How to properly whitebalance at DVinfo.net

Gabriel_Knight · May 24th, 2003, 01:24 AM

Hi everybody,

I have my XM2 for a couple of months, and most of the times I used the indoor/outdoor setting instead of manual whitebalance.

A couple of times I tried to use the whitebalance using a white piece of paper, but my pictures with manual whitebalance seems to be a little blue. When using the outdoor setting I got good results.

I never have done whitebalance before, and I don't know how you must do it. For example: I want to film a nature scene, how do I white balance? Do I have to glue a piece of paper on a tree, and then zoom in on piece of paper? If so, how do I white balance in a city, I can not just glue my paper on anything.

Or do I have to hold my piece of paper in front of the lens, at some sort of on angle or distance!?

I hope someone can help me, some pictures how to properly whitebalance are even better, because I now get very bad results using the manual whitebalance

Gabriel Knight
XM2 user

Ken Tanaka · May 24th, 2003, 01:47 AM

Hello Gabriel,
When shooting under daylight, the GL2/XM2's daylight pre-set should produce good results.

When shooting indoors under incandescent light you may also get good results using the indoor (lightbulb) pre-set.

But when shooting in flourescent or mixed light it's best to manually white balance. To do so, place a white card in front of the lens making sure that it fills the frame and that it's completely and evenly lit by the predominant light source you'll be using. Press the white balance Select button until a symbol that looks like a bow tie appears in the viewfinder or lcd display. Then press the white balance Set button (labeled with that bow tie symbol) next to the Select button. Hold the camera still with the white card framed until the bow tie stops flashing. You're done. White areas in your frame should now look white. If they don't, repeat the process making adjustment to the location and/or lighting on the card.

Graham Bernard · May 24th, 2003, 01:59 AM

Ah HA! - Again! Thanks Ken and Gabriel for asking your primary questions - outdoors / indoors - white card on a tree . . .

Ken - "When shooting under daylight, the GL2/XM2's daylight pre-set should produce good results."

1 - Is this anyway affected by any previous MANUAL WB setting?

2 - Is this auto Daylight being auto WB as it goes along? Or does it stay "fixed" at the point I switch on the camera?

3 - When I got my Greeny-Yellows this was on Daylight too - this is the preset to give best auto WB - yes?

This must be such a simple thing that I don't know why I'm making such heavy weather of it.

I'm sorta getting there!

Off to do more test. Be back in 20mins.

Grazie

Gabriel_Knight · May 24th, 2003, 02:10 AM

Do you know any URL where I can buy some sort of white card?
My local photostore does not sell them.
Using a normal piece of paper is not that handy, specialy in windy conditions.

Ken Tanaka · May 24th, 2003, 02:15 AM

Just about to go to bed here...zzz <g>

1. The presets are not affected by a manual wb setting. Just use the Select button to return to a preset if appropriate.

2. The presets are fixed at a particular color temperature. "Auto" wb, denoted by no symbol whatsoever being displayed in the viewfinder, will float with the predominant conditions in the frame (probably center-weighted). I really would advise NOT using Auto wb at all. Its drift can present you with nearly un-fixable color correction headaches in post.

3. I don't really know with certainty what happened to you here, Grazie. Certainly, I suspect it was a wb problem but it's hard to say remotely what exactly caused it.

Over time and with some discipline you'll develop a pre-flight checklist that your brain will automatically exercise each time you turn the camera on. Frame/normal mode, white balance, shutter speed, aperture, battery status, etc. will just become natural and nearly instinctive checks you always make before pressing Big Red.

G'Night!

Graham Bernard · May 24th, 2003, 02:18 AM

Thanks Ken - Sleep tight! Zzzzzz.......

Ken Tanaka · May 24th, 2003, 02:18 AM

Gabriel,
Instead of using a flimsy piece of paper for white balance, just pack a piece of stiff white poster board in your kit. It really does not need to be more exotic than that. (When you buy a Porta-Brace case, P-B includes a free plastic white balance card free in the bag.)

Keith Luken · May 24th, 2003, 07:45 AM

I find that I use regular Inkjet High Brightness paper with a Brightness level over 103+ and just make a tent of it and set the white balance to that works great about 99% of the time. Usually if anything the final may have a slight cool or red tone to it, although many have said this is a Canon Red Puch issue. Overall this method works great and I get what I feel are extremely accurate and realistic renditions.

Bud Kuenzli · May 24th, 2003, 12:54 PM

I don't own a set of warm cards but I am thinking about printing a set for myself. I had directions with specific color settings in photoshop but I can't seem to find them. Anybody?
check out www.warmcards.com if you are unfamiliar with warmcards. (don't work for them in any way.) Idon't see any reason for anyone with a decent color printer to pay for them. I just have to find that file...

Jeff Donald · May 24th, 2003, 01:50 PM

The settings have been posted on DV Info several times. Do a search and you'll find several threads on the topic.

Ryan Krga · May 26th, 2003, 02:29 PM

You might want to check out http://www.studio1productions.com for white balance cards. I have never ordered or bought from them, but their product seem very useful.

