Putting the Most Popular Grey Cards to the Test! (updated)
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- čas přidán 27. 11. 2022
- Datacolor wanted me to review their new Spyder Checkr Photo and ColorReader EZ. I said no, I'd rather just put everything to the test and see what happens... and strangely enough, they said yes? Added to the fray is an older x-rite Color Checker Passport, the Anwenk Grey Card set, and the ubiquitous Lightdow 12 x 12 Inch reference reflector. Let's see how they compare!
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Lightdow 12 x 12
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Anwek Grey Cards:
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*Disclosure: Datacolor provided me with their products for my honest review (or whatever it is that I just did?) Additionally, I am a member of Amazon, Camera Canada, Adorama and Pergear affiliate/associate programs, and anything that you purchase by clicking on/through my links could result in me getting a commission. That being said, I greatly appreciate you doing so, as it helps to fund this channel's operations, as well as feed my family.
Thanks Wes for the video. Very interesting to see someone tackle this topic. To be honest, I use cards that look similar to your Anwek plastic cards (mine are JJC). For exposure I use the grey card. Mine is about -1/3 stop too dark. But it is always -1/3 stop too dark, so when I meter off it, I just place the meter at - 1/3. So actual accuracy there isn't really critical because you can adjust it that bit manually. The cards simply give you a consistent starting point for you exposure. For White Balance, I guess I am a traditionalist because I like to use the white card, which produces a fairly accurate white balance. And by fairly accurate, let me elaborate. I find that it is hard for my eye to really tell almost any difference between an image at 5000K and one at 5100K. Try it in your post editing software to see what I mean. So absolute accuracy, my cards may not have, but they get me close to where I need to be, which is very helpful. I don't do commercial work that requires such accuracy, so appreciate that it might be more critical for others. But for me, the cards are more than good enough.
Thanks again for the video. It sort of confirms something I already thought, that there is plenty of variety in all the grey cards out there. And it was interesting to see the limitation of the passport checker type tools.👍
Beginner filmmaker here. I appreciate the purist style you bring to your videos. Having said that, you've convinced me to get the Lightdow and the Anwenk cards. :)
I have both, plus a spyder checker, since years, I do most of my shooting with Natural light
I just want to say I didn't know how much variance there is between products. I'm glad somebody took the time to run some test's. Also, I personally like your videos as it always feels like a casual conversation between peers.
basically he compares two professional solutions, but one of them is old (used) and other one is new. Thats the only way you can promote spyder, because a new spyder and x-rite is same thing in its quality standarts. Yeah, color reader might be yousefull thing to check up the condition of your color grades. But both of them is great and if you cant decide whats best for you just make sure that your editing software is supporting one or another solution. Note that cheap cards never gives you precision, but if you think that xrite or spyder too pricey for you, then dont buy them, you dont actually need them YET. If you have knowledge and hands you will get great results without this cards. Pro cards like these just adds extra cherry-on-top-precision, and saves time to pro shooters.
I own both the Colorchecker Photo and Video Passport from X-Rite/Calibrite... fantastic, but WAY too small in practice. For RAW photos... no problem... just get a shot of the card in the proper lighting scenario and you can neutralize your image in 1 click in post. For video though (compressed, not RAW), since you need to set a custom white balance in camera for optimal accuracy.. the reality is that in practice, it's simply too small most of the time. Especially with Lumix cameras, since they have a very large WB ''target'' that you need to completely fill to get an accurate result. Since you need to position the card at the same spot that your subject is (or at least where you want the image to be neutral), you always have to move the camera to get close while being very careful to not create shadows on the card.. and depending on the focal lenght of the lens you're using... this can be a real PITA to be honest. Sometimes, you don't even want to move the camera, especially when properly positionned on a tripod. Yes you can set your WB ''before'' framing your shot.. but reality is that you often have to rebalance the image, based on your subject position in the environment (different reflections affecting the color temperature.. or simply because the clouds are moving and/or the sun is going up/down). So the 12x12 is definitely the best tool of the bunch in practice for this reason (and so cheap, if only they could be more precise). The big versions of the X-Rite and Datacolor are definitely better, but so expensive and cumbersome to carry around. Wes, I'm VERY grateful that you did all those tests for us.. Very nice to have an idea of how neutral/off they are before buying and tesing them! BTW, the ColorReader EZ is 49$ CAD on Amazon at the moment!
