Anyone still use Colour Balance/Correction filters on DSLR?

[Skyelark]

I've noticed in some instances where you have to rely on natural/ambient light - heavily overcast days esp ; sunrise/sunset ; indoor lighting etc the colour shifts become so extreme that even if you shoot in RAW with a graycard getting decent colour back with software is neigh impossible . From what I understand the problem is becuase one or two colours shift right off their axis , ie shift out of their original colour spectrum.

I've got nice results using filters like the 81A or 81B (Yellow/Orange - combats blue) and 82A or 82B (Blue - combats red). They are also good for creatively warming or cooling your shots. I really prefer doing some things on camera , the end results just look better , your vision gets put into play at the moment of execution.

Anyone still use colour balancing filters?
If not what do you do to combat extreme colour shift?
What software tricks are there to deal with extreme colour shift and still have reasonably natural looking colour?

[Skyelark]

Someone must have something to say about this!
:P

[Ernst]

Nope, I don't use these filters. :-)

[Lefty]

Not quite what you're asking, but the only filters I use are a Cokin soft focus for occassional portraiture (light dependent), a circular polariser for outdoor shots, and neutral density on very bright days.

[SteveG]

I tried using some colour balancing filters once, just creatively not for actual colour balancing, and they stripped so much information that the shots were not acceptable. Highlights lost a lot of detail. I concluded that it was better to give the sensor all the light that's available and process for correct colour balance and effects.

Never had a problem getting colour balance right in software. Sometimes the trick with the gray card is to angle it right so that shares exactly the same light as the subject. SpyderCubes are cool because they have angled surfaces that allow you to balance for shadow or brights. Sometimes the 'correct' balance is halfway between the two!

[Deon RacePics]

File13, many ago - those colour correction filters

[Skyelark]

I tried using some colour balancing filters once, just creatively not for actual colour balancing, and they stripped so much information that the shots were not acceptable. Highlights lost a lot of detail. I concluded that it was better to give the sensor all the light that's available and process for correct colour balance and effects.

Never had a problem getting colour balance right in software. Sometimes the trick with the gray card is to angle it right so that shares exactly the same light as the subject. SpyderCubes are cool because they have angled surfaces that allow you to balance for shadow or brights. Sometimes the 'correct' balance is halfway between the two!

Those SpyderCubes are awesome!
I have a WhiBal White Balance Reference Card , which many say is the best greycard avail - the SpyderCube on the other hand is a whole lot more than just a greycard.

I actually noticed that using the colour correction filters I mentioned appeared to clean things up - colours where more defined , things just seemed all round crisper , not sure about fine detail though , wouldn't be surprised if some resolution is lost especially if you using entry level filters . Although I am generally more interested in the overall mood of the shot not resolution , unless I know beforehand that maximum possible clarity is a high priority.

That's where the the filters shine , creating mood , Photoshop can do that pretty well but filters do stuff before the light hits the pixels , a little bit of hocus pocus I suppose but I'm pretty certain they do have a subtle edge.

[SteveG]

If it works for you then it works! Any effect is valid if you like it.

By detail I was referring more to variation within the colour of the highlights than actual resolution (which was unaffected). Instead of a natural variation I was getting flat highlights. Not clipped, just flat and dull.

For WB I've got and use a CC24 mini, a SpyderCube, a QPcard203 (truly awesome for LR/ACR profiles) and a QPCard101. They all yield very similar, very good WB results. I'm curious about the Whibal, but I think it'll be pretty similar to what I've got.

[Skyelark]

If it works for you then it works! Any effect is valid if you like it.

By detail I was referring more to variation within the colour of the highlights than actual resolution (which was unaffected). Instead of a natural variation I was getting flat highlights. Not clipped, just flat and dull.

For WB I've got and use a CC24 mini, a SpyderCube, a QPcard203 (truly awesome for LR/ACR profiles) and a QPCard101. They all yield very similar, very good WB results. I'm curious about the Whibal, but I think it'll be pretty similar to what I've got.

"Instead of a natural variation I was getting flat highlights"
Was that in the final print or was it visible onscreen?

Here's the Whibal :
http://michaeltapesdesign.com/whibal.html

The QPcard 203 book is excellent value for money , had I know about it I would have ordered that rather than the whibal card :
http://www.qpcard.com/en_b2c/product...d-profile.html

Whats a CC24 mini?

[SteveG]

pretty clearly visible on screen. I was using, if I remember correctly, a fairly strong yellow/orange filter. I was hoping for a useable effect for BW photography. I knew from the strength of the filter that colour results would be pretty awful. I might remember to dig up and post some of the results.

Yup, the QP203 is great - relatively cheap and very effective. They post it from Sweden, I think, and it gets here in about 10 days.

