Camera Play and Coffee - Playing with White Balance - PF68*

[jgrinz]

Playing with my camera and white balance - Keep in mind I have *spoon* lighting which I am playing off of and pics are all by hand so dont be too tough on

me

 

 

Thanks for looking

 

 

I think the right setting is in between the two YES

[lsica]

Howdy

 

I hope you don't mind taking advice from a newbie to these boards . But "white balance" is usually something you use to make things on a picture that are in some degree an "off white" color to be white, which of course adjusts the color somewhat on the whole picture. Depending on the camera, it can usually be set at least to either "automatic", a fixed setting based on the light you use, or some setting based on a spot on the picture you tell the camera is actually "white". Based on the yellow brownish tone on all your pics, your white balance is actually and unfortunately off on all of them. Try this: Either set your white balance to the type of lighting your using, or if your camera will let you, tell them camera a spot on the NGC slab is "white". As far as the amount of light you're using, picture 1 is FAR better.

 

Good luck!!

[jgrinz]

Having no knowledge of cameras - I am using past images as a guide as to what I change. Perhaps the clicky thing on top of the camera that starts at 0 and I can add 1 2 3 or substract 1 2 3 isnt white balance ?? Dunno BUT I am just using a Desk lamp. The auto features of the camera used to turn my Reflective pictures like the first set of pictures real yellow. Now At least I have the right Color ... So I am moving in the right direction.

As far as tecnical terms on cameras - thats where I get lost when someone knows a camera very well and tries to explain what to change or do as Most of the camera is on automatic settings and I tweak from there..

Thank you for your thoughts and your pics are great

 

Welcome aboard as I know your NOT a newbie to the field just the board ..

 

Mike

[jcarney-migration]

Hi Mike, what kind of camera are you using? Since that's a silver proof, unless it's toned you want it to be white. The golden color your pics are exhibiting tells me that your white balance is way off.

 

John

[jgrinz]

Thats what I was told when I had yellow coins

Now at least that is rectified ... Older Kodak DC4800 3.1mp

It has a digital zoom but I also have attachable lenses at +7 and +10

Closeups I use both - The little Eagles

These pictures I use the 10 so I can focus higher out of the lighting shadows

Luckily I have a pretty good steady hand

[lsica]

thing on top of the camera that starts at 0 and I can add 1 2 3 or substract 1 2 3 isnt white balance

 

Based on what it does, I'm thinking it's an exposure compensator and not white balance. White balance isn't something that can typically be adjusted by just a +/-, its a matter of adding or subtracting red, blue, or green to the image to "balance adjust" what looks "white".

 

I am just using a Desk lamp

 

Yup. And based on the color of your pics, I'm suspecting an incandescent bulb (which would be typical). Incandecents are typically yellowish in tone (compare how something looks in incandescent light compared to sunlight and you'll see what I mean).

 

What kind of camera do you have? If you don't have the manual that *should* tell you how to adjust white balance, you might be able to find the manual on the internet. If you don't want to play with your camera, if you put a more "white" bulb in the lamp it will help. GE Reveal bulbs is what seems to work for most people

 

Good luck!

[lsica]

From the DC4800 Manual (available at http://www.kodak.com/global/plugins/acrobat/en/service/digCam/dc4800/manual/dc4800english.pdf

 

This is from page 31 of that manual

 

Adjusting the White Balance

Whites can look white in daylight, but different under other lighting conditions.

Use the White Balance setting to correct for these types of color shifts that

result from shooting pictures under different light sources.

1 Set the Mode dial to a Capture setting (P,

2.8, 5.6, or 8).

2 Press the Menu button to display the

Capture Menu screen.

3 Press a button until the

icon is highlighted.

4 Press OK to display the White Balance

screen.

5 Press a button to highlight the

White Balance setting you want to use.

* AUTO (default)—automatically

corrects the white balance. Ideal for

everyday picture taking.

* DAYLIGHT—Ideal for pictures in

natural lighting.

* FLASH—Corrects White Balance when using an external flash.

* TUNGSTEN—Corrects for the orange cast of household lightbulbs.

Ideal for indoor pictures under this lighting without flash.

* FLUORESCENT—Corrects for the green cast of fluorescent lighting.

Ideal for indoor pictures under this type of lighting without flash.

 

Good luck

[jgrinz]

Hehhe Your too good to me .. Boguht it used so I didnt have a manual ...

Now I do and didn't even think about getting an online version duh ...

 

 

The bulb is one of those circular flourescent jobbies .. I think its flourescent anyway

 

I usually use the auto settings so thats why the white/color balance menu was not available to me ...

 

Hey thanks for the help and time

 

MIke

[lsica]

The bulb is one of those circular flourescent jobbies .. I think its flourescent anyway

 

Try the "Tungsten" setting anyway. You need to remove the orange tone, and I think that'll do it

[jcarney-migration]

Older Kodak DC4800 3.1mp

It has a digital zoom but I also have attachable lenses at +7 and +10

 

OK, I think I can help you here

 

My Nikon died recently and I had to resurrect my old Kodak.

 

If you're shooting under halogen light, set your exposure to the tungsten setting. Do not use flash. Let me know how that works.

 

Oops...shoulda read the previous replies.

[MikeInFL]

Here's what you can do to fix the white balance problem.... provided you can't do a custom white balance in-camera....

 

Buy a cheap grey card. Here's a cheap one a B&H. You should also be able to find one in your local photo shop.

 

Use the grey card as the background of a photo (place the slab on top of it and be sure some of the grey card appears in the photo.

 

Using a good photo editing program (I recommend Photoshop Elements for around $100, or Gimp which is free), use the grey card to correct the white balance. In Photoshop Elements, the commands are "Enhance...Adjust Color...Remove Color Cast". Once you start the command your cursor will look like an eye dropper. Use this eye dropper to sample the grey card.

 

Viola, your color cast is corrected.

 

Hope this helps....Mike

 

p.s. it is almost always better to do the white balance correction in-camera, but the above process works well if your camera doesn't have the ability.

[mgoodm3]

No such thing as crappy lighting. I can take pics with a $0.75 soft-white lightbulb and then with an expensive halogen lamp and I bet you can't tell the difference (There is a little difference but only at the highest res). With a proper white balance setting on the camera all lights are very close to equal (except in brightness).

 

If you're using a desklamp, you may want to try using a PAR30 bulb (conical spot light bulbs that fit in cieling cans). You can get them at most any variety store. They are halogen and way brighter than softwhites.

[mgoodm3]

Oh, if you do get one, don't get a narrow beam "spot" model (like 10 degree beam). get a "flood" one with a wider beam (35 degrees or more). the beam width is generally on the packaging.

[zrlevin]

I have a florescent desk lamp and i have to say that I love it. It shows color and texture very well.