# Using a grey card for video?



## kat.hayes (Jan 5, 2018)

Is a grey card used to measure 18% from just like it is with photography? OR does it work differently?

Thanks.


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## hne (Jan 5, 2018)

kat.hayes said:


> Is a grey card used to measure 18% from just like it is with photography? OR does it work differently?
> 
> Thanks.



Yes. Video is photography at a high frame rate, often with additional audio recording.

If you make some footage of a stepped grey scale chart (which have an 18% grey background and average 18% grey for your convenience), that would help you tweak SOP. With a video colour chart you could then tweak SAT too. This was done with oscilloscopes in analog broadcast engineering. Now we've got those emulated in software in our NLEs.

The modern solution is to make some footage of a colour reference card and have the software auto adjust based on that before you start creative grading.


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## stevelee (Jan 29, 2018)

My cameras, 6D2 and G7X II, let you take a picture of a white piece of paper, and then will come up with a custom white balance based on that. Does that work the same way when shooting video, i.e., will the video use the custom white balance from the still shot?

Does that work well? Or would one need still to shoot a gray card and color chips for less than critical application?


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## tolusina (Jan 30, 2018)




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