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Pro Reviews:
"...Results in the field are fantastic..." 9 out of 10 Stars Wired Review "The results are absolutely spot-on." "the Colorright can pay for itself in post production time savings the first time you use it." A Score of 4.8/5 CameraDojo Review "I cannot express the simplicity and accuracy of this device enough. For those of you who never use custom white balance, the “wow” factor you get out of your first image will blow you away." Eric- PhotographyBay Review "...for convenience, accuracy and ease of use the ColorRight device is exceptional." Thomas Hubbard- Hubbard's Camera "It works! What can I say? It’s as easy as they say… you simply set your lens for manual focus, place it over the lens, and snap a picture. Then tell your camera to use the white balance setting from that photo, and you’re automatically set up for the light you’re working with. I tried it indoors under both fluorescent and standard incandescent lighting, and in both cases, the results were vastly better than simply setting the white balance with the mode selector." PhotographyCorner- ColorRight Review "Hereʼs my grid of comparative WB device features per my 6-month on the job testing. All disks get my nod for top notch convenience and results for all-around shooting styles and subjects. Yes I found the devices with 5-ratings to be more neutral in practice than all others. Iʼve been a colorist for a good many decades, and Iʼll stake the repute of my eye on the slight, but very discernible differences. But my favoritism comes additionally because disks are so easy to have with you, actually on your person, when youʼre working in the hardest and fastest situations." Sara Frances- 6 Month Technical Review of 10 White Balance Devices Excerpts from a technical review of an earlier version of the Color Right (formerly called the Color Parrot) "Over the various test situations used, the Color Parrot exhibited an equivalent total transmission of about 1.6-1.75 stops greater than the
ExpoDisc (3.0-3.4 times as great). The ExpoDisc used has a rated effective total transmission of 0.182, and thus that of the Color Parrot
would appear to be in the range of 0.55-0.60." "The fairly large equivalent total transmission of the Color Parrot will evidently allow the device to be used successfully for low light measurements with cameras and modes that are not willing to make measurements with a sensor luminance below a certain level. This
seems to include some Nikon models when used in the “on the fly” white balance measurement mode, where a reference image is not taken for later examination)." "The Color Parrot white balance tool is a sturdy and convenient-to-use white balance measurement diffuser. It exhibits a directivity pattern that is considerably narrower than that of other white balance measurement diffusers. Its degree of chromatic neutrality is quite
respectable, a desirable property. It has a higher effective total transmission than some other white balance diffusers, which can avert
difficulty in making white balance measurements in low light with certain cameras." Full Review PDF Paper available here. "I give a big edge to ColorRight setting custom white balance when using flash (especially, on-camera flash). Additionally, the use of reflective light with ColorRight is simply easier than taking incident readings with the ExpoDisc - particularly if you are in an environment where your light source is changing frequently (e.g., wedding photographers)." PhotographyBay Review of ExpoDisc vs. COLORRIGHT Pro Photo Home Review This Review by Drew Strickland, Professional Photography Reviewer and Inventor of the ColorRight Digital White Balance
As all photo pros know, white balance is one of the most important aspects of photography. If you’ve shot digital for any significant amount of time, you’ve discovered how difficult it can be to obtain accurate white balance.
This challenge is not going away anytime soon. As long as the auto white balance functions of today’s cameras continue to fall short, we will be dealing with off-color images. Before we look further at this new patent pending solution, let’s review some of the current digital white balance methods.
The “Save it for Post Production” Methods
The methods outlined in this section basically try to save the white balance work for post-production. The first approach we will review (Gray Card ) functions by inserting some sort of white balance reference into the image frame each time the lighting changes. The second approach (Raw Approach) tries to get by with the auto white balance setting of the camera and then guesses at the right white balance during post production. Both of these approaches have a few pluses, but they have even more minuses.
The Gray Card Approach:
In a studio, or formal portrait sitting a gray card type solution may work great. But just imagine being at a wedding, or covering a football game and asking the subject of your image to stop what they are doing to hold a gray card type of product for you.
What about the guy or gal doing barrel runs at an equestrian event? Or the race car driver, or the musician on stage? What about Landscape Photography?
“Excuse me, Mr.Grand Canyon Mountain, could you please hold this white balance target while I run 4 or 5 miles back to my tripod mounted camera to get a great picture of these amazing colors splashing across your face in the sunset?”
The absurdity of all these solutions really starts to dawn on you, if you stop to think about the sub-par “solutions” we have put up with in regards to white balance.
As you well know, the action is not going to wait on you. Nor, should it. Most photographers would rather have their clients view their presence at these events as an asset, not an obnoxious intrusion.
Even though you don’t have to spend as much time in post as the next method, you still have to go through all of your files and “copy-paste” your settings from your reference frame to all the other images with similar lighting.
The Raw "Band-Aid" Approach:
One of the main reasons our company originally adopted a raw workflow was in an effort to tame this ugly multi-colored challenge. While going all raw worked to some degree, it is an onerous and sub-optimal solution to this problem. Don’t get me wrong, we still shoot raw quite regularly, and there are many other reasons why you may want to shoot in raw, but white balance really shouldn’t be among them.