At the end of the day, it doesn't matter. They are close enough.
That's right.
Great review. Some doubts on credibility: 2 pieces of equipment were supplied by vendor. How do we know that the datacolor cards were not cherry picked? And how do we know that the values from the datacolor spectrometer are accurate? Not asking that you invest into higher grade equipment though it would be really great to see similar measurements vs. calibrated lab quality equipment. Also, comparing a brand new checker to an aged one is really unfair for xrite. I wish xrite sent you their own cherry-picked meter and brand new cards and see what comes out.
When color balancing you're supposed to point it toward your light source. You seemed to always pointing towards the camera.
After many years of buying various color targets, Calibrite/Xrite is the brand I trust.
Hi Wes! Great video. What's the clamp in the back that you're using to hold up the white balance card?
Good one! I normally set the WB against Calibrite Passport Checker (white chip, as mine doesn't have the gray chip). But once in a while during the recording, I would point towards the 12x12 cheap gray card. That when in a controlled lighting. In the open lighting, which I could not control, I would normally splash Calibrite on at the beginning of recording when at a new location.
The check on this tool depends on shift on some LED light they use there also.
Also if you will be checking product of company x with another product of company x It's reasonable to thing results would be better xD
Also are most of those tools meant to colour calibrate or to fix your exposure? xDDD
Not to mention with situation when you're not in FULL control of your lighting, you just won't get 100% accurate colours it will be impossible because colour casts.
All those tools should be good to use, certainly better than nothing.
If you need 100% colour accuracy, first control lighting entirely, second get good lighting, or at least lighting with the same color shift for entire set of lights, third do a full color calibration not based on just grey value. If you're doing work that needs this level of color accuracy might as well just do it right :D Otherwise, you'll be fine with that rough approximation most of those tools give you anyway
I learned about white balance and using "grey" cards. I set my camera to AWB and shoot in RAW. If the color is a bit off, I can fix it in post. Canon is usually pretty good with color. I wish I was getting paid, then I would try for more accurate colors.
I like your test. However, there is one flaw. The color checker photo should not be used for video exposure. Only for photos. It would be great to see if there is a real variance with X-rite's Color checker Passport Video. Good test though.
Thank you for the new version of the video !
Hello, Thanks for this video. I just want to tell you that I'm a bit confused. With the datacolor which side do you use for WB calibration, the lighter or the darker one? Cheers!
White balance calibration is with the grey side, usually. The white Can be used, but also can sometimes be too bright to be accurate.
What is the most neutral 18% card you've measured?
Hello West, I'm glad you toke the time to make video explain the inaccurate of white cray cards and how un-useable do to its cheap colors.
How ever there is one that's 99% accurate and I would like you to test it only cost $49 ( WhiBal ) it would change your life:)
Which one is that?
You think me later.
Very interesting, I have the old color checker passport, and as you said, it's out of the bag for a few seconds, then back in the dark, I dig that colorReader, gonna get me one of those. , great vid, cheers...
learned something new. Thanks for the video!
I just watched the original version this week, got to research to see what different. Lots of work thanks for the share I didn't thing that wasn't Gray this much.
Everything gets incredibly complicated if you start looking very closely 😂
I realized how much color accuracy meant when I started calibrating displays. I have an older i1 pro 2 from EFI, and an i1 Display Pro that I intend on replacing at some point due to age. Now, I do need to get the i1 Pro 2 recalibrated as it has been some time (a couple years) since its last calibration.
But, the i1 Pro 2 isn't just for emissive sources, it has a tungsten light and can check for the color spectrum being reflected (spectrophotometer, after all).
So being able to confirm the RGB of the source, then match the RGB with the camera for the levels will be awesome, as well as creating a 3D LUT for my home studio (as that will not change much once I get it setup).
I just decided to start a couple YT channels, so am getting the photography equipment to start (a used camera, a kit of LA150Bi, a Shure SM7B since I already have a 60dB gain preamp and the shows I'm planning are talking head types, a colorchecker passport duo, streamdeck xl, a backdrop and if I can afford it after the camera (goal of a used Sony A7 III to start) a couple accent lights like the GVM 800D or GVM 880RS, just something to inject color at an affordable price).
