ExpoDisc Unveils New Color Balance Filter

July 8, 2004 The ExpoDisc Digital White Balance Filter Provides an Easy, Inexpensive Way to Set White Balance for Photographers and Videographers

ExpoDisc(TM) Inc., the pioneer in diffusion filters that allow photographers to fine-tune color balance and get accurate exposures without meters, gray cards or white cards, today announced the ExpoDisc Digital White Balance Filter. The new ExpoDisc filter is designed for professional photographers and videographers, and serious amateurs alike.

The ExpoDisc Digital WB Filter is, in effect, a gray card in a lens cap, without all the hassles and inconsistencies of a gray card. It lets you read and set white balance before shooting, thus eliminating the need for post-capture color adjustments. The ExpoDisc filter works with film, digital cameras and digital video, and is available in six standard sizes from 58mm to 82 mm. Prices range from $79.95 to $159.95.

The new ExpoDisc filter makes it possible to give the same, consistent white balance reference to an entire body of photographic work. It also allows photographers to set white balance in mixed lighting conditions.

The snap-on disc is a neutral diffusion filter that gathers ambient light from 180 degrees and passively transmits 18% of it through to your camera's light meter. The resulting 'gray frame' accurately represents the colorcast of the light in which the photograph is being taken. From this gray frame, you then can set a custom white balance with your digital camera's menu that results in accurate color in almost all lighting conditions. Neutral tones become more pleasing with the ExpoDisc Digital WB Filter because all colors are brought into balance at the point of capture.

Each filter is manufactured and individually calibrated to fall within 1/12th f/stop accuracy for exposure. That's 400% more stringent than the digital camera standard of 1/3rd f/stop, and even more accurate than handheld incident light meters, which must be within 1/10th f/stop.

It comes with a card recording its exact density and color balance (+/- 3% of absolute neutral) as noted on the color analyzer for near perfect color balance. This results in a level of accuracy that is far more neutral than commercial gray cards, which can often be well off the beam.

"ExpoDisc Digital WB Filter is an easy way to get great color balance and accurate exposures on the first shot for digital cameras and camcorders," stated Chris Stocker, ExpoDisc Vice President of Sales and Marketing. "Professional photographers love it because they don't have to hassle with meters or other devices for measuring light in the field, plus there's no need to go back to the studio for color adjustments."

List prices range from $79.95 to $159.95. The web site is www.expodisc.com

About ExpoDisc

ExpoDisc Inc., originally founded in 1980, is the pioneer in white balance filters. Its founder, George Wallace, originally designed the ExpoDisc for film as a means to transform the camera's internal light meter into an incident light meter. His daughter Diane Wallace later found that you cannot only meter perfect through-the-lens exposures, but that you can also use it for easy digital white balance. ExpoDisc Digital WB Filters are available online and at retail stores nationwide.