Why? Because it is very time consuming to try and adjust the white balance manually in post. It is also, by its very nature, inaccurate. When attempting to do this in post without a reference target you are just guessing as to what the true colors were. This is what I like to call the "Raw Band-Aid."
Raw Band-Aid Shoot color blind all day and hope you have the time, energy and memory to bandage it all up in post production. Until fairly recently, no other viable option existed for those who often shoot extensively at live events.
Custom White Balance Method:
Using the Custom White Balance method is a better solution than the previously described approaches. This solution accurately measures the white balance when you capture the image. It works without completely stopping the action, or involving your subjects in the process. This approach uses the built-in camera custom white balance function. Using this approach also means that you will rarely, if ever, need to edit white balance in post. If your primary reason for shooting raw is white balance (color) issues, you can now save lots of time and hard drive space by capturing straight to jpeg.
While it is possible to use a gray card type product for custom white balance, as well, we have discussed how impractical this is when shooting live events.
A few years ago a different set of tools that use the custom white balance approach arrived on the scene. These white balance caps (diffusers) meet some of our criteria, but typically still have five main challenges for our white balance needs. These challenges are that they accept light from 180 degrees, very few are truly neutral, some of them cost a bundle to outfit your whole kit, most do not work well with flash, many do not work well in low light (especially with Nikon).
Challenge #1: These Caps are Not Very Targeted
These caps act as an “integrator of broad light acceptance angle:”
What does that mean? One of the main challenges with most existing white balance diffusers, is that they treat all light entering the lens the same. In other words, light at the edge of the frame is given a similar weight to light at the center of the frame. Not only that, by using small pits in the surface, some products specifically attempt to mix all of the different light sources together so the camera will give an average reading for all of the light sources within 180 degrees. A gray card will give a more targeted reading but has already been ruled out due to the fast, hectic nature of live events.
I don’t want the camera to essentially weigh all light coming from 180 degrees the same. I’m not interested in that blinding light right behind the subject’s head, or the one coming from the videographer’s hot light on the side of the dance floor. I’m only interested in the light source illuminating the face of my subject. The COLORRIGHT allows for more isolation of the subject in regards to white balance.
Challenge #2: Not Chromatically or Spectrally Neutral
What does that mean anyway? In a nutshell, it means that most white balance diffuser type products are not chromatically or spectrally neutral. You will often wind up with images that are a bit too warm, or too cool depending on the product. There is also very little quality control with less expensive diffusers. There is also an internet invented fallacy floating around that suggests you can use household items like plastic lids to get a good white balance reading. Needless to say, these are usually far from being neutral as there is no quality control for use as a white balance tool.
Challenge #3: High Cost Most caps are made to attach directly to the camera lens. It becomes quite costly to purchase a separate cap for each size of lens in your bag. This multiplies the inconvenience, as you now have to keep up with a different cap for each lens used on the job. Of course, you can just buy a large 82mm size cap and hold it over the lens. However, the cost of this one product is over $100 for something constructed primarily of plastic composites. Challenge #4: Do Not Work Well With Flash
Some diffusers do not work well with flash because they were made to also provide exposure information. These caps only allow 18% of the light to pass through to the sensor. When a flash is attached this becomes a real liability, as it is necessary to manually overexpose by about 3 stops to get an accurate reading. Challenge #5: Do Not Work Well in Low Light The same issue here. The most popular diffuser solution only allows 18% of the light to pass through. This creates a situation where low light readings can be cumbersome and more time consuming. The Ultimate White Balance Tool
We have studied our criteria for a white balance solution extensively. We have reviewed the existing solutions. We found none of the products delivered suitable performance for many photographers. Taking this information, we dedicated ourselves to creating the Ultimate Custom White Balance Tool. The COLORRIGHT is the patent pending result of all the hard work.
Easy to Use
Convenient
Center-Weighted
Accurate (Chromatically and Spectrally Very Neutral)
Well Constructed
Cost efficient
Works Better in Low Light Works Better with Flash
Guaranteed to work with all Digital SLRs and Lenses, including those by Canon, Nikon, Fuji, Pentax, Olympus, Sony and many more.
Easy to Use:
Simply set your camera in custom white balance mode instead of auto white balance. Then take a single reference image each time you change location or lighting.
Total time: 15 seconds or less. Step by step instructions are included for every major camera model. Convenient:
One Size Fits All - The COLORRIGHT does not attach to the lens, so one 82mm filter size will work with all lenses 82mm filter size or smaller. You do not need to fish around in your bags for a different size for each lens.
Accurate:
The COLORRIGHT has multiple carefully selected spectrally neutral layers. Some of these layers block light, while others help ensure a center-weighted measurement. Each layer has been carefully selected to ensure accurate white balance.
The COLORRIGHT has been tested and verified to be one of the very few chromatically and spectrally neutral white balance diffusers on the market. Independent technical writer Doug Kerr has said of an earlier version of the COLORRIGHT called the color parrot that it is:
"a well-constructed, effective white balance
measurement diffuser. It exhibits good chromatic neutrality (the most
important attribute of such a tool)."
