# Sad Day for George Eastman and Atlanta!



## PenMan1 (Aug 12, 2011)

The wife had to drive into Gotham for a job interview today, so I decided to tag along. I had a list! There is some stuff you just can't get in suburbia!

First on my list (and in my budget) was a brand new 18% neutral density card or photo gray card. While I didn't expect to find one here in heaven, I did expect one in the Ninth Largest Metro Area in the U.S. one of the 25th largest populations in the world.

I took my "stock number" from my 1972 photo gray card with me. I went to the first location of the "World's Largest Camera Retail Store" (and after checking, they are a few billion cameras short of Wal-Mart and short a few tens of thousand outlets, too).

The first location didn't have one (or a neutral density filter, that I could use on white paper). Tried location two who said it was not in the computer, so it had never been made- so forget the Eastman Kodsk Part Number that I copied from my ruined card. Location three told me that "cameras don't see gray" and that is why newspapers mark with gray pencils. And finally, location four, where the salesman informed me that the "new" cameras (and on sale at his location) use  laser beams that digitally transmit this information to gps satellites for much more critical color rendition. I might have bought a camera to reward this moron for his creative thinking. Except when I asked "which satellite" he said the ones on the MARTA BUSES!

Oh well, I guess I'll use "laser paper". Maybe it will auto connect me to the MARTA satellite.


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## simomatra (Aug 12, 2011)

Is this what you are looking for Andy

http://www.mainlinephoto.com.au/prod102.htm


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## PenMan1 (Aug 12, 2011)

Thanks, Sam!
This is exactly what I'm looking for! Now, if I can just find one the U.S. and for less than $23. 

My last one cost 99 cents.


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## Russell Eaton (Aug 12, 2011)

Hey Andy, maybe you can get you photo to look like a Marta seat with the new paper.


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## PenMan1 (Aug 12, 2011)

Russell Eaton said:


> Hey Andy, maybe you can get you photo to look like a Marta seat with the new paper.


 
Just thinking about that image is frightening! Maybe I'll just "hand in" my passport. Some things a country boy just don't need to know about.:biggrin:


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## warreng8170 (Aug 12, 2011)

Sad indeed. I can't help but feel sorry for all the people who have to rely on these idiots when making photography purchasing decisions. 

Here is one from B&H photo. I order ALL my photo-related supplies from them. Excellent service. 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/231564-REG/Delta_98705C_Gray_Card_4.html

They have other ones, but this was the cheapest I saw.


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## Whaler (Aug 12, 2011)

Andy, Amazon has a good selection you might take a look there.


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## monophoto (Aug 12, 2011)

Andy - 

It doesn't have to be rocket science.  

The accuracy of an exact 18% gray card is greater than the accuracy of your meter and/or camera.  If you can find one, that's great.  But if not, go to a fabric store or hobby shop and buy a square of gray felt.  That's reasonably close.  

If you are using a modern digital camera, you will almost certainly have an exposure compensation function.  Make a few test exposures with the gray felt, and then compare the images with reality, and adjust the exposure compensation until you are 'close enough'.  From that point on, what you are concerned about will be the repeatability of the measurement, and not the accuracy.


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## PenMan1 (Aug 12, 2011)

Thanks Warren, Dick and Louie!  I KNEW these still had to be available. Sad that you can't just pop over to the local camera shop, like in the old days.

Louie, The gray felt is an excellent suggestion! While I "could get by" with just a white piece of paper, I just bought a new, self enclosed, photo enclosure. While it works "ok" in automatic. I really want to set this up as exact as possible, because I think this little $125 box has great potential.

Thanks again.


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## Whaler (Aug 12, 2011)

Funny thing is that about 2 years ago I needed a new card and figured no way in our little town of 3,500. I was in our mom & pop drug store/camera shop one day so I asked and they had 2 of the old Kodak cards.


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## ed4copies (Aug 12, 2011)

Whaler said:


> Funny thing is that about 2 years ago I needed a new card and figured no way in our little town of 3,500. I was in our mom & pop drug store/camera shop one day so I asked and they had 2 of the old Kodak cards.




From the point of view of a small business (mom and pop), I understand THAT they had it.  They probably asked themselves many times WHY they still had it!!!

Inventory, more precisely DEAD inventory can sink a "ship of commerce" (small business)!!

Buy the other one and send it to Andy:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:
Your "mom and pop" won't reorder


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