query, and I thought it was one of those "buy one get one free at $19.99 2 A.M." deals. However, I took a gamble and realized that it made my older photos look like I took them with a beer filter.
How this item works is that it has a neutral gray, a spectrometrically (may not be a word but they used Science and Stuff) measured white, and black. What you do is have your model or subject hold this card with the three values facing the camera, take the pic, then take the pic normally in proper lighting and exposure. In post-pro, you open the reference image with the subject holding the card via photoshop and add a levels adjustment layer. You'll see the three eyedroppers (gray, black, and white). Use each eyedropper on its respective value on the card, and you will see your photo drastically transform in seconds. Now, move the image window outside of the frame and drag the adjustment layer on the photo you shot with the subject without holding the card, and BAM! The levels from the reference photo are transferred to the final picture, taking all guess work out of the process. BUY THIS NOW! It's cheap, portsble, and effective. I'm just starting to get serious about photography, and I feel this will turn into a a better photographer. You'll like the way your photos look, guaranteed!
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
The Gold Standard
I've been using Michael Tapes' WhiBal cards for a dozen years. They have allowed me to consistently achieve accurate white balance in my images. While digital camera auto white balance has improved markedly in the last dozen years, there are still too many situations where it fails and leaves a color cast in your images.
To achieve accurate color representation in your digital images, you must shoot RAW and you must have test images with a known neutral target in them, in the same light as your subject. Only then can you accurately adjust white balance in post processing to remove unwanted color casts.
The pocket size WhiBal is ideal for use in the field. It's small enough that you actually carry it with you all the time (I keep mine on a lanyard around my neck when I'm in the field shooting). If it's convenient to carry, it gets used.
There are larger cards; I have them and use them in the studio. But the pocket version is what travels with me 100% of the time when I'm out in the field.
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
A must-have
It's a wonderfully easy product to use to get white balance spot-on. I keep on in every camera bag. One feature this review asked me to comment on was "Easy to fold?" : no, but it's not supposed to fold. One note, the technical information on the card is all for the 6th generation card, and this is the 7th generation card which is different. When I wrote to the manufacturer they basically said "yes, the information is old and no longer accurate, but it's still a god card".
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
Easy and just works perfectly!
Wish I had bought this a long time ago! It makes White Balance setting easy. I set my camera WB with the card and later reset it in lightroom if I need. I usually do not have to change it in lightroom because setting custom WB with it works great; I let the evaluative metering set the exposure, take a picture of the card, make sure the center of the image is covered by the card, and set my camera to custom WB with that shot. In lightroom you can use it to set WB if you choose as well. I usually look at the WB setting and then reset the image using the eye drop tool for WB settings and see if there is a difference, if so I compare and make a decision as to which one I prefer, then copy it to the other images in the same light. I carry this with me all the time.
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
This WhiBal G7 White Balance card is perfect.
This is the original product, which is very hi-quality. It’s a must for photographers who want to accurately manage white balance across a series of photographs. One feature that I really like is that if your card has glare on it in such a way that it will affect the color of light your camera picks up, the hi-reflective black portion will appear to be gray instead of black.
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
Works as intended and has a sleeve to keep it that way
I heard good things about the color balancing performance of this and was worried it would lose its color neutrality from wearing against its surroundings while in storage. The good news is this card comes with a sleeve similar to what you'd expect from a debit card, protecting it from that problem.
I used this already and am happy with the results. After seeing how graycards are not color neutral, nor even color consistent in different parts of the same card when examined closely in post, I won't be going back.
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
More valuable than the credit card it replaced. Saved me a monitor.
Simply put, I keep this in my wallet. It's a fantastic tool to have on you when taking pictures. Most will probably keep it in their kit but for those of us who just like to pick up our camera and hit the road this is perfectly compact.
Usage:
Set your camera to manual focus and spot metering. Hold it in one hand a few inches away from your lenses so it fills the shot. Snap a shot and then go into your DSLR menu and find the Custom White Balance option. Select the image you just took (probably some blurry grey shot) and you're all done. Now just set the white balance to "custom" back on your main screen.
