A question on custom White Balance.

mickledore

mickledore

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I have a 10 stop filter, which needs a custom WB to work properly. I know I can change the RAW file later, but custom WB generally gives better results.

If I take a custom WB using a white/grey card this is fine. However I do tend to reset my custom WB at different times. If I'm out landscaping it's not always practical to properly set a custom WB. I was wondering if it is possiblt to obtain the values for the custom WB when using a 10 stop, record them somewhere, and when I need to enter them under the K setting.

Would this work, and if so how would I find the values? When downloading the RAW images have no specific values shown and just show "As shot".

In effect I'm trying to discover the settings for my 10 stop and enter them manually. Is this a practicable suggestion, or just rubbish?

I'm on a 5D3 which only has space to store one custom WB, although I understand that Nikon will allow upto 3 different ones to be stored. This would be useful!

Would using Canon's DPP show me the settings anywhere?
 
mickledore said:
If I take a custom WB using a white/grey card this is fine. However I do tend to reset my custom WB at different times. If I'm out landscaping it's not always practical to properly set a custom WB. I was wondering if it is possiblt to obtain the values for the custom WB when using a 10 stop, record them somewhere, and when I need to enter them under the K setting.
Click to expand...
When taking the shot of the landscape, just take a picture of your grey card at the same time. Then later use the WB dropper in your software to get the correct WB, and copy that to your landscape shots.
 
Thanks, but as I said it's not always that easy. Yesterday I was upto my thighs in water - very difficult to mess about with a grey card in places like that!
 
mickledore said:
Thanks, but as I said it's not always that easy.
Click to expand...
Well you said you take a custom WB, and it's not always practical to properly set that up - I wasn't suggesting you do that, I was suggesting you just take a picture of a grey card, which is a lot quicker. And if it's a landscape, you can take it before or after you get into the water (I assume the natural light isn't going to be changing that much).
 
With your Canon, you can just leave a white balance reference shot on the card and go back to it any time. I think Nikon custom WB works differently though.
 
That sounds interesting. Do I then in some way import this back into my camera, or just use download it with my shots into ACR? I can understand the later, but not the former. Especially with two card slots, I could hold a WB shot on the SD card as I tend to completely format my CF card after a shoot.

Edit Stoopid me! I just use the saved image to create a custom WB. Obvious when I think about photography and not this afternoon's footie!!!
 
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HoppyUK said:
With your Canon, you can just leave a white balance reference shot on the card and go back to it any time. I think Nikon custom WB works differently though.
Click to expand...
Nikon cameras store a few custom WBs that you can go back to.
 
I'm going to try using a small SD card in the second slot. I can store WB images on there and use them as the need arises. I seldom fill my CF card so shouldn't cause too many problems for me.

Thanks for all your help and suggestions.
 
mickledore said:
That sounds interesting. Do I then in some way import this back into my camera, or just use download it with my shots into ACR? I can understand the later, but not the former. Especially with two card slots, I could hold a WB shot on the SD card as I tend to completely format my CF card after a shoot.

Edit Stoopid me! I just use the saved image to create a custom WB. Obvious when I think about photography and not this afternoon's footie!!!
Click to expand...

Yes, that's the idea. The two-card solution is ideal, and you could save a few different lighting conditions too, though there's often a bit of unpredictable variation according to the amount of infrared light about. Some filters are better than others at blocking IR, but if dark shadows start to go chocolate brown instead of black, that's most likely IR pollution getting through. Then if you correct the brown tinge, greens and grass can go off.
 
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