Gradual White Balance Control at DVinfo.net

Ben Hillier · December 9th, 2007, 09:37 AM

Hi there
After often setting white balance either auto or manually I often want to tweak what I see on the screen a little. I have only shot on consumer type cameras (now HV20) and was wondering if the bigger cameras allow for a GRADUAL white balance control????.....or is this only possible in post? just a nirking question really.....

Brian Drysdale · December 9th, 2007, 10:26 AM

The traditional "gradual" white balance control is to hold a 1/4 CTB lighting gel (or other strengths as required) in front of the lens when doing a white balance, to fool the camera into giving you warmer image.

You can also get warm up white balancing cards.

David W. Jones · December 9th, 2007, 10:54 AM

Many cameras have this function.
I do it with my Canon XH-A1 all the time.

Peter Jefferson · December 17th, 2007, 08:01 AM

Actually they don't. The A1, G1 ad H1 are the only HDV camcorders that I know of which allow for a live shift in WB. If there is another camcorder out there that works in the same way, I'd like to know about it.

The issue however is that this is only possible within a preset WB settings (3200 or 5600 preset).

Another option is to use the Kelvin count and dial up or down as you see fit. I find this to work the best, however it depends on how you've set up your scene files as to how this will respond to the light/colour coming in.

David W. Jones · December 17th, 2007, 09:09 AM

He didn't specify HDV cameras, and many pro cameras not only allow you to do this, but also have a display on the viewfinder that show the color temp #.

Carl Middleton · December 17th, 2007, 09:56 AM

The Z1 allows control of the "outdoor" preset, though I'm not sure if you can do this while live using this.

However! Using the program function to set the WB and whatever else you would like to control, allows a programmable way to press a button and smoothly change between settings. You will, however, want to program this BEFORE you start recording!

Carl

Greg Laves · December 21st, 2007, 10:11 PM

I know that my Sony Betacam camera has a function called ATW which stands for Auto Tracking White balance (I think that what the initials mean). Sony used an example of shooting talent outside in bright sunshine and them following him inside to 3200k lighting and it gradually shifts the white balance as you continue shooting. It never worked as good for me in reality as it did in their demo video, however. But it does work.

Ken Hodson · December 22nd, 2007, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David W. Jones

He didn't specify HDV cameras, and many pro cameras not only allow you to do this, but also have a display on the viewfinder that show the color temp #.

Of all the cams discussed in this forum it isn't a common feature, so I think he is probably right in this context.

Rick L. Allen · January 3rd, 2008, 08:04 PM

As mentioned the the Sony Broadcast cameras (D35, D50, D55 and XDCAM HD have ATW or auto tracing white balance (basically auto white on consumer cameras). The XDCAM HD also allows you to set different white balance settings on the A & B settings and then via a menu setting to make a soft change between the two when you flip from A to B or vice versa.

Carl Middleton · January 4th, 2008, 08:40 AM

The Z1 allows scene changes from A to B gradually as well, Rick. :)

Heiko Saele · February 14th, 2008, 09:07 PM

I always thought every camcorder had this function (but I never used it *g*)
I knew the ATW from the Sony D30/35/50 and I always assumed when setting the DVX100 or HVX200 to full auto they'd also use fully automatic white balance. Now I'm not so sure anymore they do... gotta try that tomorrow.

The JVC GY-HD110 has Full Auto White (FAW) that can be assigned to any of the A, B or preset buttons. It also has a function called "smooth transition" that makes just that, a smooth transition when you switch between w/b presets or gain settings. Only used that camera once, but I've been studying the manual closely because we had rented three for a shoot, and I was chosen to explain the camera to everyone else and be the culprit if anything went wrong, LOL

*Edit* I just re-read the initial question and I think Ben meant a manual gradual change of white balance. I know that in the Sony DXC D35 and newer you can at least gradually change the presets in 100K steps, and as far as I know the Sony Digital Betacam models also allow for manually changing the A or B setting (let's say you w/b, it shows 3800K and you can change that to 4000K if you like). They also have in-camera keying and whatnot.

