View Full Version : Custom WB on AWB? 
 
Gustavs Repse October 21st, 2010, 09:10 AM Hello. 
 
I have one question about , on which White balance setups i should take the picture for setting a Custom White balance for video? 
 
Will i get the same effect from taking a picture of a white page of paper, in the environment I'm shooting, on any White balance setups ? AWB/Night/shady/tungsten etc? 
 
How do i go about it ? 
 
I am usually using AWB 
 
I think Picture style shouldn't matter in setting a Custom white balance.  
Aaron Courtney October 21st, 2010, 11:10 AM hey man, i just finished another doc and achieved the best custom WB by holding a gray card in front of the cam in the subject's light, snapping a pic, and using that for white balancing.  I mean it was balls on perfect (exposure was too).  
Gustavs Repse October 21st, 2010, 11:15 AM But on what WB you did it ?:) 
 
AWB? 
 
 
See, you get a wherry different image from each of the WB presets. So i am guessing for Custom white balance i have to use AutoWB, which is most neutral .  
 
But i am not sure about it.  
Ted Ramasola October 21st, 2010, 11:34 AM the manual said you can use "any" wb balance setting when taking the photo. For me I use AWB for taking the photo for custom WB.  
Gustavs Repse October 21st, 2010, 11:50 AM Seams like the right choice. 
 
Thank you.  
Aaron Courtney October 21st, 2010, 08:37 PM Gustavs, i don't think it matters because the cam will set the white balance irrespective of what the lcd shows you.  to prove this i snapped a few pictures with deliberately chosen incorrect white balance settings (like tungsten in indoor daylight scene - which made my white walls blue, lol), and after loading the pic, the custom WB imagery was perfect.  
Stelios Christofides October 21st, 2010, 11:02 PM So the motto of the story is to leave WB on AWB? 
 
Stelios  
Aaron Courtney October 22nd, 2010, 11:02 AM not really, the motto IMO is to custom WB every shoot with a Kodak gray card using whichever preset you want while snapping the pic required to properly set custom WB.  
Gustavs Repse October 22nd, 2010, 12:26 PM Great. :) 
 
Thank you guys.  
John Vincent October 25th, 2010, 09:14 PM Ant one know of a good place to get a plastic grey card?   Paper ones will die as soon as I buy them...  
Aaron Courtney October 30th, 2010, 10:00 PM Kodak Gray Cards 1903061 - B&H Photo Video (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/27715-REG/Kodak_1903061_Gray_Cards.html#features) 
 
(not plastic, which you would not want due to reflections) 
 
i think mine says $5 (purchased 30 years ago)  inflation sucks, literally  
Geoffrey Chandler December 31st, 2010, 05:55 PM Ant one know of a good place to get a plastic grey card?   Paper ones will die as soon as I buy them... 
 
Lastolite EZYBalance Grey/White Card - 20" LL LR2050 B&H 
 
I got one at my local camera store a few years ago that collapses to about 5" diameter. It's pretty sweet.  
 
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