White Balancing Lens Caps at DVinfo.net

G. Lee Gordon · May 11th, 2009, 03:36 PM

Has anybody had any experience using a White Balancing Lens Cap? They look like a great idea, but do they actually work?

John Miller · May 11th, 2009, 05:35 PM

A neutral coffee can lid works well and is free!

http://www.enosoft.net/products/enod...0Can%20Lid.gif

Richard Gooderick · May 12th, 2009, 04:14 AM

This is new to me. Sounds like a great idea.

I too would be very interested to get some feedback from someone who has used one.

Steve Mellor · May 12th, 2009, 04:32 AM

I've used one actually but didn't think that much of it. I always found that it got 'fooled' if you were pointing at a brightly coloured wall or you find you don't balance correctly for the subject (if you have a complex lighting set up).

I think it is probably better suited to shoots with available light but with the amount of things you have to carry around anyway, I have always been able to find a place for a piece of card. I suppose it's the difference between £1 and £45. I still think the £1 solution is slightly more versatile.

Also, it doesn't help that I like to play around with the white balancing to get the right look. I sometimes balance warmer or cooler depending on what I'm after.

Richard Gooderick · May 12th, 2009, 04:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Mellor

Also, it doesn't help that I like to play around with the white balancing to get the right look. I sometimes balance warmer or cooler depending on what I'm after.

Hi Steve
Just out of interest, how do you do this. Do you use different cards or do you dial the k value in?

Steve Mellor · May 12th, 2009, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard Gooderick

Hi Steve
Just out of interest, how do you do this. Do you use different cards or do you dial the k value in?

I'm not good with numbers, I always forget them, so I use a set of warmcards (Vortex Media: VIDEO & PHOTO Tools and Training) which have been great for me. We didn't use them in our seasick monster video and I can really tell the difference between that and some of the test footage that I have been working with for the film.

Paul R Johnson · May 12th, 2009, 08:14 AM

They were popular in the 80's - I had a few camcorders with them, and in general light, they're quite good, but colour casts from walls or floor do mess things up. I've always done things in theatres and found that getting the lx crew to do a full up bright state and then aiming the camera at it with the white cap was a good way of setting the 'average' colour balance. Nowadays a bit of folded A3 paper seems to suffice, zoomed in and defocussed. I never really noticed they'd gone until this post.

May 11th, 2009, 03:36 PM	#1
G. Lee Gordon Major Player Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 431	White Balancing Lens Caps Has anybody had any experience using a White Balancing Lens Cap? They look like a great idea, but do they actually work? __________________ "Get Er Done!!!"

May 12th, 2009, 04:14 AM	#3
Richard Gooderick Major Player Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: London, UK Posts: 795	This is new to me. Sounds like a great idea. I too would be very interested to get some feedback from someone who has used one. __________________ http://www.gooderick.com

May 11th, 2009, 05:35 PM	#2
John Miller Major Player Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Hillsborough, NC, USA Posts: 968	A neutral coffee can lid works well and is free! http://www.enosoft.net/products/enod...0Can%20Lid.gif

May 12th, 2009, 04:32 AM	#4
Steve Mellor Regular Crew Join Date: May 2009 Location: Gloucester, UK Posts: 34	I've used one actually but didn't think that much of it. I always found that it got 'fooled' if you were pointing at a brightly coloured wall or you find you don't balance correctly for the subject (if you have a complex lighting set up). I think it is probably better suited to shoots with available light but with the amount of things you have to carry around anyway, I have always been able to find a place for a piece of card. I suppose it's the difference between £1 and £45. I still think the £1 solution is slightly more versatile. Also, it doesn't help that I like to play around with the white balancing to get the right look. I sometimes balance warmer or cooler depending on what I'm after.

May 12th, 2009, 08:14 AM	#7
Paul R Johnson Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lowestoft - UK Posts: 4,045	They were popular in the 80's - I had a few camcorders with them, and in general light, they're quite good, but colour casts from walls or floor do mess things up. I've always done things in theatres and found that getting the lx crew to do a full up bright state and then aiming the camera at it with the white cap was a good way of setting the 'average' colour balance. Nowadays a bit of folded A3 paper seems to suffice, zoomed in and defocussed. I never really noticed they'd gone until this post.