An 18% gray target is really for reflective (print) work. Although it can be used as a video reference, it does not correlate exactly to digital images.

I have a target called, WhiBal, I have used with my DSLR, but really only for stills.

Neutral targets are good for getting your white balance properly set since they guarantee that you have something in your frame that is truly neutral.

Vegas does not have any way to get an RGB readout at a position, so it is a little less obvious to use than in Photoshop or ACR.

The Vegas White balance effect expects you to click on something neutral so that is an obvious option. With Vegas color corrector using the minus eyedropper to take color away is another way to use the neutral target to remove a color cast.

White cards are the obvious thing for setting white balance in the camera but they should always be close to 100%. Don't use a grey card for this and other reasons.

A grey card I have found useful from time to time because my camera has a metering readout. Between that and a grey card I can do a sanity check on where I think exposure should be but really I'm a bit of a belt and braces kind of guy. That said a one can buy a packet that contains two sizes of cards made by Kodak for not much cash and one side is white and the other grey in a half decent vinyl wallet, money well spend really. Beyond them the other fancy charts from DSC Labs etc., are fine if you're a serious measurabator and have to test cameras but they're quite expensive and do have a use by date.

Bob.

yes, grey cards are made for exposure. but grey/white/black targets are mainly for white balance and exposure.

You're both right and wrong.
Yes, the 18% gray card is designed for setting exposure.
But, you can get a good white balance from *any* neutral colored card. As long as R=G=B, your camera won't care if the card is grey or white.

I use this one http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/465713-REG/DSC_Labs_PCE_PCE_Pocket_Camette_Test.html
I use the white side first and then shoot a few seconds of the color chart. This will be used in post as a reference and to fine tune the video. I do all this mainly for indoor shoots. I have only used it once for outdoors in winter high up in the Colorado mountains.

I know this is really crude (maybe even downright primitive), but I keep a 2' x 3' Italian flag (red, white and green) in my kit and have someone hold it up on stage with full lights on. I shoot it with each camera, and use the scene to do color matches. Works fine.

Tip: For best WB and shooting experience at high altitudes, keep a glass UV filter on the lens at all times. A polarizer can be useful, too.

Yes, I have a UV filter on my lens at all times; I haven't purchased the polarizer yet. The WB did help in the mountain but in general, working in such bright conditions isn't easy and snow can look very different from different angles.

White balancing on daylit snow is a bad idea, and can turn the scene warm or magenta. A card is recommended, and care must be taken not to WB on reflected, open sky.

+1 musicvid10
I tried that before and as you mentioned, it looks terrible and that is why I now use the card to do it. But still, the snow will reflect what ever the sky conditions are and your white balance can be off very fast making it difficult to have consistent white balance throughout the day.

I would not do too much interim WB during the day, maybe if it goes overcast or close to sunset.

An incident or spot meter should give you the same value as the 18% grey patch. If using a spot meter you'd read off the patch, with an incident meter you just hold it where you want to get a reading, facing the camera. Similarly, setting your camera exposure off the 18% grey *should* give you a correct exposure, but your mileage may vary. Always test.

I recently had need for a 1/3 target while shooting product stills. I had been regularly using Nikon Capture on a reliable laptop but had to switch to a new laptop with a bad TN screen and it was impossible to judge exposure. Image looked good, histogram looked marginal, should I believe the histogram or my own lying eyes? With a chip chart I could easily see where the chips were actually falling.

Was there a lesson? Yes, get a laptop with a good IPS screen. This is probably the only reason I would consider a Macbook.

Rob