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Photo Forum / Digital Photography / DSLR Cameras / February 2007Expodisc
Does anyone own and use an Expodisc? Is it worth the money? Blah > Does anyone own and use an Expodisc? Is it worth the money? Blah If you shoot in raw mode, you don't need this device. Save your money for a remote shutter release instead. I do shoot in raw, I wandered if the workflow benefits would outweigh the cost. It would probably be just as aggravating to set manual WB as to adjust in camera RAW. Tx Blah >> Does anyone own and use an Expodisc? Is it worth the money? Blah > > If you shoot in raw mode, you don't need this device. Save your money for > a remote shutter release instead. >I do shoot in raw, I wandered if the workflow benefits would outweigh the >cost. It would probably be just as aggravating to set manual WB as to [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >> If you shoot in raw mode, you don't need this device. Save your money for >> a remote shutter release instead. The only reason I ever set manual white balance is so that my LCD display shows close to correct colour, and this I do only on my underwater camera. The LCD shows what the camera would produce if it was set for jpeg. Underwater, I only use the palm of my hand as reference, its ballpark close enough to white. (Olympus C-7070 with PT-027 housing) On land, I never worry about colour balance, I just leave it in auto. I shoot everything in raw. (Nikon D-50) YMMV > >> Does anyone own and use an Expodisc? Is it worth the money? Blah > > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > cost. It would probably be just as aggravating to set manual WB as to > adjust in camera RAW. Tx Blah The point of an Expodisc (or a gray target) is that you shoot an image with the Expodisc over the lens. Later, you set the white balance using that one image, and then apply it to all the others from that shoot as a batch. The disadvantage of the Expodisc is that it only works if it's on your camera's lens. You might prefer to color-correct for weird lighting at a particular spot in the image, rather than for the image as a whole, as you'd have to do with the Expodisc. If you get a gray target, you can put it wherever you want, and you also end up with a good spot for spot metering. The solution you'd use depends on the situation. > Does anyone own and use an Expodisc? Is it worth the money? Blah I have and use one. It is very convenient and I prefer it over shooting a gray/white card. It is very well made, but pricey. Is it worth it? It all depends... Personally, I'm glad I have it.  SignatureSlack > Does anyone own and use an Expodisc? Is it worth the money? Blah Since digital cameras expose best with highlights placed at about stops up, you're best to meter the highlights and open two stops. Or use the histogram. Or take test shots and adjust as required. Cheers, Alan Signature-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm -- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm -- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin -- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch. >> Does anyone own and use an Expodisc? Is it worth the money? Blah > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > Cheers, > Alan The expo disc is for white balance... not exposure. SignatureImages (Plus Snaps & Grabs) by Mark² at: www.pbase.com/markuson "Mark"" <mjmorgan(lowest even number here)@cox..net> wrote: > >> Does anyone own and use an Expodisc? Is it worth the money? Blah > > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > The expo disc is for white balance... not exposure. You can use it for exposure, though, since lets through 18% of incoming light. It turns your camera into an incident light meter. You attach the expodisc, point the camera at the light source, and meter. The whole field of view will be a color-balanced 18% gray. Of course, if your light source is the sun, you already know the sunny 16 rule, so who needs an expodisc? :-) : "Mark"" <mjmorgan(lowest even number here)@cox..net> wrote: : [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] : Of course, if your light source is the sun, you already know the sunny : 16 rule, so who needs an expodisc? :-) The concept that shooting RAW doesn't need correct white balance is flawed in the extreme. The RAW file carries white balance information and unless you have a pure white of 18% grey item in the picture, any attempt to balance white - post shoot is at best, a guess and usually hit and miss by the developer. I made my own white disc out of a damaged filter and an old Canon Video camera WB disc. I balance white whenever the lighting changes. On an average wedding shoot this could be 5 or 6 times. The results have improved my colour correction times. Batch processing 700 images is way easier than without the WB filter. As always you may and probably do have a different opinion or experience to report... If it contradicts mine then it must work for you just as mine does for me. This is no reason to attack me for relaying my experience so... Don't do it. SignatureFrom Douglas... Wedding and Portrait specialist: http://www.photosbydouglas.com Canvas prints and Digital enlargements: http://www.canvasphotos.com.au Wedding Photography anywhere on the east coast of Australia. Thanks for you opinion! blah > : "Mark"" <mjmorgan(lowest even number here)@cox..net> wrote: > : [quoted text clipped - 37 lines] > for me. This is no reason to attack me for relaying my experience so... > Don't do it. >>>Does anyone own and use an Expodisc? Is it worth the money? Blah >> >>Since digital cameras expose best with highlights placed at about >>stops up, you're best