As you can see below, the built in auto white balance setting produces colors that are way off the mark. The COLORRIGHT performs much better.
COLORRIGHT Center Weighted for "Real Life" shooting:
The White Target is center-weighted to provide a more targeted reading.
Especially useful in "real life" mixed lighting environments with a backlit subject.
COLORRIGHT Center-Weighted Advantage
You can easily see how The COLORRIGHT's Center Weighted white balance measure is giving more weight to the face. The skin tones are much more accurate. The other non-targeted diffuser is too blue. This is because this scene was backlit by a different color light.
*"Real Life" Reflective Measurements are used in all of these samples because that is the way almost all live event photographers need to work. They need to be able to simply point the COLORRIGHT at the subject(s) they are photographing.
It is also possible to use the COLORRIGHT in another more time consuming manner, by standing where your subject is and photographing the actual lights hitting the subject. While this "incident" method will sometimes produce more accurate results than the reflective method, it is often impractical/ impossible to use this longer method. You may wish to use this method when in a more controlled lighting environment (eg. studio work). Most other manufacturers of white balance diffusers state that the incident method is the only correct way to use their product. The COLORRIGHT has been designed for use with both methods of measurement. Works Better with Flash:
Well Constructed:
The COLORRIGHT is constructed of high quality glass and metal, not composite or plastic. It is not easily scratched, as some of the other products are.
Cost Efficient:
Since there is only one product to buy, you will most likely spend much less for a complete white balance solution. Some other companies charge over $100 for the same size product.
Take Action and Take Back Control of your Color
With The Color Right it only takes about 15 seconds to get accurate white balance as you go through the day. Why not save yourself lots of time in post with COLORRIGHT.
Purchase COLORRIGHT 
"This sucker works!! Colorright gives me truer colors and saves lots of time back at the office...and TIME is MONEY!" David Beckstead American Photo Magazine Top 10 Wedding Photographer of 2007 *Guarantee: if it does not work with your camera we will fully refund your payment price minus any applicable sales tax and shipping. Product is fully backed by a 2 year manufacturing defect warranty. Works with all standard lenses. Customer Feedback: "It (COLORRIGHT) is the easiest white balance tool we have found. We started using it the day we received it, and we don’t take our cameras anywhere without it; which means it is always with us.”
“We are so happy with this tool. It is one of the best purchases I have ever made for my husband and myself.”
Norine Piet “It saves lots of time and colors are very good. It performed very well in a number of gyms that had various light sources. Extremely pleased. This really cut down on my post processing. This is very simple to operate. I shoot with a Canon 5D.”
Kent Holder
Portrait and Indoor Sporting Event Photographer
Before the Color Right he set white balance in post-production "Saving time in post-processing, while I shoot, is very important to me. I shoot RAW yet it still takes time to color-balance after the shoot if I only use Auto White Balance. I prefer to get it right on location. I shoot plenty of mixed lighting at night on my videolight model shoots. Talk about hard to get right’ WB! Wedding receptions also seem to freak-out my in-camera Auto WB. I timed this: it takes me 24 seconds to pull out a ColorRight disk from my pocket and custom WB my shots. I am working on beating the 20-second mark!! Suffice to say this sucker works!! ColorRight gives me truer colors and saves time back at the office…and TIME is MONEY!"
David Beckstead American Photo Top 10 Wedding/ Fashion Photographer "...blown away when I saw the results and ease of use.” Donald Keith
Portrait/Wedding Photographer "I've only just heard of your tool and am desperate to get it. It is JUST what I need for a project I am doing now, a photo book of antique white jade carvings, which is particularly sensitive to color balance. With its shiny surface, translucent quality and subtle color shades, antique white jade carvings are extremely difficult to photography well. Sounds like your tool is exactly what I need to fully utilize the depth of color to depict these colors accurately." and from a follow-up email, this customer had this to say. "Despite my brothers praises of ColorRight, I must say that we were still shocked by HOW MUCH difference it made. Not only does it save me hours upon hours of post-production adjustments, the final photos bring out all the subtle and beautiful qualities that are important to the expert eye, that no amount of adjusting could yield before." ColorRight Customer in China
“performed surprisingly well over the Expodisk."
Tom McKean
Studio and Outdoors/Nature Photographer
Owns Expodisk as well
Compared to the WhiBal “it is great. Getting the color is easier, as it is real time, versus having to go fix the white balance in post-production.”
David Schow
Social Events Photographer
Owns WhiBal as well
“great” compared to a grey card.
Gene Carl
Sporting Events Photographer
Also uses grey card
I “am really enjoying using it, that’s for sure.”
“Recent scenario: In a wedding chapel. Party is near candles. There is flourescent lighting in the chapel. Recessed spot lighting above the bride and groom and massive amounts of window light peering through stained glass windows. The color of the light? Pft. This is where [it] came into action. My subjects skin tones looked nice and so did the surrounding areas. Time in Photoshop = NONE!
Talk about saving on workflow.”
Kix Pix Photography
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