Optek Premium Reference White Balance Card Set- 3 Card Set- 3 Card Digital Color Correction Tool

I ordered this item to help me improve my photo taking, more specifically, my to help with my post-processing workflow. The cards are plastic and not laminated paper stock like some and they are waterproof and easily cleaned with water or household cleaner. They are compact and fit easily in either a pocket or your camera bag. The included lanyard is a nice convenience feature also.I've always had trouble finding the correct white balance in post processing and this tool has helped immensely. I'm sure I have not used it to its potential yet, but I got it just before Christmas and used it on Christmas Eve during setup at my parents' house for Photos of the grandkids. It did a fantastic job of helping me correct the color balance of the pictures during post processing.It's very simple to use: just take a photo of one (or all - one each) of the cards under the lighting conditions that you will be shooting under. When you go to post process you correct the color balance in your photo editing program for the test photos and copy the settings to the entire shoot. I personally use Lightroom and it was a very simple process to complete that took under 5 minutes total to correct all of the pictures I took that night.I would highly recommend this product for any photographer who is starting to take their craft more seriously. For under $10 you can't go wrong with this product.

Bought this set to use with food photography. Having accurate colors is incredibly important when doing food photography.This set works like a charm. Fairly accurate, the cards are a thick plastic that seems quite durable, you can wipe dirt and such off the cards with a wet rag to clean them, the lanyard clips off at the bottom making it easy to hand these to a client quickly!, they hang around your neck which helps keep them constantly at hand! I usually get quite flustered on shoots and tend to stuff everything in my bag but with this lanyard I finally KNOW where I put it! lolGreat buy and well worth the $8 that I paid! I have recommended this item to friends and strongly think that it is a must for people who shot a lot! (WORKS GREAT WITH MULTIPLE SPEEDLITE AND STUDIO LIGHT SETUPS EVEN OUTDOORS!)

They're about the size of a credit card, reasonably sturdy, and the lanyard is a nice touch as well. So far I've had not problems using them with either the Canon 5D or Nikon D200 that I'm using lately. It's as simple as putting them in a quick snapshot of whatever scene you want to shoot. After you've done once that shoot away like normal, unless you move to different lighting which you'd need to do another quick snapshot of them in the frame somewhere. I usually do a shot with the white card showing, and then another with the gray card showing. You can of course just do a single shot with all three cards showing as well, that way you have your whitest whites, blackest blacks, and neutral all in once shot.After that you go into whatever photo editing program you use that lets you set custom white balance. Choose the picker tool, and click somewhere on the white/gray card. Copy the setting to every photo for that lighting, and you're good to go. If that editing program has the ability to use the picker to choose your 'true' white or black, then these cards could also be used for that. Might help out in the editing process.Kei

This is so handy and makes it easy to get your color matching right. Color Matching?! Yep. I am a real estate photographer, and for years I have tried to satisfy my clients by getting accurate wall and fabric colors (they are SO picky!). In the past - believe it or not - I have done just fine in my editing software by simply searching for something I know is medium gray in the image, and clicking on that. Works at least 80% of the time.But THIS little bad boy works 100% of the time even in mixed lighting. When I know the color is going to be critical, I just toss this reference card down in an area where it can be photoshopped-out quickly after clicking on it. Sounds goofy but is a great time saver.

Perfect for what I needed it for. 18% gray.... only a photographer would know what that is and what to do with it, I think. I am redoing a photo studio and wanted perfect little swatches for determining wall color and these did the job to a T. Now I also have them for setting color balance when needed. They are rugged enough (plastic, not laminated paper) and washable and the price can't be beat. Depending on what your needs are these should serve you well.For those wondering about size, they are about the size of a credit card which might be too small for some in cameras' white balance setting, but fine for post processing custom white balance.BOTTOM LINE: price can't be beat and these little card get the job done. The lanyard is a nice addition.