to meter the highlights and open two stops. > The expo disc is for white balance... not exposure. The original exposdisc (there's a strong hint in the name) was for exposure. The earliest mention of it in the 35mm group is June 1997. Long before digital had any real sails. As the "expodisc" idea is totally useless in the world of a monitored camera with histograms, they just re-invented the product all over again. It's pretty much as useless now as it was then. Cheers, Alan Signature-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm -- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm -- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin -- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch. >>>Does anyone own and use an Expodisc? Is it worth the money? Blah >> [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > The expo disc is for white balance... not exposure. See my other response. As "exposure" gimmicks go, an analogous "trick" is to put a clean/dry styrofoam coffee cup over the lens. Then, go to the subject position and aim the lens at the photographers position. Meter and shoot. (eg: incident metering). (Like an incident reading, as long as you're in the same light, then you don't need to actually meter from the same position as the subject). Cheers, Alan Signature-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm -- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm -- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin -- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch. > Does anyone own and use an Expodisc? Is it worth the money? Blah Sure. If someone cutting a disc out of a flourescent overhead light lens and mounting it in a ring is worth $100, yeah.... >> Does anyone own and use an Expodisc? Is it worth the money? Blah > > Sure. If someone cutting a disc out of a flourescent overhead light > lens and mounting it in a ring is worth $100, yeah.... LOL! That's what I made mine out of. It only goes to show you how quickly a fool and their money is soon parted. Next, you wait and see, there will be some slick marketing guru telling how VR/IS will give us an equivalent of 4 extra stops. Here's a shot of my homemade Expodisc. This thing works great. Forgive the crappy bokeh as this was shot with the 18-200mm VR. Friends don't let friends buy DX lenses. http://www.geocities.com/ritaberk2007/expod.htm Rita I ordered a step up ring, now if I can find an old cover I'm in business!! It's worth a try! Thanks blah >>> Does anyone own and use an Expodisc? Is it worth the money? Blah >> [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > Rita Any moron should be able to figure a diffused overall exposure based on the camera's basic metering. SignatureWould thou choose to meet a rat eating dragon, or a dragon, eating rat? The answer of: I am somewhere in the middle. "Me who is part taoist and part Christian". Expodisc is a White Balance tool not an exposure tool, any Moron knows that! blah > Any moron should be able to figure a diffused overall exposure based on > the camera's basic metering. > Expodisc is a White Balance tool not an exposure tool, any Moron knows that! The original "expodisc" was made for exposures hence the name. Even morons can figure that out 3 times in 10. I guess you weren't lucky this time. Signature-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm -- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm -- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin -- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch. >> Expodisc is a White Balance tool not an exposure tool, any Moron >> knows that! > > The original "expodisc" was made for exposures hence the name. Even > morons can figure that out 3 times in 10. I guess you weren't lucky > this time. Hee hee... You're right, of course...that it's also for exposure. To me, it seems rather unnecessary, since I'd rather carry a small grey card than another screw-on filter...but everyone's gotta make some $$ I guess. Does the thing actually have threads? I would think just a rubber stick-on cap would be better/easier. SignatureImages (Plus Snaps & Grabs) by Mark² at: www.pbase.com/markuson >>> Expodisc is a White Balance tool not an exposure tool, any Moron >>> knows that! [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > stick-on > cap would be better/easier. No threads, that would be really annoying, IMO. You simply press it on and pull it off http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/expodisc/images/KEN_9186-attachment.jpg SignatureSlack Never knew it was used for exposure, but I don't need anyone calling me a moron. Anyway, I won't be buying one thanks to all of the good input here. I am an amateur, and I always get great support from this group! Thanks blah >>>> Expodisc is a White Balance tool not an exposure tool, any Moron >>>> knows that! [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > and pull it off > http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/expodisc/images/KEN_9186-attachment.jpg > Expodisc is a White Balance tool not an exposure tool, any Moron knows that! > blah > > > > Any moron should be able to figure a diffused overall exposure based on > > the camera's basic metering. I am sure their is a valid reason you took my statement as a personal insult. The expo disc has been around a good while before digital cameras a their white balance requirements. I suppose its convenient for the maker that it functions for that purpose as well. SignatureWould thou choose to meet a rat eating dragon, or a dragon, eating rat? The answer of: I am somewhere in the middle. "Me who is part taoist and part Christian". |
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