Solution
On Set HDRI Capture
A repeatable capture routine from call time to dispatch of the reference
Most reference problems are not about the ball. They are about the routine around it: who shoots it, when, from where, and what leaves set with the plate.
This is the sequence our customers use with a chrome and grey pair, and the kit that supports each step.
The Sequence
Eight Steps in Order
- Prepare. Assemble handles and check threads before call time so nothing is fitted on a live set.
- Position. Place the ball where the subject stands, at subject height, with the camera in its plate position.
- Capture chrome. Bracket wide enough that the brightest source in the reflection still holds detail.
- Capture grey. Expose the 18% grey surface in the same light without moving the camera.
- Chart. Shoot the colour check chart in the same frame position.
- Log. Record lens, height and setup so post can rebuild the position.
- Protect. Return each ball to its fleece bag or cloth cover before the unit moves.
- Repeat. Capture again whenever the lighting setup changes, not only once per location.
The output is a set of references that describe one lighting state, shot from one position, with a known grey anchor and a colour chart.
Kit That Supports It
Ranges Used in This Workflow
7 products
25cm VFX Balls
Full size chrome and grey spheres for wide plates and stock delivery
Read moreFAQ
On Set HDRI Capture FAQ
Do I need both a chrome ball and a grey ball
Most crews shoot both. The chrome ball records the environment and the grey ball records how that environment exposes.
Can one ball do both jobs
Yes, a half mirror half grey ball carries both surfaces on one sphere. Separate spheres give a full hemisphere of each.
How often should reference be captured
Every time the lighting setup changes, not once per location. A reference describes one lighting state.
Can you quote a kit built for our unit
Yes. Send the diameter finish thread and handle you want and we will confirm what is possible and what the dispatch window is.
On Set HDRI Capture
Tell us how your unit works and we will quote a kit around it rather than a catalogue line.