• Sony Cameras

  White vs. Warm Balancing

  Posted by Oliver De morassé on June 27, 2013 at 1:54 pm

  I use a Sony PMW-200. I thought about purchasing a good quality 18% gray card for my white balancing. However, I was also recommended to try the Vortex Media WarmCards 3.0 instead. I film mainly indoors in a green screen studio. However, we also do shoots outside (sunny bright skies, snow glare). Any suggestions & recommendations?

  Thanks, Oliver

  Oliver De morassé replied 12 years, 10 months ago 3 Members · 4 Replies
• 4 Replies

• 

  Bob Mark

  June 29, 2013 at 7:34 pm

  You should balance to a white card, not gray. The warm cards are to cheat the camera toward red (warm) by removing some blue in the picture. You can do this in your camera profiles, too by adjusting the color matrix. This might be helpful.

  https://www.rexfilm.hu/documents/document/document/3261/Picture_Profile_settings_in_the_PMW-200.pdf

  Bob
• 

  John Sharaf

  June 29, 2013 at 7:50 pm

  Nothing wrong with using a true gray card for white balance. the process merely requires a target that is devoid of color! An advantage of gray might be that it’s probably less susceptible of reflecting another strong color in front of it?

  For your green screen shoots, if lighting with tungsten balanced photo quality lights, preset 3200 is a good choice.

  I always recommend flipping back and forth between preset and the AWB while observing on a properly adjusted monitor and choosing the best look. It might be counter intuitive but still correct.

  JS

  JS
• 

  Bob Mark

  June 30, 2013 at 3:19 pm

  Here’s a run down on what Vortex Media cards offer.

  https://www.warmcards.com/WARMCARDS_USERGUIDE_V3.pdf

  Take a look at page 6 to see how each card effects the white balance.

  For another option you can use a Rosco Jungle Book to manual white balance.

  Bob
• 

  Oliver De morassé

  July 4, 2013 at 1:54 pm

  Thanks for all your feedback.

  I have decided to try out the WarmCards 3.0 (also included a pure white and grey card). Will let you know what my test results are.

  Thanks again

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