White balance

mysticcowboy · 10-01-2010, 08:12 PM

Lightroom makes it so easy to batch adjust white balance that I leave mine at auto most of the time.

**BigDave** · 10-02-2010, 11:35 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by dadipentak

I use auto all the time but I'm not always happy with the results and I'm not very good with color in pp so it can be a bummer. This is something I'm starting to work on and it's pretty intimidating.

Understanding white balance is a basic that needs to be addressed if you are going to consistently get great images. Try these links to get you going. It isn't rocket science, but it is physics! Simple to understand though!

Understanding White Balance

The following link gets into more of the theory and science of it and is also a good place to help understand it better:

Color temperature - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Remember, just because we see it as white light, doesn't mean the camera will. Humans have an incredible automatic white balance system, but in photography we can shift this to establish a mood (think of shifting a candle lit scene to make it warmer for a romantic feel, or a snow scene towards a bluer white balance to make it feel colder).

Regards,

DA

**dadipentak** · 10-02-2010, 02:28 PM

Originally posted by BigDave

Simple to understand though!

We'll see

Well, not exactly BUT it did remind me of a technique that's helpful. Thanks for the links, BD!

**loveisageless** · 10-02-2010, 11:39 PM

I rarely use auto WB on my K7. I generally adjust it whenever the lighting changes for a shot, i.e. shade -> bright sun -> cloudy, etc. Indoors I change it according to the type of lighting source. Since I have full-spectrum, florescent and tungsten in various rooms of my home, it really does make a difference. Sometimes I will play with my choice in Photoshop, if I want a certain tweak the colors some. I have also begun to experiment with choosing custom white balance settings based on the difference between the pre-selects and what I know the color of an object should look like. I love the WB button which makes it so quick and easy to change the settings. When I got my first digital camera, the K10D, I didn't even know what white balance was, other than the fact that no one with that particular camera seemed very happy with it. I think having to hunt through the menus made it seem like it was more trouble than it was worth. The K7 has definitely changed my mindset and motivation level in this regard:-)

older not wiser · 10-05-2010, 01:32 PM

90% of the time auto white balance does a good job, but when you have the time it is worth adjusting it yourself.

Clicker · 10-05-2010, 08:27 PM

Pentax has good auto white balance out of the box IMHO vs say my Canon especially indoors, outdoor both are good but indoors I must manually set my white balance 60% of my shoots.

DaveHolmes · 10-06-2010, 02:50 PM

My pictures have improved by leaps and bounds since I turned off AWB and started switching WB settings depending on lighting situation. i've found that AWB on the K-x rarely gets it right...

Ira · 10-06-2010, 02:57 PM

Remove one yes vote above and change it to no:

I hit the wrong button.

Always use auto.

mattdm · 10-06-2010, 04:12 PM

Originally posted by DaveHolmes

My pictures have improved by leaps and bounds since I turned off AWB and started switching WB settings depending on lighting situation. i've found that AWB on the K-x rarely gets it right...

What are your typical lighting situations, out of curiousity?

DaveHolmes · 10-06-2010, 06:31 PM

Originally posted by mattdm

What are your typical lighting situations, out of curiousity?

Inside houses, rehersal spaces (theatre spaces and music-cramped dirty rock'n'roll rehersal rooms with floressent strip lights) parks, climbing walls, rock-faces, bars, camp-fires...

Typically my K-x is in its bag, slung over my shoulder, I'm a 31 year old student who's away from home during the week and a Dad with the family and friends on the weekend. I climb (landscape shots and worrying that I might damage camera!!) and mountainbike fairly regular and work part-time for the Arts team at my uni mainly doing marketing for schools and theatre, running occasional workshops etc. K-x is with me constantly!

This last week I've been shooting a lot of graffiti and took a trip on the weekend to the 'yorkshire sculpture park' (recomended!). At the YSP it ranged from sunny and bright to overcast and cloudy and I've found in the past (albeit fairly recent) that the K-x simply doesn't seem to register the changes and I don't get what I'm after... Changing the WB setting manually is a 5 second job (max!!) and now I'm shooting in 'M' anyway has become part of my process...

Now I just need to improve on my composition!

