Frequently Asked Questions about WarmCards

What are WarmCards?

The WarmCards White Balance Reference System is a specialized camera accessory that allows professional camera operators and photographers to take creative control over their camera's white balance -- and then to keep the custom white balance consistent throughout the shoot -- with extreme precision. WarmCards work with all digital SLRs and professional TV/video cameras that have a manual white balance function.

• The most important change with WarmCards 3.0 is that all of the cards are now constructed of extruded TerraPoly Plastic. This change in material makes the 3.0 cards virtually indestructible. They are 100% waterproof, flexible, easy to clean, and the color can't be scratched or worn off.

• The eight new shades of colors used in WarmCards 3.0 have been specially formulated to provide even better colors with modern CMOS HD camcorders and digital SLRs. These shade were created after extensive studio testing and feedback from customers.

• The new 3.0 small cards have twice as much target area as our previous 2.0 small cards --but the overall card dimensions are only slightly larger.

• The new 3.0 large cards have 40% more target area as our previous 2.0 large cards, but the overall card size is exactly the same as before.

• The new 3.0 cards are now double-sided. In other words, they have the same color on both sides of the card. The backside of each card is completely plain with no printing or markings of any kind.
  

• WarmCards 3.0 now includes a Digital 18% Gray Card. Gray cards are traditionally used to set exposure, but our specially designed Digital Gray Card can also be used to provide a mild warming effect that falls mid-way between our White Card and the Warm 1 Card.

• All whites are not equal. For times when you do not want any noticeable warming to your white balance, our special 3.0 White Card provides better skin tones than a PortaBrace white card, Kodak gray card, Delta gray card, or regular copy paper.

Why do professionals need WarmCards?

An ordinary, straight-forward, white balance is rarely acceptable these days in professional video production and photography. By tricking the camera's white balance into producing better colors, it is easy to get the "warm look" that audiences and clients prefer.

What are the benefits of WarmCards?

• Allows creative control over your camera's white balance setting.

• Engineered to improve skin tones for interviews and on-camera talent.

• Designed for professional use by experienced cameramen/photographers.

• Eliminates wasted time color correcting/grading footage in post.

• Image adjustments are made at the full bit-depth of the camera -- before any compression.
  

• As easy to use as ordinary white cards.

• No matte is box required.

• One set of cards will work with all lenses and all cameras you own.
  

• More cost effective and easier to use than glass warming filters.
  

• Do not interfere with any glass filters used at the same time.
  

• Ensures a consistent "look" from different crews working separately.
  

• A field monitor is not required to check the results.
  

• Choose from different levels of warming or cooling for different situations.
  

• Two sizes of cards.
  

• Strong, durable, waterproof, and are easily cleaned.
  

• All cards have metal eyelets for easy carrying or hanging.
  

• Easier to use than adding "warming" gels to your lights.

• Clients, talent, models, and audiences prefer warmer-looking skin tones.

• YOU retain creative control rather than hoping someone else will grade your footage properly in post.

Which cameras work with WarmCards?

WarmCards work perfectly with any television, video, or digital SLR camera that has a manual white balance control. Unlike glass filters, WarmCards will work with any camera, any lens, and with or without other camera accessories. They are as easy to use as ordinary white cards. Many producers, freelancers, and directors of photography who don't even own their own camera -- have their own personal WarmCards System to take to shoots because they know that it will be 100% compatible with any camera package they use.

Is a video field monitor or color viewfinder required?

No. Once you have experimented with WarmCards and have an understanding of how they will affect the video you shoot, a monitor is no more or less necessary than if you weren't shooting with WarmCards. Unlike haphazard "warming" techniques, the results you get with WarmCards are very consistent. You'll feel confident in white balancing with WarmCards without checking the results on a monitor.

How do I decide which of the WarmCards to use?

WarmCards can be an important part of the "look" of a production, and the extent of warming (or cooling) you desire won't always be the same. That's why WarmCards come in multiple grades of differing strengths so that the extent of the "warming" can be tailored to suit the needs of any production. The higher the number, the stronger the effect. Three shades of WarmCards, two Shades of CoolCards, a Minus Green Card, a true White Card, and an Digital 18% Gray Card included with every system.