So I'm lucky I have the i1 pro 2 and the ADC and pre-amp from my audio hobby. Will elevate my work off the bat.
But white point and gray scale matter more than people realize!
Everything gets a lot more complicated when you start looking closer. From color to making CZcams videos ;)
I have to say about the smell that i also faced when i bought the grey card. It was horrible, i thought it was only me.
I only have the pro photo smaller 3 in 1 kit kinda similar to the second one you used will that work plz respond asap
they reccomend that you change out the color checker every 9 months...... that's very convenient for them to reccomend!!!!
Hi Wes saw a talk at a recent photography event where the speaker said get one of these colour checker things to get your colour right, so I know to take a photo with it but then what have no idea in Lightroom what to do?
You need to take a raw image, then use the software (shown in the video) to create a colour profile for your shoot that gets added into Lightroom.
Great video 👌 is it must to own these gadgets as an events and weddings photographer?
I wouldn't say so, no. Wedding and events you don't really have time for such things, nor is color accuracy usually terrible critical. For the most part we don't have controlled enough lighting to be able to take a measurement and stick with it, as every corner of the venue will have a difference colour balance anyway.
So I'm not sure you answered which one is the best for video
he said that this spyder is not designed for video. xrite colorchecker that he using in this video is also for photo. check up for video version of products. xrite have one 100%
12:24 your light meter asumes its 50% grey thats average 18% reflected light.
Hi Wes, this look a pretty interesting tool for white balance, ExpoDisc V2 82MM for $86 cad.
I’ve seen this but absolutely cannot see how this could be useful in most settings. I understand how it works, but it seems to be based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the complexity of light in most spaces. The light falling on the camera lens could be entirely different from the light falling on your subject. Perhaps I need to make a video 😏
@@WesPerry with an expodisc you can measure the light falling on your subject. by simply placing your camera with expodisc installed in the subjects place. so very much usable in complex mixed light scenarios, ocf etc. very useful tool actually to determine exposure and set custom WB. In particular when not in a studio.
the anwek and ligghtdow are winning for 18% gray, can use the lightdow for whitebalance and anwek for 18% gray. im getting both.
Now I just need to buy 100 of each to check copy variation 😩😂
@@WesPerry buy 100 of each of the others too. looking forward to your comparison. 😁😁
😭😂
Great video; thanks for sharing!
Great video, thanks Wes.
Thanks for sharing.
Is the MacBook Grayist thing on the table out of curiosity.
Excellent question! Since it’s a semi-reflective surface, the reader doesn’t actually work great. But it gave me a “space grey” of R103 G130 B109 🤔
You just saved me some money for sure!!😂
Happy to help? I hope? Haha
Did you test ExpoDisc V2 ?
I dunno man, that thing freaks me out. Some kind of black magic. 😂
Good vid, thanks.
There are other brands of calibration like the Color Checker. Possibly cheaper. I do not endorse Datacolor as they're as bad as Apple when it comes to obsolescence.
green problem - yes sony doens't like to WB off a grey card.
I’ve only ever had this issue with Sony while using relatively strong ND filters
Getting a perfect colour balance and exposure with these tools can be helpful - but then we start editing to get away from that 'perfect' look.
I don't know what you're talking about. My edits are Always PERFECT 😂
$ Over $9,000. I’d have to be a millionaire to spend that kind of money.
Holy overkill
I find that red, blue and green tend to overlap each other on the black end of the histogram at the right colour temperature. You have to use a little common sense. It does not always work.
Color is represented by luma, saturation, and hue the calibration tools will put you 85% accurate.. you will have to relay on your eyes at some point .. taking a picture of calibrated color with low light/harsh light color shifted areas (sunset, sunrise) or near fireworks or plants is extremely hard with calibration tools and will get you nowhere.. i rather practice color correction while shooting as possible and makeup in post .. and you’ll get the good results
For most shoots I of course rely on my eyes. But for a lot of video work it’s more difficult to change in post, or for fashion and product photography where you have to have 100% accurate colours.
Full the screen with the small cards your using, thank me later 🤭
I am horrified about those fingers touching the pads... Please, stop.
hahaha :D
If you need a device to see the colour, then you will never see it with your eyes.
Thank you for the video but please be more concise 🤓
Funny you should mention that.
I had made a previous version of the video and had many complaints that it was too concise, so I added more information and rereleased this one 😂