Oct
10

DIY free digital white balance filter ExpoDisc like

Photography, DIY

ExpoDisc is a very popular digital white balance filter but somehow expensive.

To use the ExpoDisc is pretty simple,
1. Put the ExpoDisc on your lens.
2. Set your focus mode to manual.
3. Take a picture from a well lit place in the scene where you are about to shoot
4. Set your camera to custom white balance
5. Select the image you just took took as the white balance reference
6. Set your focus mode back to Auto if you want
7. Use this white balance for all other shots in that place

Now here is a trick to achieve very good white balance results just the same way but free :) all you have to do is replace your ExpoDisc by a pringles can cover and use it the exact same way specified above, it will virtually work as well as the ExpoDisc.

I know there are many professional photographers out there that are going kill me for saying that the results are as good as the ExpoDisc, but for an amateur like me the results are more than satisfactory and will save me some bucks.

I read this trick somewhere on the web a few weeks agoI don’t remember the website for the credits sorry and tested it this weekend believe me it worth a try.

Here is another tips, if you prefer the white card manner you can also use the grey cover of the film protectors, it also works as a charm.


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5 people have commented on this post so far! Leave a Comment

  • Pingback: Photoshop Action: Digital White Balance Card | All Day I Dream About Photography

  • JerryW

    Hi,
    I like the pringles lid idea of white balance.
    I don’t follow the last tip in your article. What is the film protector grey cover you speak of, and where can you get one?

  • stevo 100

    Hi.
    I am a wedding photographer, and recently could not find my expodisc, what did I do?

    I found an ice cream tub, large enough to fit over my 17-55 lens(77mm dia lens. D200 camera). I used it exactly the same as expodisc.

    It gave exactly the same results!

    After some research, I was told that xpodisc originaly came out to turn film cameras into incident light meters!

    After digital came out they accidently realised that it could be used for custom white balance.

    Conclusion..

    White balance can be obtained any way the photographer sees fit, as long as the resulting photograph fits with the colours contained in the original image.

    I have tried all things white.. coats, cards, wedding dress,etc. And still obtained good white balance within the image. the trouble lies with the fact that photographers read things about gadgets and want them.

    xpodisc is an excellent tool,for more than white balance, but most people will not need it.

    I would like to know what other ideas people have come up with for free white balance products.

    steve.. sparks photography

  • Marcos

    The website who mention the use of the pringles cap is: Tips from the top floor

  • http://andrew.knots.net/ Andrew Macpherson

    Try a Bleached Melita Coffee paper — the big ones for the restaurant jugs, and an elastic band. The eco-friendly ones don't quite have the right colour :-)