EX1 and Auto White Balance

[Mike Mona]

Since nobody brought this up it may be that my camera has a problem, although it just came from Sony service last week - I sent it out to repair a day after arriving brand new from BH - but it is still not doing a right auto white balance when in Full Auto or ATW unless I press the White Balance button. It behaves worst with interior lighting.
ex. with the camera in Full Auto;
-I am zooming on the window - ATW goes to 5700k
-I will pointing it back inside - ATW stays at 5700k with a red image although I have white objects and white door in view.
-I push the White Balance button - ATW goes to 2100k(good wb).

Why is that even in Full Auto mode, still does and accepts manual white balancing? I have two JVC's GY-DV500, and when in Full Auto, they do not accept manual white balance or any other manual adjustment.

Does anybody else have this problem, or should I send it back and fight Sony for a replacement?

Thank you,
Mike

[Paul Kellett]

How long are you waiting for white balance to change,there's an adjustment for the amount of time it takes for white balance to change,ie quick or slow.

Paul.

[Mike Mona]

I set the delay for ATW to 1 sec from the default 3 sec. So it should be quik. Instead is sluggish and slow and even when is doing some ATW it takes at least 2-4 sec to start changing color temperature.

What I want to hear if other owners of EX1 has this problem or not? Or is everybody using manual WB only?

Thank you,
Mike

[Michael H. Stevens]

No such problem here and I am suspecting that the bright light from the window burnt an image into the sensor. What if you wait a good long time or switch camera off, does it then read correctly? Or maybe the room is too dark for it to read at all?

Try it outside swinging around in moderate light.

[Dean Sensui]

I would stay away from auto white balance and, instead, set the white balance according to where the bulk of the shot would be.

If it's indoors, then set the white balance there and let the scene out the window go to wherever it may fall.

Two ways to fix the difference: One way is to apply color correction gel to the window to match the interior.

Another way is to do the correction in post: select just the window via a mask, then apply the appropriate adjustments.

[Mike Mona]

Dean,
I really appreciate your willingness to help, but my concern is; do I have a defective brand new camera or not?
Is this behavior a bug that would be fixed with a future release of a firmware, or is a hardware defect and I should have the camera replaced?
I am not an auto white balance fan, but again, I can't use it knowing that it has a problem.

thank you,
Mike

[Vaughan Wood]

Mike,

Have you tweaked the shockless white setting?

That'll make it react quicker, but I've found it to be slow when doing run and gun!

Vaughan

[Michael H. Stevens]

Mike: It does not matter whether you use AWB or not, because if AWB is messed up, as it seems to be, then manual WB is likely problematic as well. You MUST talk to a SONY service guy and get the camera looked at or exchanged.

[Fredrik Sperling]

Mike, I have the same problem.

ATW is slow, sometimes doesn't react at all, sometimes gives me different readings on same lighting conditions. Example: ATW correctly identifies my white wardrobe on 4000K. But then when switching through PRST (3200K) and Memory A (set to 4500K) and back to ATW it gives me reading of 5100K and then it takes several minutes for it to find the correct reading again.

According to the manual the ATW speed should be set to 5 to be as fast as possible.

So, is it only Mike and me that have this problem. Bought my camera yesterday.

[Mark David Williams]

Same here Ive given up on the ATW The manual switch seems OK. Still prefer to use a colour meter and dial it in though.