How do I fix White Balance??
- Thread starter Ian
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Steve Ruddy
New member
There is a button on your camera labled WB stands for white balance. Take a series of shots of the above coral using al the different WB settings and see which one looks closest to you.
I usually set mine to Auto and if it is off a bit I adjust it in ACR.
I would suggset you take an a class if you can't decifer the manual.
I usually set mine to Auto and if it is off a bit I adjust it in ACR.
I would suggset you take an a class if you can't decifer the manual.
If you want to do it 'in camera', the default WB settings often aren't suitable for our tanks since we have very blue light (although my son's Nikon D80 AWB setting doesn't do badly). Instead, use the 'custom' WB function. You place a white object in the tank under the lighting you will be using. Programme the custom WB setting using this white object (how you do that depends on your camera). Then, just take regular photos.
If you want to adjust after taking a picture, you can use Photoshop or similar programmes. You have many more options if you use 'raw' rather than 'jpeg' on the camera (the Xt will allow you to save the picture as 'raw' images so you should be OK there).
If you want to adjust after taking a picture, you can use Photoshop or similar programmes. You have many more options if you use 'raw' rather than 'jpeg' on the camera (the Xt will allow you to save the picture as 'raw' images so you should be OK there).
TitusvileSurfer
New member
Steve Ruddy is *way* off, he should think about taking that class himself. Nickb knows what hes talking about, though I suggest you skip his first paragraph. Yes sticking a white object in the water next to your coral or fish will allow you to figure out a correct white balance but....that is so much work!
Lets move down to his 2nd paragraph. Here he talks a little about RAW images. RAW is your friend. When you take a photograph of that -way too purple- coral in RAW, the camera will save every white balance combination possible. Now go to your computer and load up Digital Photo Professional (it came free with your camera). Use this handy and *very* easy RAW editor to get the colors just right. Don't forget to save to Jpeg afterward!
Lets move down to his 2nd paragraph. Here he talks a little about RAW images. RAW is your friend. When you take a photograph of that -way too purple- coral in RAW, the camera will save every white balance combination possible. Now go to your computer and load up Digital Photo Professional (it came free with your camera). Use this handy and *very* easy RAW editor to get the colors just right. Don't forget to save to Jpeg afterward!
TitusvileSurfer
New member
Mmmmmm maybe. My version can't, but I know CS3 (the very latest) will let you. DPP is so easy and straight forward, I do my RAW editing there and then save to JPEG and tweak the small stuff in Photoshop. Even if you do the RAW part in Photoshop, you'll still have to convert to JPEG.
TitusvileSurfer
New member
Without any RAW or white balance or anything, you can still save your pictures. I don't even know what the coral looked like in the first place, but I took my best guess. This is 100% Photoshop, and nothing fancy at that. I am just showing that with the *addition of a RAW white balance*, you could have colored that purple picture perfectly.
I think you have to buy the ~ $200 Nikon Capture NX software to manipulate the images.
I have the D40 and downloaded this free software to do the RAW:
http://ufraw.sourceforge.net/
It requires free software Gimp to run, I've found that Gimp is kind of fun for JPEG editing.
I don't know how UFRaw compares to any other RAW image editing software, because I haven't used any.
Thanks, Kenneth.
I have the D40 and downloaded this free software to do the RAW:
http://ufraw.sourceforge.net/
It requires free software Gimp to run, I've found that Gimp is kind of fun for JPEG editing.
I don't know how UFRaw compares to any other RAW image editing software, because I haven't used any.
Thanks, Kenneth.
Steve Ruddy
New member
Wow This is what I said.
For me this means shooting in raw and setting WB in ACR which stands for Adobe Camera RAW. isn't that the same thing you said.
TitusvileSurfer
New member
No I took it as:
Click the picture...oh thats a little blue *adjust white balance*
Click another picture...still blue *adjust white balance*
Click another picture...still blue are you kidding me *adjust white balance*
Click another picture...red?! Awww maaaan *adjust white balance*
Steve Ruddy
New member
TitusvileSurfer
New member
The first option you gave is the wrong way to do it...no if's and's or but's. Were here to teach people how to run, not suggest they stick to crawling. The guy has an Xti, he clearly bought that camera with the full intent of learning to run someday. I highly doubt the OP had any idea what "ACR" means, which made your 2nd point null and void.
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Steve Ruddy
New member
Opinion taken.
I agree however IMO your tutoring on how to do it won't be grasped by someone who thinks the owners manual is in a language he doesn't speak.
TitusvileSurfer
New member
Well I agree with that. I preach and preach and preach and preach research BEFORE you buy so that doesn't happen. Anyone who spends the money for these cameras and lenses without understanding the foundation the manual talks about shouldn't have bought those cameras and lenses IMO. DSLRs are very knowledge-based both in use and from a financial standpoint, which of the variable cornucopia of equipment you should have.
People see these amazing pictures and get envious. They think they can spend $500 on a camera and be good but don't factor in 3-5 lenses, extension tubes, flash, a tripod, a head for that tripod, Photoshop, and the list goes on and on...But they buy the camera and then buy some lenses without any concept of Aperture. If they just did some homework the whole experience would be much better I think.
People see these amazing pictures and get envious. They think they can spend $500 on a camera and be good but don't factor in 3-5 lenses, extension tubes, flash, a tripod, a head for that tripod, Photoshop, and the list goes on and on...But they buy the camera and then buy some lenses without any concept of Aperture. If they just did some homework the whole experience would be much better I think.
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