Color Meter

I shoot interior architecture with a Nikon D200 and I am considering purchasing a Kenco color

meter. I was curious if is feasible to use it with digital format. I know that using a color meter with

film identifies which filter to use but will it tell what temp to set the white balance and/or use of

filters? I shoot with digital to avoid using color temp filters and allow myself to adjust temp via

computer software. Is it a good option to make this purchase. I try to use primarily available light

but sometimes use the CLS flashes. I also will make multiple exposures and combine them using

HDR which yields great results but I am still slightly off in my color temp.

 

Thanks

Better just to use a known target and shoot a custom WB shot for your camera to calibrate against on its own. Or better yet, a shot of a known neutral target so that later, as you're processing RAW files, you can adjust color temps after the fact, with consistency. You... ARE shooting RAW files, right?

Thanks Matt,

 

Yes I do shoot RAW. Much easier to edit. I've been doing the majority of my white

balance and color correction in the RAW conversion tool. I wanted to get a color

meter to cut down on my post processing and shooting time. I typically shoot 2 to 4

shots continuing to adjust the WB until I get it right then fine tune in CS2.

Hmmm. You should be able to take ONE shot of a white balance target, and use it as a batch processing reference in one step for all of your shots in the same space/lighting conditions. With my D200, I use <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FLastolite-LL-LR1250-12-Inch-Ezybalance%2Fdp%2FB0009QZDL6%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Delectronics%26qid%3D1210969648%26sr%3D8-5&tag=nutriwarescom-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325" target="_blank"><b>this 12-inch unit from Lastolite</b></a> that collapses down to about the size of a large coaster. The white side makes a nice small reflector (I've use it to bounce a strobe from, or to bring a little sunlight into some shadows on a tight shot), and the 18% gray side not only is a perfect white balance target, but it's also an ideal reflected light metering target, since your camera - without having any other clues - WANTS to meter against something of that value.

expodisc is better choice for your application and its cheaper. It makes your D200 become your color meter.

Color meters are best used when adding filtration to balance multiple light sources on the same set. They're not really needed for just basic camera color balance. Unless you're showing up to a location with a crew, truckload full of gear and are intending to do seriously complex architecture shots then a color meter is probably a waste of money. A whibal or something is probably all ya need....

Maybe you're running into the limitations of HDR. Personally, I think whacky color balance is part of the fun of HDR :-) If I really wanted to shoot an interior with perfectly neutral color balance, then I'd probably have to light the scene with a lot of lighting gear and gels.