color cast with my studio lighting

Hi Steve and everyone,
Have had my two 640 monolights a couple months and am pleased with the lighting except for one thing: The whites have a slight magenta cast that has to be removed in Photoshop. I know it's not my camera, moniter or printer as my associate who uses my lighting system but uses her own camera, moniter and printer (which are different than mine) also has the same problem. Thanks for any help,
By the way this is a way-cool forum!!!
Rere

Just a few questions.
1. Are you shooting in a room with flourescents and are you leaving them on during the shoot?

2. Are you shooting digital?

3. If the answer to 2 is yes, what do you have the white balance set on?

4. If you are on auto with the overhead lights still on, it could be part of the problem.

Hi MJS,
No, I'm not shooting with flourescent lights. Twice, it was during the day and no lights except what was coming through the window and my studio lights. Once it was evening and some incandescant lights were on.
Yes, I shoot digital in manual with the white balance set to flash. I never shoot in Auto with the studio lights--only manual.
Thanks for your reply!!!
Rere

Take a shot with a grey/white/black card in it as your first shot and then use that to adjust the photo, then you should be able to apply the white balance adjustment to the other photos using the same settings depending on the software you are using and as long as you are shooting in RAW mode as well.

You can also setup a custom white balance first as well then use that as your white balance for the shots using the same lights.

It's not at all unusual for there to be a color slight cast when shooting with any kind of artificial light. Individual flash units, as well as the type and age of the flash tube itself may mean slight deviations from a "standardized" spec.

That's the beauty of shooting digital. I agree with Peter that you should simply work out a custom White Balance tailored to those lights that gives you a more accurate color. A little trial and error should be all it takes...

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Originally Posted by Asylum Steve

It's not at all unusual for there to be a color slight cast when shooting with any kind of artificial light. Individual flash units, as well as the type and age of the flash tube itself may mean slight deviations from a "standardized" spec.

That's the beauty of shooting digital. I agree with Peter that you should simply work out a custom White Balance tailored to those lights that gives you a more accurate color. A little trial and error should be all it takes...

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I have a question for the group. How do you set the custom white balance for strobes, or is it unnecessary? Do I just set it at 6500K?

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Originally Posted by wwinn

How do you set the custom white balance for strobes, or is it unnecessary? Do I just set it at 6500K?

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It will depend on your camera and your lights. To get it right means trial and error, and evaluating the images on your computer screen and/or prints.

I use a Canon 10D, and its flash WB is set at (approx) 6000K. So, this would be my starting point.

The 10D's WB features lets me either create an "optimum" WB using a white card, or simply adjust the WB in 100K increments to whatever I'd like.

I will be using an Olympus E10. I have a choice of 5500K or 6500K. What do you think I should do?

Thanks for the reply,
Should I try and have all the lights off and put paper over the windows where I can? I shoot on location and at pet stores it isn't possible to cover window lighting. But in the dance studio and at houses, I could have the lights turned off. Would this help with the color cast do you think?
Rere

You want to create the lighting that you'll be using in your shots. If you normally blend window or other lights with your flash, then your custom WB should reflect that.

If however, you used the flash at full power and don't expose to get other light in the shot, then whether the windows are papered or not will make no difference, as it won't be a factor in your shot...

Try both and evaluate them to see which you prefer...

I think that having a custom WB setting by using a white/gray card would be a start, or setting the color temp in camera.

I use a color meter, and set my Canon to that color temp and it's pretty close. Even with that step, I still shoot a frame with a MacBeth color checker card to tweak any color shifts that may happen because lights flicker, movement away/cloer to the light source, etc.

Using PS RAW you can find the optimal setting and copy similar settings to the rest of the set.

Loren

Hi Loren
Thanks for the reply. What kind of color meter would you recommend? Can I buy one from someplace like B&H? I think a color meter would really help-didn't realize there was such a thing.This sure is a great forum for info.
Rere

Just search for color meter at B&H. After you see the prices I bet you decide you don't need one. :)

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Originally Posted by EmbeddedMatt

Just search for color meter at B&H. After you see the prices I bet you decide you don't need one. :)

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I found my color meter on Ebay, and for digital, I wouldn't buy one since color temp can be changed rapidly.

I shoot a lot of film and need to use it and found a Minolta IV meter for $300. Since a lot of people are switching to digital they are getting rid of meters like this.

I still use it for digital so that my shots require less digital correction.

Loren

Hi,
Saw the prices at B&H--Wow!!! I'll have to work without a color meter. Now that I realize a faster shutter speed in the manual mode on my cameras is an optopn, that should help a bit. I had been using mostly the A mode with the Tae Kwon Do and other shoots and forgot that in manual the camera doesn't default to 60th of a sec.
Rere