White balance or not? at DVinfo.net
DV Info Net

Go Back   DV Info Net > High Definition Video Acquisition > General HD (720 / 1080) Acquisition

General HD (720 / 1080) Acquisition
Topics about HD production.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old August 13th, 2007, 06:43 PM   #1
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: oakland
Posts: 27
White balance or not?

I've been told by a very experienced pro that on HD cameras, I should always use the presets of 5600 or 3200 kelvin for my white balance, and never do a white balance with a white card in the scene.
But in school, I was taught to redo the white balance whenever the light changes. Which is right?

And what are the implications if I just use the presets? Thanks.
Rich Wells is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 13th, 2007, 09:10 PM   #2
Trustee
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Clermont, FL
Posts: 1,520
I always white balance with DV or HDV. Why would you not?
__________________
Steven Gotz
http://www.stevengotz.com
Steven Gotz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 13th, 2007, 09:16 PM   #3
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 126
This sounds like some bad info, man. Remember, DV and especially HDV are HIGHLY compressed video signals (especially in the chroma), so the more you have to correct the image, the more noise you may introduce to the final picture. Why wouldn't you white balance? Seriously, I'd like to hear his rationale.
Brian Mills is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 13th, 2007, 09:28 PM   #4
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Duluth GA
Posts: 33
White Balance

I think the presets are a great help if you need to change locations quick
or need to get rolling without much prep. The presets are almost always very close to correct, but there is no substutution for a proper white balance
with the actual light in the actual shot.

Keep at it
Matt Gore
Matthew Gore is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 13th, 2007, 10:16 PM   #5
Major Player
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Great Neck, NY
Posts: 291
custum WB is always best. I have a huge collection of wrattan filters to whiteblance on and then take off to achieve a warmer or cooler or any color tint really, works great.

Stephen Eastwood
http://www.StephenEastwood.com
Stephen Eastwood is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 14th, 2007, 07:01 AM   #6
Trustee
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Clermont, FL
Posts: 1,520
At a minimum, for example, OnLocation comes with a little white card that you can use in Post to find proper white for color correction purposes. Sometimes there is no way to hop into the lions den and hold up a white card. But still, white balance when possible.
__________________
Steven Gotz
http://www.stevengotz.com
Steven Gotz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 14th, 2007, 07:16 AM   #7
Major Player
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Macau
Posts: 331
It depends on the look you want. I shoot a lot at night, and white balancing "kills" some natural lighting in town. I shot a short film all in preset white balance at 3.2k. Looks gorgeous.
__________________
If you don't believe in your film, no one else will.
Sergio Perez is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 14th, 2007, 10:13 AM   #8
Inner Circle
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Belfast, UK
Posts: 6,152
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sergio Perez View Post
It depends on the look you want. I shoot a lot at night, and white balancing "kills" some natural lighting in town. I shot a short film all in preset white balance at 3.2k. Looks gorgeous.
Yes, there are no set rules. Quite a few camera people commonly use the presets on the high end cameras, on other occasions they fool the white balance for effect.

For a neutral effect you can take a white balance.

It's very much a matter of deciding on how you want your images to look and what works for you and your kit.
Brian Drysdale is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 14th, 2007, 06:43 PM   #9
Inner Circle
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 2,222
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich Wells View Post
I've been told by a very experienced pro that on HD cameras, I should always use the presets of 5600 or 3200 kelvin for my white balance, and never do a white balance with a white card in the scene.
But in school, I was taught to redo the white balance whenever the light changes. Which is right?

And what are the implications if I just use the presets? Thanks.
Although I've been on the talent side as a martial artist, I like to pester the pro camera operators with questions. I've heard all sorts of responses regarding white balance, including white balancing for fluorescents through a gel. Many use a piece of white paper, which is probably just a habit taught when the white balance accessory market hadn't, uh, what's the word, matured to selling $100+ products that require considerable knowledge to use.

The presets are generally fine is they actually match your light source. If you white balance everything, you will end up with correct but boring color.
Manual white balance always introduces the possibility for error, especially if you aren't getting an accurate reflection of the light source or don't wait for the bulb to warm up. Flourescent white balance can be totally messed up if your shutter speed is fast, such as over 1/125. Also, fluorescent bulbs come in many color temperatures: 2700, 3000, 3200, 3500, 4700, 5000, 5000, 6500K. A daylight setting of 5600K will not have enough correction for the green spike in fluorescent lighting.

Last edited by Gints Klimanis; August 14th, 2007 at 07:17 PM.
Gints Klimanis is offline   Reply
Reply

DV Info Net refers all where-to-buy and where-to-rent questions exclusively to these trusted full line dealers and rental houses...

B&H Photo Video
(866) 521-7381
New York, NY USA

Scan Computers Int. Ltd.
+44 0871-472-4747
Bolton, Lancashire UK


DV Info Net also encourages you to support local businesses and buy from an authorized dealer in your neighborhood.
  You are here: DV Info Net > High Definition Video Acquisition > General HD (720 / 1080) Acquisition

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

 



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:11 PM.


DV Info Net -- Real Names, Real People, Real Info!
1998-2024 The Digital Video Information Network