It really saves a lot of time in post processing. It's not that useful in terms of sunlight shots (the daylight preset WB setting is usually pretty good) but for anything indoors it will help you get that spot on WB.
The other helpful part is if you don't use a monitor that is perfectly calibrated for color reproduction. I have some IPS panels that are pretty good but they're not great. This helps alleviate having to sit there and slide a bar back and forth...which I don't miss. Mostly because I will eventually get tired of looking at the same image and all the minor changes will start to blur together. At least using this balance card I can stop worrying about tiring out my eyes on white balance and focus on the other details of the image in post.
★★★★★
Verified Purchase
Everyone needs one
This is a useful little credit card sized gadget. Take a photo of it for each lighting setup or when the lighting changes. Later on in post processing you can use it to set the white balance of each scene. You may not always want a technically correct white balance each time but this gives you a starting point from which you can adjust to suit your taste. Just make sure that the lighting is even on it and there's no visible glare.
The price may seem high for a piece of plastic but it's manufactured to tight tolerances and it'll pay for itself in time saved and consistency of results. From that perspective it's money well spent.
Question & Answer
Question :
Can WhiBal be used for determining exposure as well as White Balance? If so, what is its reflectance? 18% or 12%?
Answer :
WhiBal is not designed for exposure. it is neither 18% or 12% as those are too dark for optimal White balance setting. We have a luminance value of 75% as opposed to the 50% of an 18% gray card which might not even be optimized for neutrality which is essential for proper White balance. Michael Tapes
Question :
Rather than holding a piece of white paper up, can I use this card to set the custom white balance in my Nikon D60 (even though the card is grey)?
Answer :
Yes and much preferred. The white piece of paper is normally not neutral and therefore is not an accurate White balance reference. The "Gray" tone of the WhiBal is measured (each card) to be 99.9% neutral, and the tone is designed for optimal White balance resolution as well.
Question :
I bought one and it's giving way wrong kelvin like 10000-11000 instead of 6500k when using flash outdoors. is something wrong with it?
Answer :
I have not been able to use this thing after watching videos on YouTube and the WhiBal video. If you figure out how to use it, could you do a video for YouTube? If I do, I'll make one too. It feels stupid to not know what to do with it or how it's supposed to help. I had great faith in it when I bought it, full of hope that I'd finally have a key to White Balance that would be quick and easy. I'm back to shooting a white piece of paper to get a pre-set for current situations. I wonder if this answer will give rise to more information...thanks for asking.
Question :
What does the back of this card look like?
Answer :
Question :
Dear seller, so I did not understand whether there will be a lanyard in the kit? If there is, can you attach a photo of the lanyard?
Answer :
This item does not come with a lanyard. This item is the card and a storage envlelope.
Question :
Can I use this for in camera custom white balance setting instead of post production?
Answer :
Yes. I use it in mixed lighting conditions when I can't use strobes. Take a shot of it and then use the image to set your white balance.
Question :
What does the back of this card look like? Is the back 18% also?
Answer :
One side is matte white, the other side is certified neutral grey. Its extremely helpful to have this card.
Question :
what do both sides of card look like? I see 4 lanyard images, but little detail on the card. Online videos of this card show a blank card; not here.
Answer :
Check channel “magic of light” YouTube he does a very professional analysis
Question :
Question: Whibal purpose is to remove color cast ? yes / no ?? Thanks
Answer :
It sets white balance so in a way yes but if you accurate colors I would calibrate the monitor and get a ColorChecker passport instead.
Question :
Is this a printed waterproof card or a sticker that is adhered to the card? I'd like to bring this underwater.
Answer :
It's a plastic card with the printing on it. Think would be ok for underwater - as a white balance card would fine. Suspect the printing may come off after a bit of use underwater, but would not affect use as white balance.
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