View Poll Results: Do you change manually white balance?
Yes - on every shot	7	9.59%
Yes - only when i have plenty of time for the shot	18	24.66%
No	48	65.75%
Voters: 73. You may not vote on this poll

10-02-2010, 11:35 AM - 1 Like	#17
BigDave Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Hudson Valley, NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,626	White Balance- Respources Originally posted by dadipentak I use auto all the time but I'm not always happy with the results and I'm not very good with color in pp so it can be a bummer. This is something I'm starting to work on and it's pretty intimidating. Understanding white balance is a basic that needs to be addressed if you are going to consistently get great images. Try these links to get you going. It isn't rocket science, but it is physics! Simple to understand though! Understanding White Balance The following link gets into more of the theory and science of it and is also a good place to help understand it better: Color temperature - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Remember, just because we see it as white light, doesn't mean the camera will. Humans have an incredible automatic white balance system, but in photography we can shift this to establish a mood (think of shifting a candle lit scene to make it warmer for a romantic feel, or a snow scene towards a bluer white balance to make it feel colder). Regards, DA Last edited by BigDave; 10-02-2010 at 11:36 AM. Reason: typos

10-02-2010, 02:28 PM	#18
dadipentak Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,590	Originally posted by BigDave Simple to understand though! We'll see Well, not exactly BUT it did remind me of a technique that's helpful. Thanks for the links, BD! Last edited by dadipentak; 10-02-2010 at 04:11 PM.

10-02-2010, 11:39 PM	#19
loveisageless Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Oakland, California Photos: Albums Posts: 1,250	WB on K7 I rarely use auto WB on my K7. I generally adjust it whenever the lighting changes for a shot, i.e. shade -> bright sun -> cloudy, etc. Indoors I change it according to the type of lighting source. Since I have full-spectrum, florescent and tungsten in various rooms of my home, it really does make a difference. Sometimes I will play with my choice in Photoshop, if I want a certain tweak the colors some. I have also begun to experiment with choosing custom white balance settings based on the difference between the pre-selects and what I know the color of an object should look like. I love the WB button which makes it so quick and easy to change the settings. When I got my first digital camera, the K10D, I didn't even know what white balance was, other than the fact that no one with that particular camera seemed very happy with it. I think having to hunt through the menus made it seem like it was more trouble than it was worth. The K7 has definitely changed my mindset and motivation level in this regard:-)

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10-01-2010, 08:12 PM	#16
mysticcowboy Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: port townsend, wa Photos: Albums Posts: 968	Lightroom makes it so easy to batch adjust white balance that I leave mine at auto most of the time.

10-05-2010, 01:32 PM	#20
older not wiser Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: East Yorkshire Posts: 120	90% of the time auto white balance does a good job, but when you have the time it is worth adjusting it yourself.

10-05-2010, 08:27 PM	#21
Clicker Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,241	Pentax has good auto white balance out of the box IMHO vs say my Canon especially indoors, outdoor both are good but indoors I must manually set my white balance 60% of my shoots.

10-06-2010, 02:50 PM	#22
DaveHolmes Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 1,501	My pictures have improved by leaps and bounds since I turned off AWB and started switching WB settings depending on lighting situation. i've found that AWB on the K-x rarely gets it right...

10-06-2010, 02:57 PM	#23
Ira Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Coral Springs, FL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,216	Remove one yes vote above and change it to no: I hit the wrong button. Always use auto.

10-06-2010, 04:12 PM	#24
mattdm Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Boston, MA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,948	Originally posted by DaveHolmes My pictures have improved by leaps and bounds since I turned off AWB and started switching WB settings depending on lighting situation. i've found that AWB on the K-x rarely gets it right... What are your typical lighting situations, out of curiousity?

10-06-2010, 06:31 PM	#25
DaveHolmes Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 1,501	Originally posted by mattdm What are your typical lighting situations, out of curiousity? Inside houses, rehersal spaces (theatre spaces and music-cramped dirty rock'n'roll rehersal rooms with floressent strip lights) parks, climbing walls, rock-faces, bars, camp-fires... Typically my K-x is in its bag, slung over my shoulder, I'm a 31 year old student who's away from home during the week and a Dad with the family and friends on the weekend. I climb (landscape shots and worrying that I might damage camera!!) and mountainbike fairly regular and work part-time for the Arts team at my uni mainly doing marketing for schools and theatre, running occasional workshops etc. K-x is with me constantly! This last week I've been shooting a lot of graffiti and took a trip on the weekend to the 'yorkshire sculpture park' (recomended!). At the YSP it ranged from sunny and bright to overcast and cloudy and I've found in the past (albeit fairly recent) that the K-x simply doesn't seem to register the changes and I don't get what I'm after... Changing the WB setting manually is a 5 second job (max!!) and now I'm shooting in 'M' anyway has become part of my process... Now I just need to improve on my composition!