Gretag MacBeth Colour Checker 24 patch Mini. was hoping to avoid typing all that out ;-) Also works for camera profiles, but I'm preferring the ones I get from the QP system.

[Skyelark]

pretty clearly visible on screen. I was using, if I remember correctly, a fairly strong yellow/orange filter. I was hoping for a useable effect for BW photography. I knew from the strength of the filter that colour results would be pretty awful. I might remember to dig up and post some of the results.

Yup, the QP203 is great - relatively cheap and very effective. They post it from Sweden, I think, and it gets here in about 10 days.

Gretag MacBeth Colour Checker 24 patch Mini. was hoping to avoid typing all that out ;-) Also works for camera profiles, but I'm preferring the ones I get from the QP system.

Ja I think I have one of those filters , its a very strong lurid orange colour and it was made for B&W Film , that's quite a radical departure from the colour balancing filters I'm referring to!!
Nikon's version is called an A12 :



Its about a 2.5 stop light loss filter , its brutal , not surprised it had an unwanted affect on things :P

That X-Rite/Gretagmacbeth stuff is pretty much industry standard , quite expensive though but always decent

[SteveG]

That looks kinda like the filter I used - just working from memory. The one I used was actually a large square filter, used in a cokin holder. I borrowed from a mate in the film industry. I've actually asked him what it was and I'll report back if he responds.

About the QP203: I shot some people under pure, nasty flourescents the other day. No way could I get a decent colour balance using the standard LR camera profile. Pop the QP203 profile in and PING everything just snapped. It really does deal with difficult spectra very well.

I guess what I am saying is, and trying to keep it on topic, that if you are having trouble getting colour balance right: sometimes the spectrum you're shooting under is causing the trouble.

[Skyelark]

That looks kinda like the filter I used - just working from memory. The one I used was actually a large square filter, used in a cokin holder. I borrowed from a mate in the film industry. I've actually asked him what it was and I'll report back if he responds.

About the QP203: I shot some people under pure, nasty flourescents the other day. No way could I get a decent colour balance using the standard LR camera profile. Pop the QP203 profile in and PING everything just snapped. It really does deal with difficult spectra very well.

I guess what I am saying is, and trying to keep it on topic, that if you are having trouble getting colour balance right: sometimes it's the spectrum you're shooting under is causing the trouble.

That sounds amazing - flouro's are one of the worst , I've had some total write-offs when not planning properly for the effects of them. I need to investigate this...

Do you shoot a test shot with the QP203 as the target and then use that for future reference when you need to tell LR how your camera actually represents its colour space?

[SteveG]

Yes, I shot the QP203 under the same lighting as the rest of the shoot. Throw this Raw at the QPcard softwarre and it generates the camera profile and puts it in the right folder. Next time you open LR/ACR it's available from the profile pulldown. The same shot is used for WB within LR after applying the new profile.

Here's the filter I played with: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cokin-A001-Y...-/300588079359

It's a cokin filter intended for BW effects.

[Skyelark]

Yes, I shot the QP203 under the same lighting as the rest of the shoot. Throw this Raw at the QPcard softwarre and it generates the camera profile and puts it in the right folder. Next time you open LR/ACR it's available from the profile pulldown. The same shot is used for WB within LR after applying the new profile.

Here's the filter I played with: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cokin-A001-Y...-/300588079359

It's a cokin filter intended for BW effects.

That's very powerful , is the software that generates the profile free? ie if I buy the QPcard 203 book the software to make the profile is free?
I'm being hopeful!

That filter is slightly less than the Nikon one but still very strong , it has a 2-stop Filter Factor.
Those filters are supposed to help with detail in the shadows or mids or something in combination with B&W film?

[SteveG]

yup, software is free. because it's useless without the QP203!

Not sure what the filter was intended for, exactly, I just played with it.

[Skyelark]

I just checked it's true! :
http://www.qpcard.com/en_b2c/product...libration.html

That is pretty superb value for money , what a bargain
The Whibal is just one little plastic card for R300
R500 for a gray card plus colour + sophisticated software = Yes man!!!

[Johan Classen]

Hi, Herewith using in the one a 52mm Filter (made by LEEDAR Japan) known also as a Flood Filter 80A at 0940 in the morning.
WX was slightly cloudy so perhaps wrong time. Camera my hidden away Nikon D40
Almost a Blue movie

[Leo Theron]

An 80A filter (Flood Filter) was used to balance daylight film for use with photo flood lamps.

Photo Flood lamps, were very 'yellow' - that is why the 'blue' filter was used.

[TheronFamily]

Have you tried to UniWB your sensor yet Skyelark? It is a means to maximising exposure within the channels. Here is an interesting thread that may be of help;

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/post/31873779

Would be very interesting to see if the use of UniWB and a magenta filter to curb the greens will solve your problem. If you do go this route, please provide feedback Good light to you.