Can someone recommend me a good 18% grey card?

[Arkasha]

Greetings,

I have a 5x7 Kodak grey card as part of an old (40 years) book. I'd like to get a bigger one,

Can anyone recommend where I may get a good, accurate card?


Thanks!

 

[fotch]

Freestyle, Delta Gray Cards 8 in. x 10 in. - 2 pack Model# 473218

 

[Vaughn]

Or go down to the local art store and get a piece of grey (or close to grey) matboard that reads the same as your 5x7 grey card. Cut it down to any size you want -- with extras!

Vaughn

 

[smieglitz]

At one point I took a gray card to a fabric shop and matched it. It was nice because I could just fold up a large piece and stick it in my pocket. Cheap too and it made a great target for zone tests since it had a texture to it.

 

[Leigh B]

A proper gray card is more than just gray.

It's 18% gray when held in the proper position,
which is when a line normal to the card passing through the middle bisects the angle between the light source and the camera lens.
Good cards are quite accurate when used correctly.

If you just want close, meter your palm and adjust as need be.

I use the cards from Delta, as mentioned above. Those from Kodak or MacBeth are also good.

- Leigh

 

[fotch]

Leigh, your absolutely right! It really matters when shooting and printing color. Close is not enough. Its not like it is an expensive item.

 

[Steve Smith]

If you just want close, meter your palm and adjust as need be.

Weston meters have a position indicator for this. I think a palm reflects one stop more than a grey card.

But apart from colour correction for colour printing, why use a grey card? Why not use a white card and compensate?


Steve.

 

[Zewrak]

I've wondered for quite some time why no camerabag makers havent made one in 18%, black and white yet. And why not a top flap thingie with a zone system scale?

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk

 

[Steve Smith]

I've wondered for quite some time why no camerabag makers havent made one in 18%, black and white yet.

They have (I think). It is rumoured that Lowepro bags have interior linings which reflect 18% grey.


Steve.

 

[benjiboy]

I use one of these http://www.lastolite.com/ezybalance.php because it becomes with the twist of the wrist small enough to go in my pocket or camera bag.

 

[Arkasha]

Perfect!

Thanks, fotch, and to all who replied.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

They have (I think). It is rumoured that Lowepro bags have interior linings which reflect 18% grey.


Steve.

I'll be damned. I'll check mine today.

 

[Jeff Kubach]

I always wanted a 18% gray card, but I'm color blind!

Jeff

 

[benjiboy]

I have Kodak 10"x8" Grey Cards but they are a pain to carry about with you.

 

[Leigh B]

Why not use a white card and compensate?

As I said earlier, the 18% gray card is a calibrated instrument. It will reflect more or less than 18% depending on its orientation.

That's not true with a white card. Once you hit saturation, it can't reflect any more, so you lose one end of the calibration range.

- Leigh

 

[wiltw]

The following products are both 18% in tonality, and are totally neutral (i.e. R=G=B) for white balance adjustments in shooting or in post processing:

• Lastolite EZBalance
• Koday gray card
• Photovision target
• Douglas grey card
• Colorchecker (4th square, bottom row)

 

[smieglitz]

The following products are both 18% in tonality, and are totally neutral (i.e. R=G=B) for white balance adjustments in shooting or in post processing:

• Lastolite EZBalance
• Koday gray card
• Photovision target
• Douglas grey card
• Colorchecker (4th square, bottom row)

The last few Kodak cards I received were not neutral, more like 18% green cards. Looking at several side by side that were purchased over the years or from different editions of Professional Photoguides, there is a range of colors from bluish to neutral to greenish gray. It gets even worse when other manufacturers cards are also compared to them. Some have been darker, lighter, glossier, as well as not being neutral. I think the best I've seen were older Kodak cards that shipped in yellow paper envelopes. Those were probably 70s vintage.

 

[Leigh B]

If you want a really good greay card, try this one from X-Rite: Dead Link Removed

X-Rite (nee Kollmorgen nee Macbeth) have been the experts on color metering, measurement, and rendering for many decades.

- Leigh

 

[wiltw]

The last few Kodak cards I received were not neutral, more like 18% green cards. Looking at several side by side that were purchased over the years or from different editions of Professional Photoguides, there is a range of colors from bluish to neutral to greenish gray. It gets even worse when other manufacturers cards are also compared to them. Some have been darker, lighter, glossier, as well as not being neutral. I think the best I've seen were older Kodak cards that shipped in yellow paper envelopes. Those were probably 70s vintage.

Well, since they have abandoned the color transparency film market, it seems just that their gray cards get the Big Thumbs Down from photographers, too!