D500 - Cool Auto White Balance

[HeldInTheMoment]

Anyone else think that the color science or metering of WB on the D500 has a very cool temperature by default? My D850 and D750 have warm vibrant colors while I find the D500, with the same WB settings, gearing more on the cooler range of color tones.

I know I can fix it in the settings, just wanted others experience and thoughts with the D500 if they've used it.

Thanks!

 

[scaryloud]

I have noticed a little cooler, but shooting in raw makes it a mostly moot point. JPEG shooting however can have costly effects.

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[HeldInTheMoment]

I only shoot RAW and know it is an easy fix in post, but just curious WHY the camera is so "cool" in WB over other Nikon cameras
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[scaryloud]

Dunno. It seems the best sensor ever made for colors was on the D700. My D810 likes to tint the colors a hair towards the magenta.

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[JonA_CT]

I find “auto” on my D800 to always be on the cool side as well, for what it’s worth.

 

[JBPhotog]

Have you done any testing with a known WB target? If your lens list in your siggie is accurate, try a test with the Nikkor 35 mm and your Tamron 24-70 at the same settings on a known target and compare. Some brands are minutely colour balanced differently.

How are you lighting the subject when using the Flash WB setting? Lots of questions before it can be narrowed down to the camera WB bias.

 

[D7K]

Which Auto WB mode is set (Auto, Auto1, Auto2)? On the D850 there's a clear difference between the 3, not sure the D500 is the same?

 

[Strodav]

I really noticed it in a shot of a Great Blue Heron. Even though it has blue in its name the feathers are mostly gray, but in my shot they were really blue. I shoot raw so it was easy to fix in Lightroom. Now, when I go out on a shoot I take a shot of an X-rite Passport so I have a known reference when in PP.

The top shot is right out of the D500 camera but cropped, yes its in full shade, which probably contributed to the result.

The next shot is cropped, color balanced and lightened a bit

 

[JTPhotography]

Anyone else think that the color science or metering of WB on the D500 has a very cool temperature by default? My D850 and D750 have warm vibrant colors while I find the D500, with the same WB settings, gearing more on the cooler range of color tones.

I know I can fix it in the settings, just wanted others experience and thoughts with the D500 if they've used it.

Thanks!

I’ve always wondered why AWB output is inconsistent. My d850 and my d810 both tend toward the cool. I always have to warm them up in post.

 

[JBPhotog]

I’ve always wondered why AWB output is inconsistent. My d850 and my d810 both tend toward the cool. I always have to warm them up in post.

No need to fix them in post if the AWB is too cool for your liking, just dial in an Amber value and it is applied to every shot.

 

[Derrel]

Does it offer white balance fine tuning, like some of the older pro
Nikons offered?

 

[Strodav]

Does it offer white balance fine tuning, like some of the older pro
Nikons offered?

Yes, the D500 has a white balance menu option with a lot of options including 3 different auto settings (reduce warm colors, normal, keep warm lighting colors), choose color temp, preset manual

 

[JBPhotog]

If you hold down the WB button you may be able to turn the sub-command dial to add amber or add blue in 0.5 increments; caveat, this works on other pro bodies.