Do you ever use Auto White Balance?

[Senor Hound]

I'm looking on dpreview.com (I know, I know), and they were showing the ability (or lack thereof) of certain cameras to adjust in their auto setting. Most of them don't do very well, leaving the images horribly warm in their auto detection. But that's some chart, not reality, and a camera is not a piece of science to be used in some lab.

So, does anyone use Auto WB when taking a photo? If so, do you see a problem with the balance on it when you're shooting? I forget to change mine a lot, so I like the idea of Auto WB, but it seems I might be shooting myself in the foot if I make a habit out of this.

Any experience with this is greatly appreciated.

 

[bigalbest]

I shoot auto wb most of the time. My Canon 5D does a great job most of the time, and I always shoot in raw so if there's an adjustment it's no big deal.

 

[Alfred D.]

It depends on what/how I'm shooting, Senor. If it's tripod or set up work I set the WB. If it's event, sports, or journalistic photography I set the AWB.
But in any case I always shoot RAW, so the WB is adjustable in PP anyway.

 

[Overread]

I agree with the above 2 - its auto most of the time unless I really have the time to prepare and take a shot (like macro work). But as I also shoot in RAW if the auto makes a mess I can alter it around

 

[Josh66]

I always use auto white balance.

If it comes out wrong it's easy to change later. If I know (or suspect) that it's going to come out wrong, I take a picture of a gray card under the same lighting conditions and use that as a reference to change it later.

I used to do custom white balances when needed, but my LCD is broken and I can't really afford to get it fixed right now. Changing white balance or using a custom white balance is a pain in the ass when you can't see the menus on the camera. Fixing it later is easier/faster anyway.

 

[lockwood81]

I set my own white balance, but as stated above, I shoot in raw and can make adjustments if I'm a little off.

 

[Iron Flatline]

I always use AWB, unless I'm in a fixed environment or a studio. Even then, I'd jsut shoot a grey card and then bulk adjust later.

... I don't shoot commercially though, in that case I would probably control WB during the shoot to reduce the amount of work afterward.

 

[TamiyaGuy]

I'm a lazy so-and-so, so I always use Auto White Balance unless I'm absolutely sure it needs changing. Then I might switch to Tungsten if I'm in my home, Flourescent if I'm in an office. I hardly ever use the Sunshine, Cloud, Shade or Flash WBs, though.

 

[RebelTasha]

I too always use AWB, sometimes rarely it is a little off or I change it to taste but normally I find it very reliable
I think it is the only Auto feature I really rely on.

 

[Village Idiot]

depends on how hungover I am.

I like to adjust when I'm flashing people though. I hate seeing blue when I don't want blue.

 

[Garbz]

I always leave mine on Daylight. I come from film, I know what it looks like. Auto WB is a guessing game that my D200 gets on the purple side of things all too often.

But anyway I shoot in RAW.

 

[bigalbest]

I used to work for a big studio and they always went through an exact process of white balancing. And then they always adjusted it in post, seemed kind of a waste of time to me.

 

[asfixiate]

There's a setting other than auto wb? just kidding.

60% of the time I use AWB everytime.

 

[Alex_B]

Mine is 100% on daylight.


I shoot raw anyway.

 

[Mav]

I shoot AWB most of the time and correct as needed from the JPEGs, and yes they still look perfectly fine from the JPEGs even printed big.