Download the WarmCards 3.0 User Guide

What are CoolCards?

CoolCards provide the opposite effect of WarmCards. Rather than using a WarmCard to increase the warm tones of a shot, sometimes you may want to choose one of the two CoolCards to get a totally different look for your video. For example, CoolCards are a great way to make skies and water look even bluer. CoolCards are also useful outdoors at night when a cool white balance might look more natural.

What is the purpose of the Minus Green Card?

Cheap fluorescent lighting usually has a greenish cast to it - thus, distorting colors and making people look unhealthy. This is a common problem at places such as factories, airports, schools, retail stores, office buildings, supermarkets, car dealerships, and hospitals. Many shooters work under the mistaken assumption that a "normal" white balance will compensate for the green tint of these kinds of lights -- but it does not. The Minus Green Card counteracts the greenish tint Colors are truer and skin tones look healthier.

How easy is it to use WarmCards when shooting a typical television/video interview?

1. Setup your camera, lighting, etc.

2. Choose the particular WarmCard that will provide the amount of warming that you desire. Different situations and production styles will dictate different levels of warming. In general, a Warm 1 Card or Warm 2 Card is best for interviews and head shots.

3. When the lighting is set, have your talent hold the card in front of his/her face.

4. Zoom the lens in until the card fills most of the viewfinder.

5. Put the camera on automatic exposure or adjust the exposure manually so that it isn't over or under exposed.

6. Set your camera's white balance control to manual (usually this is an A / B toggle switch) . . . and then press the manual white balance button.

7. When the camera has finished white balancing, zoom back out, compose your shot, set your final exposure, and start shooting.

NOTE: Not sure what the proper exposure should be? WarmCards 3.0 can help with that, too. The White Card and Digital 18% Gray Card can easily be used to determine the proper exposure because they both provide a consistent and "known" reflectance value for determining what the perfect exposure should be. FYI, the common practice of using Zebras on skin tones to set exposure is imprecise because skin tones vary from person to person, race to race, etc.

What is the difference between the regular WarmCards 3.0 kit and the WarmCards 3.0 Junior kit?

Besides the price, the main difference is the size of the cards that are included. The regular WarmCards kit includes both large and small cards, while the WarmCards Junior kit only includes the small cards. Both products include all eight shades of colors, and all cards have metal eyelets for carrying via chains or lanyards.

Note: The new 3.0 small cards are 100% larger than previous versions of small WarmCards.

Why are there two sizes of cards?

The small cards are very portable and easy to carry around in your pocket, but they are usually too small to use when you're setting up for a television interview. In a typical interview setup, after all the lighting is finished, the camera will almost always be located too far away to zoom in and fill the frame with a small WarmCard when it is held close to the subject's face. The large card allows you to zoom in and white balance without having to physically pick up the camera and move it closer to the subject. So, the large cards are perfect for interviews, but they are too big to carry in your pocket. That's why most professionals need to have both sizes.

What are the eight shades that are included with WarmCards 3.0?

• Three shades for warming:
  Warm 1, Warm 2, Warm 3
  
  
• Two shades for cooling:
  Cool 1, Cool 2
  
  
• One shade for use with fluorescent lighting:
  Minus Green
  
  
• One card for neutral white balancing:
  White
  
  
• One card for setting exposure, and also for neutral white balancing with a slightly warm touch:
  Digital 18% Gray Card

Why shouldn't I just use my camera's Auto-White Balance mode?

Auto white balance usually results in colors that are neither as good as they should be, nor very consistent from shot to shot. Why?  Because auto white balance is designed to force the camera to constantly change and adapt to what it senses are different lighting conditions – even if that isn’t really the case. Auto White Balance will almost always be too cool and that degrades the vibrancy of the other colors. However, a white balance that is too cool often isn’t immediately obvious. The image may look “okay.” You may think that the shot is fine. You then live with an image that doesn’t have the best color and doesn’t show off your subject or your work at its best.  Are you willing to settle for “okay” results or do you want to take creative control of your white balance?

