Comments on: Digital Camera “White Balance” http://regex.info/blog/2006-06-28/208 Not a photo blog. A personal blog with photos. Mon, 21 May 2012 08:38:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Mark Brindle http://regex.info/blog/2006-06-28/208#comment-36071 Mark Brindle Thu, 23 Jul 2009 04:45:02 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2006-06-28/208#comment-36071 Buy a Whibal and ALL your White Balance problems will just go away. There are GREAT videos on the Whibal site comparing a Whibal to a Grey Card and why a Whibal is so much better. I have been using one for 2.5 years and it really makes the whole PP effort so much easier. <div class='jfriedl'><p>I've had a WhiBal for years and carry one with me all the time (at least when I've got the camera :-) ), but to suggest that WhiBal <i>or anything</i> can make white-balance problems go away is ridiculous.</p><p>Properly understanding the color of the light illuminating the scene is just one part of a solution, but only part. To take the next step you'd need to know the color broken down by wavelength and relative intensity (that is, you'd need a light spectrum analyzer), but even with perfect information you wouldn't necessarily have enough information to recover proper colors because frequencies not present in the ambient light are not present in the the view received by the camera, even if objects in the scene would normally reflect that color. An easy example of this is the freaky colors of cars parked under those strong yellow vapor lamps that some parking lots have, but there are less noticeable instances in every day life. Many florescent bulbs have holes in their spectrum, for example. </p><p>I whole-heartedly recommend WhiBal and grey cards and the like, but you have to understand their place in the puzzle. —Jeffrey</p></div> Buy a Whibal and ALL your White Balance problems will just go away.

There are GREAT videos on the Whibal site comparing a Whibal to a Grey Card and why a Whibal is so much better.

I have been using one for 2.5 years and it really makes the whole PP effort so much easier.

I’ve had a WhiBal for years and carry one with me all the time (at least when I’ve got the camera :-) ), but to suggest that WhiBal or anything can make white-balance problems go away is ridiculous.

Properly understanding the color of the light illuminating the scene is just one part of a solution, but only part. To take the next step you’d need to know the color broken down by wavelength and relative intensity (that is, you’d need a light spectrum analyzer), but even with perfect information you wouldn’t necessarily have enough information to recover proper colors because frequencies not present in the ambient light are not present in the the view received by the camera, even if objects in the scene would normally reflect that color. An easy example of this is the freaky colors of cars parked under those strong yellow vapor lamps that some parking lots have, but there are less noticeable instances in every day life. Many florescent bulbs have holes in their spectrum, for example.

I whole-heartedly recommend WhiBal and grey cards and the like, but you have to understand their place in the puzzle. —Jeffrey

]]> By: Mark http://regex.info/blog/2006-06-28/208#comment-35392 Mark Wed, 27 May 2009 10:56:58 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2006-06-28/208#comment-35392 I like your demonstration of different white balances on the photo. I have been trying to understand what kind of light different situations produce, and the internet has not been very helpful so far, as many sites seem to want to explain things like colour temperatures, or even the maths of it. Too much for my little brain. At least I can see clearly now what different settings do, so thanks! I must say my favourite is the HC-Fluor one. It's warm without being sickly (unlike the sun and shade ones). Whether it's 'right' or not, I don't know, but I feel it looks nicest. I like your demonstration of different white balances on the photo. I have been trying to understand what kind of light different situations produce, and the internet has not been very helpful so far, as many sites seem to want to explain things like colour temperatures, or even the maths of it. Too much for my little brain. At least I can see clearly now what different settings do, so thanks!
I must say my favourite is the HC-Fluor one. It’s warm without being sickly (unlike the sun and shade ones). Whether it’s ‘right’ or not, I don’t know, but I feel it looks nicest.

