White balance

[truephotoga]

I was wondering what others opinions are on white balance? Do you always custom white balance before you shoot? Do you use auto white balance to let the camera decide? I typically shoot RAW and can change white balance in PS later if needed. Is this what others do as well?

 

[480sparky]

If I'm shooting in consitent lighting, I do a custom WB. It the lighting constantly changes, I use AutoB.

And I always shoot raw so I have 100% complete total control of WB in post.

 

[Ysarex]

Custom WB is only appropriate if you're going to let the camera JPEG engine process the image. All camera JPEG engines produce inferior results compared to what I can produce given a Raw file so I'll have to nix that option. Auto WB is also an option only available when using the camera JPEG engine. On top of the piss-poor job that the camera JPEG engine produces overall, auto WB fails 100% of the time to white balance the photo. I think there's only one option left. Get a Raw file and get it right.

Joe

 

[480sparky]

Custom WB is only appropriate if you're going to let the camera JPEG engine process the image. All camera JPEG engines produce inferior results compared to what I can produce given a Raw file so I'll have to nix that option. Auto WB is also an option only available when using the camera JPEG engine. On top of the piss-poor job that the camera JPEG engine produces overall, auto WB fails 100% of the time to white balance the photo. I think there's only one option left. Get a Raw file and get it right.

Not really. If you set your WB correctly, this allows you to skip changing it in post. Auto WB is still used when shooting raw, in that the WB is applied to the imbedded jpeg you see on your monitor (even if you're not shooting raw+jpeg). This allows you to see if you have a 'correct' WB that will be applied in post. If you 'got it right' in the field, then you don't need to change it in post.

 

[Josh66]

I always leave the WB on Daylight. When I know that will end up being wrong, I take a picture of a WhiBal card.

I leave it on Daylight for two reasons: It's usually right (for what I do), and I like to start with a Daylight baseline even when it's wrong. I shoot a lot of film, and most color film is Daylight balanced, so I like to see what the light would have looked like if I had used film and not done anything to correct the WB.

 

[xjoewhitex]

I wouldn't ever use Auto being if your lighting changes so does your wb, so there goes your consistancy. I personally shoot Jpeg and choose the wb as I see fit, I normally use the same lighting so I have my wb settings fine tuned to match them. I sometimes use a grey card, but not as often as I once did.

 

[bratkinson]

I spent too many years with digital photography before I finally figured out why I was always fighting to get the proper colors during post. I had no clue about white balance. Joining the forum here about 6 months ago set me on the trail. But it was my totally screwing up using auto WB at my my ex-step daughters wedding this past March (as a guest, not paid photographer) that really kicked me in the pants. Hard...REAL HARD.

Fortunately for me, I had switched to RAW+L JPG in my camera (again, based on what I read on this forum) and although I didn't have, and didn't shoot, any grey cards during the wedding, I managed to get 'close enough' WB in Lightroom 3 using the WB tool clicking on white shirts, and touching it up from there.

Since then, I've continued to hone my WB techniques...first with a grey card and now with an X-RITE Color Checker Passport. I'm still 'rough around the edges' in using them, but there's been major leaps in my white balance and color accuracy since then!

So, to be safe, I still shoot RAW + L JPG, and take shots of my Color Checker in each of the lighting conditions I will be in during that shoot. I also set CWB in the camera, as well, when I remember, as I go from one lighting situation to another. My goal, at the moment, is to get acceptable JPG results. That way, I have even less PP touch-up to do. But if I have the time, or I really messed things up color-wise, then I can Lightroom until I drop (if necessary) and get the results I want.

 

[RSpears]

White balance has always been a thorn in my side. I agree with the above statements that setting the camera to "Auto" on the WB will only get it right about half the time. There's nothing like going on a shoot and then discovering that all 250 of your shots are yellowish tinge because of screwed up WB. When I'm doing an important project (like $$) I used to use a white/grey balance card. Now I carry a ColorRight Pro disk. It's pretty simple to use, and it gets my white balance perfect every time.

 

[JoshuaSimPhotography]

I myself was torturing myself as I still didn't know whether I should use white balance or not! I though "maybe orange tint looks better than a blue tint." it was driving me crazy! Then one day I went to a photography seminar where an award winning photographer was speaking. He told us to ask questions...u said to him "why are your white balance settings?" he said" I don't use white balance, I believe in capturing what is already there, instead of editing an already beatific image."He didn't say what white balance he used. Since then, I haven't looked back...whilst shooting in auto white balance

 

[yerlem]

But if you use auto WB you are not capturing what's "already there". Auto WB sucks. I customize it and shoot raw so I can adjust it in PP.-

 

[greybeard]

I shoot auto WB Raw most of the time. Sometimes I shoot in the school auditorium that has stage lights. There you have to do a custom WB as the lights are very weird.

 

[Ernicus]

My wb is set to auto. I have never manually set wb pre shoot. I bought a card a while back, played with it a bit, figured I'd need to learn more as I was not making improvements in setting it. I always shoot raw+jpg, mostly to compare. When I have a pic I like or am thinking about keeping, I always use the raw.

One thing I have noticed, I don't really have to mess with it in post when raw editing. Either I am really lucky and my wb auto is doing well, or I can't "see" errors yet. No one has mentioned wb in any of my posts, so I assumed it was good. A few times I have had to adjust a bit, but usually it was because I did something wrong, not that the auto wb didn't do its job.

However, I have not shot any portraits with my camera yet....so it could be totally different when I start working on that. I see so many people speaking of setting their wb pre shoot for portratiture...so I am sure there is more learning still in that area once I start.

 

[Josh66]

I myself was torturing myself as I still didn't know whether I should use white balance or not! I though "maybe orange tint looks better than a blue tint." it was driving me crazy! Then one day I went to a photography seminar where an award winning photographer was speaking. He told us to ask questions...u said to him "why are your white balance settings?" he said" I don't use white balance, I believe in capturing what is already there, instead of editing an already beatific image."He didn't say what white balance he used. Since then, I haven't looked back...whilst shooting in auto white balance

That doesn't make sense...

White Balance isn't something that you can choose "not to use". It's just there, always. What you set it to can change, but it has to be set to 'something'.

 

[Ernicus]

I myself was torturing myself as I still didn't know whether I should use white balance or not! I though "maybe orange tint looks better than a blue tint." it was driving me crazy! Then one day I went to a photography seminar where an award winning photographer was speaking. He told us to ask questions...u said to him "why are your white balance settings?" he said" I don't use white balance, I believe in capturing what is already there, instead of editing an already beatific image."He didn't say what white balance he used. Since then, I haven't looked back...whilst shooting in auto white balance

That doesn't make sense...

White Balance isn't something that you can choose "not to use". It's just there, always. What you set it to can change, but it has to be set to 'something'.

His typing and grammar are not all that great, I assume he meant that the instructor said he does not adjust his white balance. Or the instructor was a tool. lol. It doesn't make sense at typed out in this thread though. I guess we have to read between the lines? lol.

 

[KmH]

Understanding White Balance

How effective auto white balance (AWB) can be, depends on the camera model.

In general, consumer grade DSLRs perform the worst using AWB and the pro grade DSLRs perform the best.

However, if you want accurate WB, there is no substitute for using a quality, preferrably certified, graycard.
GENUINE WhiBal G7 Certified Neutral White Balance Card - Pocket Card (2.1"x3.35")
X-Rite ColorChecker Passport Software

Look at the quote down in my siggy ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓. If you approach controlling WB half-heartedly, expect less than accurate results.