Sorry you have to click the link below. This was the best way I could figure to get the data in the post.
IS THE WHITE IN YOUR CAMERA’S WHITE BALANCE REALLY WHITE?
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5 Responses to IS THE WHITE IN YOUR CAMERA’S WHITE BALANCE REALLY WHITE?
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Cameras are close (a good starting point) and then it’s on to post-production to finish. If done correctly it is a simple click, copy and paste (or sync) and all photos are balanced properly. You did a lot of work and to what end…I’m not so clear on that but it was sort of interesting to read.
In the film days, we got close to but sometimes we had to have a special E-6 run to balance out our images. And this was done by eye, not measurement tools!
Michael:
My goal was to find a quick and accurate way to white balance. I was testing the Promaster Lens Cap and the home made filter. I needed some comparisons, so I also used the in-camera “Daylight” and “Custom WB” features. I tested the home made filter to determine if the plastic sheet used would work over the 6 inch dome port for my underwater camera housing. Hope this helps and Thanks for your comments.
Hi,
We know that regarding white balance that the camera will average all the light it receives dark and light and average them to 18% grey that’s why if you take a picture in daylight settings of a snowy landscape it will appear grey in the picture. Regarding the colors making up the grey I am not sure how much is really valuable information as a slightly red shade 18% grey is still 18% grey so much as a slightly green shade 18% grey is still 18% grey it is about the L value (light / dark) in color measurement rather than RGB. Still that’s how I look at it, regarding portrait the white balance is rather used to make sure that the desired skin tones are obtained and therefore a custom white balance setting is most often best especially when setting up in a studio.
Jon:
The 18% grey does in fact relate to the amount of light reflected from the surface. As such, it impacts the exposure of the subject. As a result, the color make up of the light does not directly impact reflective light for exposure purposes.
However, if the color balance or white balance part of the exposure has a “cast” to it, then the image color may not be what the photographer had in mind. So Yes, the color make up of the white balance is important. A white balance that is shifted towards blue will make the skin tones seem cooler. When the white balance is shifted towards red, the skin tones will appear warmer.
What I saw in the data suggests that of the methods I tried, none produced what might be interpreted as an accurate white balance. All methods had some color cast to them. So when is white balance white?
Depends on where you’re shooting – right?
Outside with only the natural light and a fill screen, outside using natural light and a fill flash, in a studio using your trusted lighting gear, or at somebody else’s location with 6 different light sources.
First I decide what my primary light source is (sounds easy, but sometimes it can get tricky with multiple light sources).
Then I always white balance off of my white cards NEXT to my subject’s face.
Just me two cents!
Andrew Hale