]]> By: Alex http://regex.info/blog/2006-06-28/208#comment-35118 Alex Fri, 24 Apr 2009 23:15:03 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2006-06-28/208#comment-35118 Of all incarnations, I prefer the regular fluorescent one. It looks the most natural to me in terms of white walls, white milk, yellow shirt and natural skin tone. Perhaps it's my monitor though, which is calibrated by eye only. Of all incarnations, I prefer the regular fluorescent one. It looks the most natural to me in terms of white walls, white milk, yellow shirt and natural skin tone. Perhaps it’s my monitor though, which is calibrated by eye only.

]]> By: Ches http://regex.info/blog/2006-06-28/208#comment-19312 Ches Wed, 13 Aug 2008 12:53:20 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2006-06-28/208#comment-19312 Best explanation I have ever read, and there are tons of attempts on the web- one quick question (or 2): have you ever used the different white balance lenses/devices such as Whibal to correct you camera before shooting? Do you think a grey card absolutely the best approach? Thanks again for your excellent article! Ches Smith Columbia, SC Best explanation I have ever read, and there are tons of attempts on the web- one quick question (or 2): have you ever used the different white balance lenses/devices such as Whibal to correct you camera before shooting? Do you think a grey card absolutely the best approach?
Thanks again for your excellent article!
Ches Smith
Columbia, SC

]]> By: Shibu Jacob http://regex.info/blog/2006-06-28/208#comment-16391 Shibu Jacob Mon, 14 Apr 2008 07:09:29 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2006-06-28/208#comment-16391 Very well written article. Thanks! Very well written article. Thanks!

]]> By: Jacob http://regex.info/blog/2006-06-28/208#comment-3265 Jacob Wed, 14 Feb 2007 02:16:51 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2006-06-28/208#comment-3265 I have to say, your version is basically just desaturated (compare to HC Fluor), an operation which, while it does make neutrals look neutral, also tends to degrade the rest of the image too! I have to say, your version is basically just desaturated (compare to HC Fluor), an operation which, while it does make neutrals look neutral, also tends to degrade the rest of the image too!

]]> By: Paul http://regex.info/blog/2006-06-28/208#comment-3201 Paul Fri, 02 Feb 2007 16:59:18 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2006-06-28/208#comment-3201 Under such difficult lighting situations do you believe a Whibal or ExpoDisc would have helped rather than rely on the wb presets within the camera? Good article - thanks. Under such difficult lighting situations do you believe a Whibal or ExpoDisc would have helped rather than rely on the wb presets within the camera?

Good article – thanks.

]]> By: Fordo http://regex.info/blog/2006-06-28/208#comment-2848 Fordo Sun, 03 Dec 2006 22:08:28 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2006-06-28/208#comment-2848 Thanks. Your explation helped alot. Now I just have to try the changes Thanks. Your explation helped alot. Now I just have to try the changes

]]> By: Steve http://regex.info/blog/2006-06-28/208#comment-2339 Steve Mon, 24 Jul 2006 16:54:59 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2006-06-28/208#comment-2339 In case you were wondering why the lights in Santa Clara and many surrounding cities are the funky color you mention, it's due to the observatory atop Mt Hamilton. More information is available here: http://mthamilton.ucolick.org/public/lighting/Pollution2.html In case you were wondering why the lights in Santa Clara and many surrounding cities are the funky color you mention, it’s due to the observatory atop Mt Hamilton. More information is available here: http://mthamilton.ucolick.org/public/lighting/Pollution2.html

]]> By: Dave http://regex.info/blog/2006-06-28/208#comment-2322 Dave Thu, 29 Jun 2006 23:25:45 +0000 http://regex.info/blog/2006-06-28/208#comment-2322 Very well-written. While I am not a novice regarding white-balance, I appreciated the clear and concise way you presented the information. I will forward your site to other friends whom I know and who are novices. Actually a few have never heard of white-balance.....lol...There living rooms are just naturally orange at night...or so they say... Very well-written. While I am not a novice regarding white-balance, I appreciated the clear and concise way you presented the information. I will forward your site to other friends whom I know and who are novices. Actually a few have never heard of white-balance…..lol…There living rooms are just naturally orange at night…or so they say…

]]>