warm cards

[<cerone>]

I know this has been discussed before, but our chief engineer just bought us some warm cards, wondering if anyone uses them regularly and if they work well and if there are any tricks to using them. Thanks...

 

[<Bigpimping>]

I got some... not really too impressed with them. I've only used the 1/2 blue card. It just made the video look orange.

It may be due to the fact that I'm shooting on a first generation DVCPRO 700 camera.

 

[<videohead>]

The half blue works well under clear blue skies. I've had video look too orange with clouds when shooting under tents or overhangs. Filter 2 also seems to look much better to me with the warm balance than any of the others.

 

[hamcam]

I use them all the time. Mostly the 1/2 blue. It gives people a more fleshy look... they seem more alive as opposed to pale snd sickly.

I have also used the Minus Green when shooting in places with tons of florescents. Tricky at times to get a ballance to lock but it always comes out looking great.

If you have time to do a proper WB using cards these are the best. Having said that... I have had to WB off my truck (White Pathfinder) when I'm in a hurry on scene.

So far three shooters here have them (at their own expence). I wish my shop would pay for things like this that improve the quality of the pics that go to air. Oh well... I get to take all that stuff with me when I leave.

Good luck.

 

[<cerone>]

thanks for the feedback...would love to hear more

 

[<VladimirZworykin>]

For years I've balanced off the blue sky. I use a DVC-Pro and balance for 6200K. Any higher than that and the video will start getting red. Try pointing the camera at different areas of the sky and balancing. Eventually you will get the color temperature you want. I've found that if I balance in the direction of the sun where the sky isn't as blue, I'll get my 6200K balance. If you really want to warm your video, say for a weather shot, balance opposite the sun where the sky is very blue. Doing this you'll discover that grass is more lush and the sky is more vivid. Of course, flesh tones will be more amber so you'll have to be careful. I keep the balance in the camera's memory on all three outdoor filters so I have the warm balance on cloudy days. For indoors I balance on a light blue 5x7 card I keep in my fanny bag. It balances to 3600K and I keep that in memory, too. Nothing is absolute, though. I do have to white balance if I'm in a room with a mixture of say, sunlight and fluorescent. I error on the side of sunlight, using a dichroic filter and I let the camera adjust accordingly. My reporters love the warm look. It gives them the "glow."

 

[g0uld]

Where can I get a set of warm cards? I used one the other day that a guy from another station had and WOW! the color difference is awsome!

I'm sure there is alot of trial and error involved when you go to pick which one to use depending on the situation. Or are they maked somehow?

 

[texshooter]

Here is all the info you need on Warm Cards.

http://www.warmcards.com/