December 9th, 2007, 09:37 AM	#1
Ben Hillier Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Cali, Colombia Posts: 46	Gradual White Balance Control Hi there After often setting white balance either auto or manually I often want to tweak what I see on the screen a little. I have only shot on consumer type cameras (now HV20) and was wondering if the bigger cameras allow for a GRADUAL white balance control????.....or is this only possible in post? just a nirking question really.....

December 17th, 2007, 09:56 AM	#6
Carl Middleton Major Player Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Fernandina Beach, FL Posts: 562	The Z1 allows control of the "outdoor" preset, though I'm not sure if you can do this while live using this. However! Using the program function to set the WB and whatever else you would like to control, allows a programmable way to press a button and smoothly change between settings. You will, however, want to program this BEFORE you start recording! Carl __________________ Carl Middleton Whizkid Mediaworks

January 4th, 2008, 08:40 AM	#10
Carl Middleton Major Player Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Fernandina Beach, FL Posts: 562	The Z1 allows scene changes from A to B gradually as well, Rick. :) __________________ Carl Middleton Whizkid Mediaworks

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December 9th, 2007, 10:26 AM	#2
Brian Drysdale Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Belfast, UK Posts: 6,143	The traditional "gradual" white balance control is to hold a 1/4 CTB lighting gel (or other strengths as required) in front of the lens when doing a white balance, to fool the camera into giving you warmer image. You can also get warm up white balancing cards.

December 9th, 2007, 10:54 AM	#3
David W. Jones Trustee Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Little Rock Posts: 1,383	Many cameras have this function. I do it with my Canon XH-A1 all the time.

December 17th, 2007, 08:01 AM	#4
Peter Jefferson Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 3,884	Actually they don't. The A1, G1 ad H1 are the only HDV camcorders that I know of which allow for a live shift in WB. If there is another camcorder out there that works in the same way, I'd like to know about it. The issue however is that this is only possible within a preset WB settings (3200 or 5600 preset). Another option is to use the Kelvin count and dial up or down as you see fit. I find this to work the best, however it depends on how you've set up your scene files as to how this will respond to the light/colour coming in.

December 17th, 2007, 09:09 AM	#5
David W. Jones Trustee Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Little Rock Posts: 1,383	He didn't specify HDV cameras, and many pro cameras not only allow you to do this, but also have a display on the viewfinder that show the color temp #.

December 21st, 2007, 10:11 PM	#7
Greg Laves Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Corpus Christi, TX Posts: 640	I know that my Sony Betacam camera has a function called ATW which stands for Auto Tracking White balance (I think that what the initials mean). Sony used an example of shooting talent outside in bright sunshine and them following him inside to 3200k lighting and it gradually shifts the white balance as you continue shooting. It never worked as good for me in reality as it did in their demo video, however. But it does work.

January 3rd, 2008, 08:04 PM	#9
Rick L. Allen Major Player Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Fayetteville, NC Posts: 535	As mentioned the the Sony Broadcast cameras (D35, D50, D55 and XDCAM HD have ATW or auto tracing white balance (basically auto white on consumer cameras). The XDCAM HD also allows you to set different white balance settings on the A & B settings and then via a menu setting to make a soft change between the two when you flip from A to B or vice versa.

February 14th, 2008, 09:07 PM	#11
Heiko Saele Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Wurzburg, Germany Posts: 316	I always thought every camcorder had this function (but I never used it g) I knew the ATW from the Sony D30/35/50 and I always assumed when setting the DVX100 or HVX200 to full auto they'd also use fully automatic white balance. Now I'm not so sure anymore they do... gotta try that tomorrow. The JVC GY-HD110 has Full Auto White (FAW) that can be assigned to any of the A, B or preset buttons. It also has a function called "smooth transition" that makes just that, a smooth transition when you switch between w/b presets or gain settings. Only used that camera once, but I've been studying the manual closely because we had rented three for a shoot, and I was chosen to explain the camera to everyone else and be the culprit if anything went wrong, LOL Edit I just re-read the initial question and I think Ben meant a manual gradual change of white balance. I know that in the Sony DXC D35 and newer you can at least gradually change the presets in 100K steps, and as far as I know the Sony Digital Betacam models also allow for manually changing the A or B setting (let's say you w/b, it shows 3800K and you can change that to 4000K if you like). They also have in-camera keying and whatnot.