WarmCards vs. Offset White

Some cameras now offer a feature called Offset White that forces the camera to add or subtract a certain amount of color temperature to a manual white balance.  However, the color changes caused by Offset White are usually too crude to produce nice results.  A pleasing white balance needs to take into consideration all three RGB color channels to be effective.  Using Offset White is kind of like just cranking up the bass on a stereo -- where WarmCards is more like choosing a preset on a multi-band equalizer that has been finely-tuned to produce a certain kind of pleasing sound.

How do WarmCards compare to ExpoDisc?

First of all, ExpoDiscs must be mounted on the front of your lens. So you'll need different sizes or have to buy adapter rings for every lens you own.

Second, ExpoDiscs are designed to only give you an ordinary neutral white balance -- while WarmCards are designed to give you a warmer or cooler white balance. Although there is a new version of ExpoDisc called "portrait" that provides some warming, once again, it won't fit all lenses, and it only offers one shade. On the other hand, WarmCards work with all lenses and every kit includes 8 different shades to choose from.

Third, the biggest problem with ExpoDisc is one that you might overlook until you've used it. Once an ExpoDisc is mounted on the lens, it can only measure the light that happens to be hitting the front of the lens. That is an ambient reading, but white balance is best done with a reflected reading. Think about that. Is the lighting at the camera position necessarily the same light that is hitting your subject? Not always. There are many situations where setting a white balance based on the light striking the camera lens will not be as accurate as aiming the camera at a specific target (such as a WarmCard) and taking a reading from that object only. With ExpoDisc, you have to physically move the camera to set your white balance if the lighting at the subject's position is different than the light at the camera's position.

For example, in a portrait studio or when shooting a television interview, the camera's shooting position is usually outside the sphere of lighting and in the dark. To use ExpoDisc in this type of shooting situation, because it acts as an incident meter, you must physically move the camera (after all the lights have been set) over to where the subject is located . . . aim the camera towards the original camera position so the lighting strikes the camera in the same way that it will strike the subject . . . set your white balance . . . and then drag the camera back over to the original position and frame it up on the subject. Not only does moving the camera waste a lot of time, it is really a hassle if the camera is tethered to a power adapter, flash sync cord, a monitor, audio, or other accessories. Why bother? WarmCards are so much simpler to use. You just hold the card in front of the subject . . . zoom into the card . . . set the white balance . . . re-frame the shot and start shooting. In fact, using WarmCards is sort of like using "spot metering" to set your white balance.

How do WarmCards compare to WhiBal?

Using a WhiBal card will ultimately lead to extra steps in your post production workflow, extra rendering, and additional files. WhiBal might be a useful product if professional cameras didn't have any internal white balance controls -- but that's not the case. Today's cameras are very good at producing excellent results -- at the time of shooting -- with no post-processing needed later.

Second, WhiBal can only be used to give you an ordinary neutral white balance -- while WarmCards are designed to give you either a warmer, cooler, or neutral white balance. It's your choice.

Third, WhiBal is not really a white balancing tool at all because you don't use it to set the white balance on your camera while you're shooting. And if you don't set your white balance at the time of shooting, then you are NOT controlling white balance. WhiBal assumes that you will totally ignore white balance out in the field, and then "fix" it later on your computer. Does that sound like the right way to do it?

Why would a photographer want to waste time "fixing" the white balance with their computer when they could shoot their pictures correctly in the first place? Using WarmCards instead of WhiBal will save you several steps in your workflow -- plus a lot of time and hassle.

To use WhiBal you must take a photograph of the card while you're out on-location (make sure not to delete that photo!!!). Then, when you come back to your computer, you can use your editing software's "eyedropper" tool to click on the image of the WhiBal card and attempt to "fix" the white balance. If you like what you see, then you can apply that adjustment to the hundreds of other photos that you may have taken at that location.

Why bother with all that? Why not use the camera itself as as a sort of "eyedropper" tool while you're on-location to "sample" the color of the WarmCard? Then the camera is setting the white balance for you right when it takes the picture. That's the way professional video/TV cameramen have been doing it for over 40 years. It's fast, easy, and consistent. Plus it does does it at the full bit-depth of the camera before any compression or signal degradation that occurs just prior to recording. Nearly all professional cameras have to "dumb down" their video signal just prior to being output to the recording media.

