EXPO DISC

<p>Dear Guys</p>

<p>How effective is the EXPODISC which is being used to set the correct white balance? Is it really needed when you shoot in RAW mode. Your advice will be much appreciated . Thanks in advance.</p>

<p>It's pretty effective. It works fairly well even with lighting of mixed sources. Note that to use it, you point the camera w/ expodisc at the light source(s) rather than at the subject. In theory, you're supposed to stand at the subject's location while you do this, but in actual use for most situations, I think that is overkill.</p>

<p>If you shoot RAW, the expodisc is not necessary <strong>at all</strong>, except as a portable white/gray card (if you use that sort of thing). If you shoot jpeg, it's pretty nice but is still an extra piece to carry around. It's pretty durable and cleanable. I own one, but I got a used copy of a smaller size that I use with my jpeg-only P&S.</p>

<p>I doubt I would have bought one, but the one I have turned up in the free box when my computer club moved to a new location. I'm not all that happy with my D60's built in tungsten and compact fluorescent WB so I use it when I'm shooting with that lighting. Works well and fills a corner at the bottom of my camera bag.</p>

<p>I bought a couple of EXPODISCs for my film camera ages ago, but never used them much. When they were advertised for digital wb, their prices tripled. I called the manufacturer and was told that they were one and the same. (But DIGITAL anything costs more!) I sold mine as digital EXPODISCs and made a profit.<br />Here is a comparison of a few alternatives:<br /><a href="http://www.ppmag.com/web-exclusives/2008/11/product-comparison-white-balan-1.html#more">http://www.ppmag.com/web-exclusives/2008/11/product-comparison-white-balan-1.html#more</a><br />Each situation will need to be wb customized differently, and any of the above will only get you close. If you can do that, and if they turn out close enough, you are done. Otherwise, you will need to tweak some more in RAW conversion. I would go for the $.01 one.</p>

<p>Thanks every one for your advice please. Finally I have dropped the idea of buying one.</p>

<p>This Adobe Camera Raw forum discussion below will illustrate why a store bought white target won't guarantee an efficient Raw workflow with the idea that all you have to do is click for R=G=B.</p>

<p>http://forums.adobe.com/thread/516436?tstart=90</p>

<p>Basically all camera's have their own ideas of what is neutral looking.</p>