ExpoDisc v3 Professional White Balance Filter

We introduced the first ExpoDisc white balance filter in 2004, and almost 20 years later, it is still the best custom white balance tool available in the market. Even so, we're always looking for ways to make it better. The new ExpoDisc v3 features important improvements, and is our latest effort at making the fastest, most accurate white balance tool we can.

Why Set a Custom White Balance?

Even the best digital cameras struggle with consistently reproducing accurate color. Images shot with inconsistent or incorrect white balance settings may appear unnaturally warm or cool with too much cyan or yellow tint that can be time consuming and difficult to correct.

To help photographers cope with this problem, digital camera manufacturers designed their cameras with multiple white balance functions, including Custom White Balance, Automatic White Balance (AWB), and a variety of factory Preset color temperature settings for Sun, Shade, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Flash, and Cloudy.

Unfortunately, unwanted color casts are far too common as Auto White Balance (AWB) often produces maddeningly inconsistent color results, and the fixed color temperatures assigned to the camera's Preset white balance settings are incapable of accounting for the variability of real world lighting conditions.

Setting a Custom White Balance before you begin shooting remains the most reliable way to consistently reproduce accurate, balanced color in digital cameras. Setting a custom white balance with the ExpoDisc is quick and easy to do, and the resulting custom white balance calibrates the camera to an exact color temperature at image capture. This eliminates the inconsistencies of AWB and avoids the gross generality of factory Preset color temperatures.

It’s important to use a calibrated reference tool like the ExpoDisc when setting your custom white balance because using a white balance tool that isn’t neutral across the visible spectrum will not provide your camera with an accurate representation of the color of light illuminating your subject. This will cause your camera to compensate in ways that will result in unbalanced color and unwanted color casts.

ExpoDisc v3 Features Improved Wide Spectrum White Balance

The new diffusion materials we incorporated into ExpoDisc v3 perform better across the visible spectrum (380-700nm), providing better white balance results when shooting in cool open shade or very warm light.

The improved performance of the new materials extends beyond the visible spectrum from 700-2200nm (near infrared), and enables use of the ExpoDisc v3 to set white balance when photographing with an IR-sensitive camera.

Infra Red (IR) Photography White Balance

You can use the ExpoDisc v3 to set the white balance on your IR camera. Setting a good custom white balance with the ExpoDisc v3 will not only improve your white balance, but it will also save you time editing your IR photos & videos.

The above infrared (IR) image was taken at 665nm after using the ExpoDisc v3 to set a custom white balance. Image copyright Lucie Fisette.

For more information about using the ExpoDisc v3 to set your white balance when shooting infra red (IR) photography, check out Rob Shea's terrific "How To" instructional video.

Wildlife and Landscape Photography

If you’re a wildlife photographer photographing outdoors in visible light, or a landscape photographer using IR filters to capture exotic looking infrared images, then setting a custom white balance with the ExpoDisc v3 will help you to reduce the time you spend editing your photographs by improving the consistency and accurancy of the color in your images.

New Thin Design with Bayonet Mount Step Ring

The new ExpoDisc v3 design is thinner than the ExpoDisc 2.0. The ExpoDisc v3 can be comfortably held over lenses 82mm or smaller, and it also incorporates a new bayonet mount allowing it to be quickly attached and removed from your lens using the included ExpoDisc v3 bayonet mount step ring. A single bayonet mount step ring size is included with each ExpoDisc in either the 77mm or 82mm size. The 77mm and 82mm step ring can also be purchased separately here if you want to have both sizes.

Simply Hold the ExpoDisc v3 Over Your Lens

The easiest way to use the ExpoDisc v3 is to simply hold it over the end of your lens when setting your custom white balance or metering for exposure. Once you set your white balance you can simply return the ExpoDisc to your pocket. This is how most people use the ExpoDisc because it is only needed to capture a single exposure. 

Mount the ExpoDisc v3 to Your Lens Using the Bayonet Mount Step Ring

If you wish to attach the ExpoDisc v3 to your lens while you set your white balance, then you must attach the ExpoDisc v3 step ring to your lens. Please note that you will not be able to use a lens hood with the ExpoDisc step ring attached to your lens.

The ExpoDisc v3 step ring is made from a durable polycarbonate material, which is more flexible than rigid. We designed it with this material so that it will flex instead of crack or break.

Threading the step ring to your lens, and unthreading it as well, is easier when the ExpoDisc v3 is attached to the step ring via its bayonet mount because it prevents the step ring from flexing while you thread it onto the lens. Please do not over tighten the step ring onto your lens threads as this may make it difficult to remove later on.

Save Time Editing Color

The ExpoDisc can be used to set an in-camera white balance using your camera's custom white balance procedure. This custom white balance will be incorporated into your images if shooting JPEG, or will be added to your RAW images as the 'as-shot' white balance.

This saves a tremendous amount of time editing photos later as every image will have a neutral, measured white balance without having to adjust sliders. Stop fixing your color later with software.

For Photo and Video

ExpoDisc v3 works for both still photography and for video. Use your camera's video white balance procedure to apply a custom white balance to your video. This is a huge time savings since correcting color in video is even more time consuming than for still images.

Exposure Metering

ExpoDisc v3 can also be used for incident exposure metering. ExpoDisc v3's light transmission profile has been adjusted to 14% which is consistent with most digital light meters and will provide a more-centered histogram on modern digital cameras.

Calibrated and Certified in USA

We test and certify every ExpoDisc at our California facility to maintain strict quality control standards. The ExpoDisc is tested by hand on a transmission spectrophotometer to ensure its neutrality. This neutrality is important because using a non-neutral tool for white balance can actually add undesirable color casts to images. Every ExpoDisc v3 includes a quality control card to certify its neutrality.

ExpoDisc v3 Contents:

• ExpoDisc v3 Professional White Balance Filter
  
• ExpoDisc v3 Step Ring
  
• Storage Pouch
  
• Neck Strap
  
• Certification Card
  
• Printed Instructions (English); instructions for other languages can be downloaded from ExpoDisc.com