FILTERS: If the user has an 812 filter or other warming or color correction filter on the camera, WB must occur BEFORE placing the filter on the lens. When the filter is placed on the lens, then the light is effected which will alter the color rendition.


ELECTRONIC PRESETS: The WB never alters the color or parameters set electronically. Anything in PRESET is already committed to memory and the circuitry is already pre-programmed for the PRESET. Think of it as the motherboard on your computer. The electronic preset and the WB work together. The WB will not change the colors, saturation etc.

This isn't true in my experience. A preset I often use is shifted toward the blue, and yet a warm white balance will still warm the picture considerably.

So you're saying if I white balance, but have a preset that adds +2 blue, -2 red, etc., the camera knows this and applies these changes to the picture AFTER the white balance, EVEN if the preset was on when I white balanced?

I'm still not really sure how the chain of image manipulations works out myself; maybe Ash will chime in soon with a detailed explanation of how all these pieces fit together.

Josh, I should probably add that in the situation I was talking about earlier, I use a preset WB... I have a preset WB for warm outdoor shooting on sunny days, and that WB preset was set with the cam's RGB values at default.

OK, I'm just getting more confused now.

Of course it does! All of the settings in the camera are based on or adjusted to what it thinks white is. If you use a warmer white balance card it changes what the camera assumes white is and the picture will be warmer.

Put in all of your presets, set up all of the lights you need, then white balance just before you shoot.

Mike

Most the time when I give people presets, I include a WB instruction. I dial in the presets, then white balance. I have not done any extensive testing but I doubt you would see a lot of difference either way. I have matched settings over firewire with people who did a WB at a different time than me and everything seemed to match...



ash =o)

Mike--

I know what WB is, and how it works. :) What we're talking about is the extent to which RGB settings in a preset will or will not offset or enhance the effects of warm or cool white balances. For example, if you WB to a light blue card for a warm color temp, and then dial down the red and up the blue in a preset, which takes precedence? Do the two effects even each other out?

I was saying that in my experience, the WB effect seems to overpower any preset color shifting by a pretty substantial margin. This would seem to run counter to what the manual says.

If I can find/time movtivation, I guess I can do a test or two. Nothing real scientific you understand, just white balance then add preset in one instance, and in the other, add preset THEN WB.

White balance defines white so of course it overpowers a preset as it sets color temperature. It should be used in combination with presets to create a look.


ash =o)

Jarrod,

I never meant to imply that you didn't know what white balance was, because I'm sure that you do. It is just that you have to understand the order, or precedence, of settings so to speak.

As I said, "If you use a warmer white balance card it changes what the camera assumes white is and the picture will be warmer." Maybe I should add that if you white balance then change a setting in the camera, then that setting will be different. If you white balance to a color or shade other than straight white, every setting in the camera will be different, as the camera balances it all based on what it thinks white is.

You really can't throw a preset in then white balance to another color, unless that preset was set to the other white in the first place.

Mike

So, then you WOULD add a preset after white balancing, if it alters color, to get your desired look.

YES! I was struggling to word that well, but that is it.

Mike

Ah. There we are then.

Old News
 

I know this may be old news to all of you but I've just ran across a July 25th 2005 thread that directs you to downloadable XL2 Custom Preset files.
Problem is that I can't get download anything. Is this becouse it's closed?
Any new sites I can go to? I've had my XL2 for a year plus now and am looking to get new outside ideas on settings. I should a lot of pre-lit wide stage area projects so I do not have much or any control of lighting.

Thye seemed to work ok about 10 hours ago when I downloaded them. Right click and Save Target As..