Step by step custom white balance for Canon DSLR

[BL]

I'd like to share about how to customize white balance Canon DSLR for capturing reeftank photo. Hope this thread usefull for Canon DSLR user.

We need White Balance Cap like this.




Set the Camera Dial to Av (Apperture Priority).




Switch the lens to Autofocus and if you're using tripod then switch image stabilizer to Off.




Setting the camera as display below.




Compose FTS and press shutter button.




The FTS will look like this.




Switch the lens to manual focus.




Put the WB Cap in front of the lens and press shutter button.




We will have the picture like this.

 

[BL]

Press the Menu Button.




Highlight White balance and press OK Button in the middle of the Jog dial, choose custom white balance and press OK Button.




Highlight Custom WB and press OK Button.




The camera display will show this picture.
Highlight OK and press OK Button.




Switch the lens to Autofocus.




Compose FTS and press Shutter button.
fTS photo will look like this.




If the FTS foto still did not match your reef tank color, we can try to use White Balance Shiff.
Highlight WB SHIFT/BKT and press OK Button.




Now we can shift the white balance.

 

[Tinpanva]

Back in the day we used to use the lid from a pringles can, not sure if that still works tho. Is there any benefit to setting the WB if your shooting in raw?

 

[IslandCrow]

Setting the white balance in camera can still be useful shooting raw, since the data from the manual white balance will be written into the EXIF, so when you bring the photo into Photoshop, Lightroom, DPP, etc., those settings will be applied, and that saves you from having to eyeball it. That's not to say you may not still want to tweak your settings a little in your raw converter, but setting a manual white balance or at least having a white balance reference shot is going to give you a good starting point. Personally, I wouldn't bother with the WB shift setting in camera if I were shooting raw, but that's just because I think it's much more easily and accurately accomplished with your raw converter. . .assuming you're shooting raw of course.

BL, I do have a question for you. First, what is the purpose of the first shot? You haven't set a WB yet, and that shot isn't for your white balance, so I'm a little confused.

 

[BL]

The first FTS shoot only show the picture look like if we use Auto White Balance.

 

[Tinpanva]

Very helpful answers!! Thanks again. Don't want to highjack the thread, but needless to say I've been struggling with WB. This was helpful!

 

[noy]

good tip! definitely will try this out.

 

[jroovers]

I'm sure this will help a lot of people out, great idea for posting.

 

[BL]

My FTS photo under DIY LED taken with Custom WB.

 

[Tinpanva]

Was that FTS taken with an 800 ISO? At what F/stop?