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DPChallenge Forums >> Tips, Tricks, and Q&A >> Having trouble setting white balance
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Showing posts 1 - 6 of 6, (reverse)
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05/08/2006 11:02:24 AM · #1
Hey i have just recently picked up a canon 20d. Everything is good, but i have noticed in a few of my pics during the my whote colour is not white. I have read the manual and u can do your own custon white balance.

Now do i set this once only or do i like take a peace of paper out with me evertime im gonna go take pics. So it sets to a different light. I undertand most of it but this white balance just confuses the hell out of me.

Thanks in advance.

Travis
05/08/2006 11:14:36 AM · #2
If you're using a custom white balance (and you should), you must set a new custom WB any time the light changes. You don't necessarily need to carry paper or a gray card with you- just point the camera at anything neutral (white OR gray) in the same light as your target and take a picture of that for your white balance. White t-shirts, gray concrete, foaming water... anything neutral will work.

If you shoot in RAW, then you don't have to worry about it- you can always change the white balance later.
05/08/2006 06:27:25 PM · #3
oh k thanks would it be good to invest in one of these cards. (don't know the name.)
05/08/2006 06:36:47 PM · #4
don't waste your money - any piece of white paper would do. Better yet, as Shannon said, to shoot in RAW and don't worry about WB issue at all.
05/08/2006 09:20:13 PM · #5
I tend to use a card for macro photos, and photos when time is not an issue. IME you can't get 100% correct unless you use raw, a card, or something 90% white (plus i am anal). Obviously raw fixes all these WB issues. But what I do in a pinch is take the lens and shoot a photo with it was out of focus as possible. And set that as your custom WB photo. IME this gets it pretty darn close, close enough that only a fellow photographer could tell you how it was off.
05/08/2006 09:28:13 PM · #6
I saw a tip in Popular Photography recently about carrying a piece of sheer white fabric with you (cheesecloth?). Secure it to the lens with a rubber band and shoot a picture through that for your white balance. Sounds like the next step up from your idea of shooting out of focus.
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