How do WarmCards compare to glass warming filters?

Using dedicated "warming" filters is popular these days, but very problematic. First of all, you have to remove the filter every time the lighting conditions change and you want to re-white balance -- otherwise the camera will compensate for the warmth created by the filter and the result will be a neutral white balance with no warming. Taking the filter on and off every time you need to white balance is a hassle.

Second, unless you have a matte box, most lenses are only able to handle one screw-in filter at a time. What if you also want to use a SoftFX, ProMist, polarizer, or other filter at the same time? Yes, you can get "warm" versions of these filters but they only come in one grade, and each one of them will cost more than the entire WarmCards System.

Third, what about matching footage with other crews? Even if two crews have the same warming filter, the white balance will still be affected by what you white balance on. Sheets of paper, Porta-Brace white cards, tee-shirts, and other supposedly "white" references are not all created equal and will result in widely varying color temperatures. If every camera is white balanced with the same shade of WarmCards, then you greatly improve the odds of getting matching footage.

How durable are WarmCards?

WarmCards are manufactured (in the USA) from durable TerraPoly plastic that provides excellent colorimity and durability. WarmCards are nearly indestructible. They are 100% waterproof; any scratches and other blemishes won't change the color; and the matte finish reduces reflections while white balancing.

Can WarmCards be used underwater by divers?

Absolutely. Hundreds of divers use WarmCards underwater for video and stills. As soon as you go below the surface the light changes and you start to lose colors (mostly in the red range). Light and color is absorbed with increasing depth. Using WarmCards can give you a more consistent white balance even when used with underwater lights. Customers report that the warmer white balance helps to bring out the colors of the fish and the skin tones of the divers. They simply look more natural, avoiding that washed out appearance you sometimes notice when shooting underwater. However, underwater, your white balance needs to be reset every time you change depth or whenever the lighting conditions change.

How can I get client or producer approval to use WarmCards?

When shown a side-by-side demonstration of a warm balance vs. an ordinary white balance, clients and producers will almost always choose the latter. The perception of what looks "correct" quickly changes when people see how ugly a "normal" white balance really is. The WarmCards difference is noticeable and very impressive to anyone looking at the monitor.

Most professional video cameras have two white balance memories. We suggest that you white balance with a WarmCard on memory A, and then use an ordinary white card on memory B. Now, switch back and forth between the two settings to demonstrate the difference. Your client will be impressed with WarmCards.

How does the WarmCards System work with tungsten fixtures, HMI lights, LEDs, and daylight-balanced fluorescents?

WarmCards work great with all types of lighting -- both indoors and out. WarmCards are a great way to help soften the harsh, cold, bluish hues produced by HMI, LED, and Fluorescent lights. You'll immediately notice greatly improved the skin tones of on-camera talent without destroying the overall outdoor color balance of the shot.

Why is a uniform consistent "look" among different crews so important?

Previously television networks, magazine shows, and other high-end producers had complete control over the "look" of their footage because their staff shooters used company-owned gear that had been setup by staff technicians. However, in recent years there has been a shift towards using independent, freelance, owner-operator crews with their own gear.

Short of having all the independent crews get their cameras setup by the same technician, how can producers effectively control the "look" of their footage? Even if a producer only hired crews with the exact same model of camera, there are too many other variables (camera age, camera setup, lens, lighting instruments, lighting techniques, etc.) to ensure that the footage will "match". The answer is often WarmCards. WarmCards can't guarantee 100% matching footage, but it can make a big difference.

Another popular production technique is to rely on color correction and grading in post to create a "look". While that makes sense for some productions, we believe a better way is to get it "right" in the camera. You'll save time grading, rendering, and won't have to learn a whole new set of software skills or hire someone to do the grading for you.

How does the use of WarmCards compare to other "warming" techniques?

