White balance settings

[stanwelks]

With a DSLR (I am using the XTI):

1. How often do you use the preset white balance settings vs. using a custom white balance setting? Are the presets generally good?

2. I am coming from a video background where I white balanced against a white card to calibrate the camera. Do you do this the same way with a DSLR? I press the custom white balance setting, though I am not sure what to do from there?

Thanks!

[Photo-John]

Do you have the camera manual, Stan? Setting a custom white balance with the XTi or any digital camera is basically the same as you have done with a video camera but there may be some specific details that are different so I'd check the manual. If you don't have the manual you should be able to download it from the Canon Web site. Look up the XTi support page and you should find it there.

One benefit of a digital SLR is you can shoot RAW. RAW files are the data straight off the sensor. With JPEG files and video files the images have already been processed and you can't do as much post-processing as you can with a RAW file. White balance is one of the things that is especially pliable with RAW files. Basically, you can set the white balance any way you want in post with RAW files. For that reason, I recommend shooting RAW with the camera set for auto white balance. That way you give the camera a chance to fine tune the white balance itself for the lighting conditions. In the majority of situations the camera will do a better job than you'd think.

The only times I change the white balance are for tungsten and flourescent lighting. The tungsten white balance presets are excellent. The only time I do a custom white balance is for my studio and that's because I use the same lighting there all the time. Doing a custom white balance isn't worth the effort for me most of the time.

I hope that helps. Let me know if you have more questions. Have you tried shooting RAW yet?

[stanwelks]

Do you have the camera manual, Stan? Setting a custom white balance with the XTi or any digital camera is basically the same as you have done with a video camera but there may be some specific details that are different so I'd check the manual. If you don't have the manual you should be able to download it from the Canon Web site. Look up the XTi support page and you should find it there.

One benefit of a digital SLR is you can shoot RAW. RAW files are the data straight off the sensor. With JPEG files and video files the images have already been processed and you can't do as much post-processing as you can with a RAW file. White balance is one of the things that is especially pliable with RAW files. Basically, you can set the white balance any way you want in post with RAW files. For that reason, I recommend shooting RAW with the camera set for auto white balance. That way you give the camera a chance to fine tune the white balance itself for the lighting conditions. In the majority of situations the camera will do a better job than you'd think.

The only times I change the white balance are for tungsten and flourescent lighting. The tungsten white balance presets are excellent. The only time I do a custom white balance is for my studio and that's because I use the same lighting there all the time. Doing a custom white balance isn't worth the effort for me most of the time.

I hope that helps. Let me know if you have more questions. Have you tried shooting RAW yet?

Thank you for your response. I do not have the manual, though I will go look for it and download it now.