In summary
A portable calibration tool for photographers who want colour-accurate exposures. . . [more]
Full review
Quality rating (out of 10)
Build: 8.5
Versatility: 8.5
Value for money: 7.5
Photographers who work in colour have often used grey cards to ensure their images are properly exposed and colour corrected. This practice is as useful today as ever and Lastolite has released an innovative ‘grey card’ that makes it easy to achieve correct exposures wherever you are. Lastolite’s Ezybalance is a fabric surface in a foldable frame that packs into a pocketable zippered pouch. One side of the ‘card’ is white, while the other is 18% grey with a printed ‘gun sight’ target for the photographer to focus on. The device can be used in several ways.
- To determine an average exposure level, simply place the Ezybalance ‘card’ grey side up in front of the subject and take a spot meter reading or half-press the shutter (provided the ‘card’ almost fills the field of view). Remove the ‘card’ and set the exposure to the measured value – or fully press the shutter release to take the shot.
- Take an extra shot of the subject with the grey side of the card included. This image can be used to balance image colours and exposure levels post-capture, using applications such as Adobe Photoshop.
- To take a custom white balance measurement, place the Ezybalance ‘card’ white side up in front of the subject, ensuring it is illuminated by the same lighting, and use the camera’s manual white balance control to measure the colour of the light.
- The ‘card’ can also be used white side up as a reflector to direct extra light onto small, close subjects.
In use, the Ezybalance worked well for all these applications and was simple to use. The small size, robust construction and portability of Lastolite’s Ezybalance make it an ideal accessory for quality-conscious photographers who want to achieve correctly-exposed pictures under the widest range of conditions. It will be particularly useful for professional photographers who take product shots or specialise in wedding and fashion photography, as it will minimise the risk of incorrect exposures and allow hues and tones to be accurately reproduced with minimal hassles.
Specifications
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