18% Gray Card for White Balance

[arkstorm]

Some questions about 18% gray cards and underwater photography/videography:

Does anyone use an 18% gray card for manually setting white balance underwater?

Does anyone manufacture a waterproof gray card?

Do you get better results using a gray card rather than something white?

Please opine...

 

[ozziworld]

I would not worry too much about a gray card, if you are shooting raw anyway. I don't adjust white balance for accuracy, it is more to achieve more ''pleasing'' results.

 

[highdesert]

I now shoot RAW, but before that I had a 3" square of opaque white acrylic (Plexiglas) on a short bungie bracelet on my left wrist. It was out of the way, and I could flip it into my palm for a WB adjustment shot.

 

[arkstorm]

This might be more of a video issue but the gist of my question is whether a gray card works better than something white? And if so, does anyone make a waterproof gray card?

I am going to re-post this in the video forum.

 

[ronscuba]

Whibal card will work underwater. Works well for me, but I've also had good success using white sand, my grey fins and a colorful patch of reef.
Michael Tapes Design - LensAlign - WhiBal - IJFR - WhiBal Certified Gray Card for White Balance


Professionals who want accuracy for selling their footage or broadcast, frequently use DSC Labs cards. They can be very expensive.
CamAligns


For a hobbyist like me, I don't really care about 100% accuracy. I just want my colors to look good to my eyes. For me, that's something a little on the warm side, opposed to a hard, cold, accurate look.

 

[Charlie99]

Other possible targets for white balance include the card of your compass and the background of your SPG.

The camera is looking at the ratio of R to G to B, so whether the target is white or gray doesn't seem to matter.

On a practical basis, I've found that many sandy bottoms are close enough to grey to work.

 

[Big fish63]

Whibal card will work underwater. Works well for me, but I've also had good success using white sand, my grey fins and a colorful patch of reef.
Michael Tapes Design - LensAlign - WhiBal - IJFR - WhiBal Certified Gray Card for White Balance


Professionals who want accuracy for selling their footage or broadcast, frequently use DSC Labs cards. They can be very expensive.
CamAligns

what size of acrylic or card are you guys using to wb? in the above link the size ranges from 2.5" to 7.5" i would have thought this wouls be rather small?

 

[arkstorm]

what size of acrylic or card are you guys using to wb? in the above link the size ranges from 2.5" to 7.5" i would have thought this wouls be rather small?

I would think that I need a larger card because to get optimum results I need for the card to fill the spot metering square at approximately the same distance as the object I intend to shoot. I would need something at least 5" x 8".

 

[ronscuba]

Whibal G7 reference size is 7.5" x 10" $45

DSC Labs Splash card is 6" x 10" $175

 

[Marque]

I had the amphibico chart, but switched to the DSC Labs which I like more. The price is also close, I think the amphibico was around $150

~Marque