WarmCards is not the only way to get warmer video. Other haphazard, hit-or-miss methods have been used for years. What WarmCards provides is a fast, easy, and predictable way to get consistent results without any hassle at all. For less than the cost of one Tiffen 812 warming filter, WarmCards provides so much more.

WarmCards vs. White Balancing through Blue Gels

This technique has decent results if you have the time; the camera is on a tripod or you have an assistant to help; and you don't care about consistency between different shots. The age, condition, and hue of the gel will all affect the white balance -- and so will the white card that you are shooting through the gel. Is it pure white? Is it the same white you used on previous shots? Is it the same exact gel? Can you hold the gel and the white card while you are doing hand-held b-roll? Are you carrying the faded, wrinkled gel in your pocket? Is your "warm look" going to be consistent from shot to shot, and match with other crews working on the same program? Do you dare white balance through a gel without checking the results on a monitor?

WarmCards vs. Adding Warming Gels to Your Lights

Once again this technique can have good results, but it is a hassle -- and only works if you are lighting the shot yourself and can white balance before you add the gels. What about natural light in the shot -- how would you warm it? What if you are shooting in available light only? What if you are shooting outside? Can you easily add gels to your Kino-Flo, Chimera, Photoflex, and Rifa soft lights? Are the results going to be consistent between setups? What about matching your "warm look" with other crews?

WarmCards vs. Camera Setup by a Qualified Technician

Having your camera adjusted by a service technician so that it always looks warmer is expensive and limits your flexibility. The "warm" look is not right for everything, and sometimes accurate color reproduction is very important. Do you want everything you shoot to look warmer? Investing in a set of WarmCards is very inexpensive and keeps your camera within factory specifications.

What is White Balance, anyway?

White balance is a camera control that adjusts the camera's color sensitivity to match the prevailing color of outdoor light (cooler), indoor light (warmer) or fluorescent light (greener). On most cameras, white balance may be set either automatically or manually. On professional cameras, white balance can be set to match exactly the light source you're shooting with.

Download the WarmCards 3.0 User Guide

Some people mistakenly think all you need to do is find a scrap of white paper or card, put the card in front of the camera and press the button marked "White Balance". Well, there's more to it than that if you want to have complete control over the video you shoot.

Auto White Balance:

Many cameras allow completely "automated" white balance. Amateur camera operators are fooled into thinking you don't have to worry about whether you're shooting indoors or out, the camera makes the color decisions for you when this setting is engaged. While auto white balance is convenient it's also prone to color shifts, especially under mixed light sources. For best results, professionals always perform a manual white balance anytime lighting conditions change.

Manual White Balance:

Manual white balance is a setting that allows camera operators to match the exact lighting used. It is the professional way to shoot and is very easy to accomplish. The operator generally shoots a "white card" and presses a white balance button that adjusts the red, green and blue CCD signals so that the white card appears "white" and exhibits no color cast. This procedure, of course, must be performed every time you encounter different lighting conditions. All professional cameras allow you set a white balance manually.

To determine what is "white", the electronics in your camera must be shown a white object under the light that you will be shooting in. This is called "white balancing" your camera, and you must do a white balance every time lighting conditions change.

It is especially important to re-white balance when moving between indoors and outdoors, and between rooms lit by different kinds of lights. During early morning and late evening, the daylight changes quickly and significantly. Although your eyes don't always notice, your camera will.

What is Color Temperature?

Each type of light has a numerical temperature that can be expressed in degrees. Here are the (rough) Kelvin temperatures of typical lighting conditions:

The human eye/brain automatically compensates for the color temperature of light falling on an object. When you move from the bright, blue-tinted sunlight to the dim, yellow-tinted indoor lighting, your eye automatically adjusts to the different color of light and changes your perception accordingly. Unfortunately, even the most expensive video cameras can't automatically do what the eye does, so we have to show our cameras what we want them to read as "white" in any given scene. It is imperative that you white balance manually for the absolute best results.

After you've tried WarmCards, you'll soon notice that people usually appear ill under a standard white balance. By comparing a standard white balance to a WarmCards white balance on someone sitting under interview lighting, you will soon appreciate the difference.

Download the WarmCards 3.0 User Guide