Whitebalancing infrared - no software can go as cool as Rawshooter

[AluminumStudios]

I'm having some issues that I can't quite explain when it comes to whitebalancing photos in Rawshooter and Adobe's Camera RAW when I open .nef files from my Nikon D50.

I shoot a lot of infrared with a Hoya R72 filter. I shoot in RAW mode with my D50 and the images are extremely red saturated. In Rawshooter, one click with the white balance eye dropper tool and the image pops to life with clean white vegetation and golden-orange skies. The strange thing is if I adjust the color temperature slider or the tint slider just under it by ANY amount (even by one) the white balance is lost and the whole image becomes strongly tinted. If I move the color temp and tint sliders back to the numeric values they jumped to after clicking with the whitebalance eye dropper tool the image remains tinted. I have to click again.

When I double click on a .nef file Adobes Camera RAW plug-in for Photoshop CS2 comes up so I can open it in CS2. If I use the eye dropper white balance tool and click on some vegetation in my photo like I would in Rawshooter, it doesn't accurately set the white balance like Rawshooter does. The entire image retains a color cast and the vegetation doesn't become a clean white like it does in Rawshooter. I've also noticed that in Rawshooter the color temp goes down to 1800 and in Adobe it only goes down to 2000.

I guess my question is what is happening in Rawshooter that I can click and get really great whitebalance, but if I adjust the color temp and tint values the image picks up an ugly cast and doesn't go back even if I restore the numbers.

How can I get proper white balance in software other than Rawshooter? I'm concerned about future cameras that I might purchase that won't be supported in Rawshooter. My friend uses Nikon Capture which I tried and had the same lack of whitebalance success with IR.

Here is an illustration of the issue. Any feedback or help is much appreciated!

EDIT: I think I made an error in the text on the above image. I'm pretty sure the color temp of software other than Rawshooter won't go below 2000, I think the 1800 on the middle image is a typo (I'm not at my home computer right now to check though.)

I also achieve this same result in Apple's Aperture - it can't white balance like Rawshooter does.

 

[woodsac]

First, I have the exact same coloration issue with RAW. It's more of a nuisance than anything. Unfortunately, I don't have an answer.

But, try using Adobe Lightroom. If I remember, it is also capable of going to 1800 and handles my IR files fairly well. If I were at my home computer right now I would tell you so you wouldn't have to possibly waste your time downloading and installing. Maybe someone else has access to Lightroom and check the color temp for you. If there's no other replies, I'll let you know my findings later today.

 

[Arch]

yea i never use PS to adjust IR WB... it cant hadle the temperature... so i stick to Rawshooter everytime.

Im not sure about other RAW converters as i have no plans to change my current set-up.... but i should think there would be one that supports new cameras and has a bigger temperature range than PS.

If your still not sure... i would set the D50 to a custom white balence... i do this anyway, and just have rawshooter clean it up a bit... but it will save you from the 'all red' temperature problem.

 

[surge]

aluminiumstudios,

can't say i really understand the workings behind conversion software - and instead adopt the 'lets try this' working approach but i've recently downloaded UFRaw which looks like it gives a good deal of control over colouring - if your looking to try new things...

or how about posting an example raw file for us to experiment on.

i'd certainly be interested if others have experience, and would recommend, different conversion tools.

 

[Digital Matt]

Capture One *cough*