Custom white balance query

I'm looking to take good pictures indoors when lights are on. I understand the kelvin would need to be around 2500 and AWB and the other settings can't get to this level.

So basically I want to set the CWB on my 20d.

I've got an idea of how to set this from the 20d manual but just have a question.

Is it best to take a picture of say the white wallpaper from the room I will be taking pictures from or is it best to take a picture of white / grey card?

If white / grey card would I take a shot of this in the lightened room or any time of the day?

I haven't taken a picture with the CWB so maybe there is a chance pictures will come out fine in lightened rooms with this setting

Thanks for any advice.

Just been reading about the expodisc. Maybe the dearer option but may look into getting one in the future.

Can anyone confirm that the expodisc would fit on a canon efs 17-85mm lens?

Thanks

Quote:

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Originally Posted by chopperward

I'm looking to take good pictures indoors when lights are on. I understand the kelvin would need to be around 2500 and AWB and the other settings can't get to this level.

So basically I want to set the CWB on my 20d.

I've got an idea of how to set this from the 20d manual but just have a question.

Is it best to take a picture of say the white wallpaper from the room I will be taking pictures from or is it best to take a picture of white / grey card?

If white / grey card would I take a shot of this in the lightened room or any time of the day?

I haven't taken a picture with the CWB so maybe there is a chance pictures will come out fine in lightened rooms with this setting

Thanks for any advice.

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How do you know that the white wallpaper is white? Sounds silly until you do that the first time and it does not work. You eyes and brain can easily fool you as the sensor has better color recognition than your eyes and brain. What may look white to you often is not white. A good white balance card is the best to use. Whibal and the Lastolite system are a couple of good ones to look into.

Thanks for reply gryphonslair99.

I was just playing a bit of devils advocate to see if you could get away with using a card.

So if I get a card the best bet is to take a picture of the card from the room I'll be taking pictures in and go through the CWB settings?

A white piece of paper has always done me well. Wallpaper or painted walls is a little different, as its more likely to have some subtle hue to it which will offset the white balance. The good thing with digital is - you can try it and see for yourself how accurate it makes the WB.

Another thing worth mentioning is the variation of white balance within a single building. I just shot a wedding last weekend and the building, throughout the area had 5 very different color temperatures due to different lighting and different amounts of window light.

Anyway, hope that helps.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by chopperward

Thanks for reply gryphonslair99.

I was just playing a bit of devils advocate to see if you could get away with using a card.

So if I get a card the best bet is to take a picture of the card from the room I'll be taking pictures in and go through the CWB settings?

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Pretty much you got it. Every time the lighting changes you need to do another CWB. Make sure that the target is in the light you are going to be shooting in, ie where the subjects will be. Fill the viewfinder with the target and take a shot in that light. Do a CWB in camera. DO NOT throw away the shot of the target. It can later be used to make minor wb adjustments on a particular shot that may need it.

Shoot RAW and maybe in addition jpg and you have all the freedom to adjust the WB.
If you are not sure, RAW gives you everything back what went wrong in your exposure.
An additional memory card is worth against a failed picture..... (RAW eats memory space):thumbsup:

Sorry to rain on your parade micha, but I get tired of hearing photog's using the convenience of raw to neglect a proper white balance workflow. Even shooting raw, getting accurate white balance on the spot is better than doing it after, if only for the fact that it can save time and guesswork (some of which easier than others), its also a good practice and not everybody wants to shoot raw 100% of the time. I'm also getting tired of enlarging my computers storage space, which I would have to do 3-4 times more frequently if I shot strictly raw. Its also silly to take up 4 times the file space all for the sake of being lazy with white balance.

haha, sorry to be blunt but this argument is old and many people just keep insisting that Raw only 100% of the time is the only reasonable way to photograph.