May 24th, 2003, 01:24 AM	#1
Gabriel_Knight Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 34	How to properly whitebalance Hi everybody, I have my XM2 for a couple of months, and most of the times I used the indoor/outdoor setting instead of manual whitebalance. A couple of times I tried to use the whitebalance using a white piece of paper, but my pictures with manual whitebalance seems to be a little blue. When using the outdoor setting I got good results. I never have done whitebalance before, and I don't know how you must do it. For example: I want to film a nature scene, how do I white balance? Do I have to glue a piece of paper on a tree, and then zoom in on piece of paper? If so, how do I white balance in a city, I can not just glue my paper on anything. Or do I have to hold my piece of paper in front of the lens, at some sort of on angle or distance!? I hope someone can help me, some pictures how to properly whitebalance are even better, because I now get very bad results using the manual whitebalance Gabriel Knight XM2 user

May 24th, 2003, 01:47 AM	#2
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	Hello Gabriel, When shooting under daylight, the GL2/XM2's daylight pre-set should produce good results. When shooting indoors under incandescent light you may also get good results using the indoor (lightbulb) pre-set. But when shooting in flourescent or mixed light it's best to manually white balance. To do so, place a white card in front of the lens making sure that it fills the frame and that it's completely and evenly lit by the predominant light source you'll be using. Press the white balance Select button until a symbol that looks like a bow tie appears in the viewfinder or lcd display. Then press the white balance Set button (labeled with that bow tie symbol) next to the Select button. Hold the camera still with the white card framed until the bow tie stops flashing. You're done. White areas in your frame should now look white. If they don't, repeat the process making adjustment to the location and/or lighting on the card. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

May 24th, 2003, 02:15 AM	#5
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	Just about to go to bed here...zzz <g> 1. The presets are not affected by a manual wb setting. Just use the Select button to return to a preset if appropriate. 2. The presets are fixed at a particular color temperature. "Auto" wb, denoted by no symbol whatsoever being displayed in the viewfinder, will float with the predominant conditions in the frame (probably center-weighted). I really would advise NOT using Auto wb at all. Its drift can present you with nearly un-fixable color correction headaches in post. 3. I don't really know with certainty what happened to you here, Grazie. Certainly, I suspect it was a wb problem but it's hard to say remotely what exactly caused it. Over time and with some discipline you'll develop a pre-flight checklist that your brain will automatically exercise each time you turn the camera on. Frame/normal mode, white balance, shutter speed, aperture, battery status, etc. will just become natural and nearly instinctive checks you always make before pressing Big Red. G'Night! __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

May 24th, 2003, 02:18 AM	#7
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	Gabriel, Instead of using a flimsy piece of paper for white balance, just pack a piece of stiff white poster board in your kit. It really does not need to be more exotic than that. (When you buy a Porta-Brace case, P-B includes a free plastic white balance card free in the bag.) __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

May 24th, 2003, 12:54 PM	#9
Bud Kuenzli Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: North Pole, Alaska Posts: 197	and then there are warm cards I don't own a set of warm cards but I am thinking about printing a set for myself. I had directions with specific color settings in photoshop but I can't seem to find them. Anybody? check out www.warmcards.com if you are unfamiliar with warmcards. (don't work for them in any way.) Idon't see any reason for anyone with a decent color printer to pay for them. I just have to find that file... __________________ on the Internet, when you get where you're going you still don't know where you are

May 24th, 2003, 01:59 AM	#3
Graham Bernard Old Boot Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London UK Posts: 3,633	Ah HA! - Again! Thanks Ken and Gabriel for asking your primary questions - outdoors / indoors - white card on a tree . . . Ken - "When shooting under daylight, the GL2/XM2's daylight pre-set should produce good results." 1 - Is this anyway affected by any previous MANUAL WB setting? 2 - Is this auto Daylight being auto WB as it goes along? Or does it stay "fixed" at the point I switch on the camera? 3 - When I got my Greeny-Yellows this was on Daylight too - this is the preset to give best auto WB - yes? This must be such a simple thing that I don't know why I'm making such heavy weather of it. I'm sorta getting there! Off to do more test. Be back in 20mins. Grazie

May 24th, 2003, 02:10 AM	#4
Gabriel_Knight Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 34	Do you know any URL where I can buy some sort of white card? My local photostore does not sell them. Using a normal piece of paper is not that handy, specialy in windy conditions.

May 24th, 2003, 07:45 AM	#8
Keith Luken Major Player Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 200	I find that I use regular Inkjet High Brightness paper with a Brightness level over 103+ and just make a tent of it and set the white balance to that works great about 99% of the time. Usually if anything the final may have a slight cool or red tone to it, although many have said this is a Canon Red Puch issue. Overall this method works great and I get what I feel are extremely accurate and realistic renditions.

May 24th, 2003, 01:50 PM	#10
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	The settings have been posted on DV Info several times. Do a search and you'll find several threads on the topic. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

May 26th, 2003, 02:29 PM	#11
Ryan Krga Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, Illinois Posts: 116	You might want to check out http://www.studio1productions.com for white balance cards. I have never ordered or bought from them, but their product seem very useful.