| Author | Thread |
|
|
09/10/2004 08:50:48 AM · #1 |
| Can anyone explain what White Balance is & how / when you should adjust it? |
|
|
|
09/10/2004 09:16:23 AM · #2 |
I'm really just an amature, but from what I've read the white balance controls how you camera reacts to the light you are using. My camera's white balance is automatic so I can't adjust it, but I understand that the setting are for things like incandesent lighting which cast a yellow glow. Say you are taking pictures inside. If you set your white balance to reflect the light source it changes those yellow hues to a more natural light. Again, I'm not the best person and I'm probably not explaining it very well. It is kind of a tint control. Maybe this bump will help you get a better explination.
Donna |
|
|
|
09/10/2004 09:32:49 AM · #3 |
Some cameras also allow you to set a custom white balance. This is useful when you are mixing different types of light sources. Take a picture of something white in the lighting you are using and set the custom white balance based on that. Every camera is different in how the custom white balance works but that's the gist of what you need to do.
|
|
|
|
09/10/2004 02:41:11 PM · #4 |
White balance sets what is called the white point of the image -- that is, what value of RGB is to be considered pure white. All other values are adjusted by the difference between that color and actual white.
Different light sources are said to have different temperatures. This is used as a standard of measurement, and may not have any relation to the actual physical temperature of the light. Sunlight on a bright day is the usual calibration standard, but put cloud cover between it and your subject and the light is cooled down, giving everything a blue color cast. Shade will do the same. Setting the colorbalance to shade/cloud cover compensates for that blue tint. Warmer colors have more of an red/orange/brown cast too them -- depending on how much of a difference.
Indoor lighting, being artificial, does not always follow the blue to red gradient outdoo light does. This is because it is made up of only part of the wavelengths of normal light.
Use the whitebalance setting that best suits the light your subject is in, but be aware that mixing light sources can produce some non-standard color shifts that require either a custom whitebalance setting or work in PS. Also, the presets are approximations; different manufacturers use slightly different processes and materials so they have slightly different temperature of light.
David
|
|
|
|
09/10/2004 05:25:04 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by cpanaioti:
Take a picture of something white in the lighting you are using and set the custom white balance based on that. Every camera is different in how the custom white balance works but that's the gist of what you need to do. |
You can also intentionally set it using a colored card, which will have the effect of using a complementary-color filter over your lens. If you search the forums you should find a more detailed post (and a sample card for doing this) by Gordon. |
|
|
|
09/10/2004 08:02:42 PM · #6 |
| Thanks to everyone who has posted areply to my question. I think i have some more idea about what it means now. |
|
Home -
Challenges -
Community -
League -
Photos -
Cameras -
Lenses -
Learn -
Help -
Terms of Use -
Privacy -
Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2025 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 09/17/2025 05:49:20 AM EDT.
