Photovision Digital Calibration Target

Dooginfif20

I am looking at purchasing one of the 24" Photovision Calibration Targets. I am trying to get more consistent color and exposure and this item looks pretty good to me. The only issue is I am curious how much post work they do to make those images look that good. Does anyone on here use these or have used them? Any feed back is greatly appreciated!

ziggy53

Calibration targets will assist in color accuracy but it's still your responsibility as the photographer to control lighting, etc. In mixed lighting or using sub-standard lighting or if you clip color channels then you will still get undesirable results.

Once you use the calibration target to capture a sample image, you must re-capture another image of the target with every change in lighting or conditions.

Some calibration targets can be used with software to somewhat automate color correction. Depending on the color conditions at capture and the desired color gamut/color space you can expect various degrees of success. With some photographic subject matter the success will be extremely good and with other subjects and circumstances you will have to work a suitable compromise.

Dooginfif20

ziggy53 wrote: »

Calibration targets will assist in color accuracy but it's still your responsibility as the photographer to control lighting, etc. In mixed lighting or using sub-standard lighting or if you clip color channels then you will still get undesirable results.

Once you use the calibration target to capture a sample image, you must re-capture another image of the target with every change in lighting or conditions.

Some calibration targets can be used with software to somewhat automate color correction. Depending on the color conditions at capture and the desired color gamut/color space you can expect various degrees of success. With some photographic subject matter the success will be extremely good and with other subjects and circumstances you will have to work a suitable compromise.

Ziggy I appreciate the comments. I understand that the lighting is my responsibility. I am simply asking about this specific target. I have watched the videos on it and read reviews of people that have purchased it. I am trying to see how many people use and what their experiences with it are.

Icebear

I have the 34" and would generally recommend to most folks that they buy the larger size. I have smaller targets, and unless I'm backpacking, they stay in the closet. The bigger the better.

The Photovision targets are dead-on neutral, AFAIK.

In addition to WB, they will really help you nail proper exposure.

I also have a Lastolite target, but like the Photovision targets better.

Jeremy Winterberg

I considered getting a photovision target, but I instead got an Expodisk. I feel like its so much easier to use/carry around. And it can also be used to nail proper exposure.

If you get one, just get one to fit your largest lens and it works for all of them. I got the 77mm one and my biggest lens is 72mm atm, I got 77 because many of the lenses I plan on getting use that filter size.

Dooginfif20

the expodisk looked kinda weird to me. does it really work that well?

icebear- you shoot nikon right? how do you use it with your nikon? switch to M shoot PRE WB and take a shot of what you want?

Icebear

Dooginfif20 wrote: »

the expodisk looked kinda weird to me. does it really work that well?

icebear- you shoot nikon right? how do you use it with your nikon? switch to M shoot PRE WB and take a shot of what you want?

I also have an Expodisc. I did a whole thread on it a few years ago, comparing it to other "lens-cap" type tools. I very seldom use it any more. It does work, but can fool you in changing light. You're cruising along with your nice custom WB set, not noticing that the light has changed over the last couple hours. I found that I ended up using the Calibration Target even when I used the Expodisc. Just as a check. Then I realized I was wasting my time with the Expodisc since I shoot raw exclusively any way. Now I just shoot in Auto WB, or Tungsten, or whatever seems obvious, just so what I see on the monitor (if I'm shooting tethered) or on the chimp-screen doesn't look terrible.

You certainly can use the target to set a custom WB. It works as well as the Expodisc. I just find it a waste of effort for most situations. I keep the Target by my tripod, and as soon as I say "That's a keeper!" I shoot the scene with the target in it. Hey, if you shoot a lot of JPG, you may want to set a custom WB. It's just not important to my workflow any more.

Jeremy Winterberg

I like the balance the Expodisc produces. Like John said, you have to remember to take a new custom white balance image quite often. But you have to do this with a gray card too.

What I like about the expodisc is the fact that you can hang it around your neck, or put it in your pocket, and always have it on you. Try doing that with a 34" target.

Dooginfif20

Icebear wrote: »

I also have an Expodisc. I did a whole thread on it a few years ago, comparing it to other "lens-cap" type tools. I very seldom use it any more. It does work, but can fool you in changing light. You're cruising along with your nice custom WB set, not noticing that the light has changed over the last couple hours. I found that I ended up using the Calibration Target even when I used the Expodisc. Just as a check. Then I realized I was wasting my time with the Expodisc since I shoot raw exclusively any way. Now I just shoot in Auto WB, or Tungsten, or whatever seems obvious, just so what I see on the monitor (if I'm shooting tethered) or on the chimp-screen doesn't look terrible.

You certainly can use the target to set a custom WB. It works as well as the Expodisc. I just find it a waste of effort for most situations. I keep the Target by my tripod, and as soon as I say "That's a keeper!" I shoot the scene with the target in it. Hey, if you shoot a lot of JPG, you may want to set a custom WB. It's just not important to my workflow any more.

so you shoot the target and fix the WB in post? I like that method, but it makes me nervous that maybe I didnt get the shot how I wanted. Maybe I really need to start shooting raw more often. Thanks for all the great info!

Dooginfif20

Jeremy Winterberg wrote: »

I like the balance the Expodisc produces. Like John said, you have to remember to take a new custom white balance image quite often. But you have to do this with a gray card too.

What I like about the expodisc is the fact that you can hang it around your neck, or put it in your pocket, and always have it on you. Try doing that with a 34" target.

Well Jeremy let me do some more research on the Expodisc. It sounds like it should work. I dunno if you watch some rap videos they hang some stuff around their necks that are pretty close to the 34"!

Jeremy Winterberg

Dooginfif20 wrote: »

Well Jeremy let me do some more research on the Expodisc. It sounds like it should work. I dunno if you watch some rap videos they hang some stuff around their necks that are pretty close to the 34"!

Flavor Flav! haha, try moving like a photographer with something that big around your neck... not gonna happen if you move like me! On the ground, up on some ledge, laying on my stomach, legs wrapped around a pole leaning wwaay out just to get a shot.