It's Here! The Holiday Buyer's Guide 2004

Get The Balance Right

Modern digital cameras are smart, but when it comes to white balance, sometimes they get a failing grade. Simply put, our eyes have a much better sense of color than any digital camera. How can we trick the camera into making our pictures color-correct without messing around with "grey cards" or Photoshop? The answer comes from ExpoDisc, makers of a handy filter that take all your white balance problems away.

Amateur photographers typically leave their cameras on Auto White Balance, where the camera guesses the correct tone for the image. This usually works well, but sometimes gives unpredictable results. To solve this problem professionals have traditionally carried around grey cards. These can be used with the camera's custom white balance setting to calibrate the image so the color is correct.

The ExpoDisc solution is easier; you simply attach the ExpoDisc to the front of your lens and take a picture. Then, use that picture to set your custom white balance for subsequent shots, which will be color-corrected.

The ExpoDisc comes in six standard sizes from 58mm to 82mm, with prices ranging from $79.95 to $159.95. You can purchase the ExpoDisc from the company website . Every photographer's bag should have the ExpoDisc.