M8 White Balance - How to use it accurately

[red28g]

Hi

I am interested to know how everyone uses the white balance on their M8, I currently use mine on auto but I see a lot of comments about how bad it is.

Should I be selecting a certain white balance everytime I shoot, using Kelvin, or setting manual white balance,

I am interested to know what everyone else does.

Thanks
Richard

 

[Just Shoot Me]

I normally leave it on Auto and correct in post for any problem shots. IF I know I will be in one type of lighting I will either set it in the preset options for that type of lighting or use a Expodisc to set it manually.

Then again there are some types of lighting that never come out right in a color image. For those, even though I shot color, I'll convert them to a B&W image in post.

Some just set the camera to Daylight and then adjust in post to suit what they want for the images.
If you shoot RAW/DNG exclusively it's easy to adjust the WB in post.

 

[Pointcolville]

I have been setting WB manually, then fine tuning in Lightroom. This is convenient on the M8 because white balane and ISO are set on the same menu screen.

Lately I have been working toward minimizing post processing, which requires nailing the exposure and WB in-camera. To that end I have been setting WB manually in camera against a white or gray wall. I also purchased an Expodisk.

Setting WB manually outside mid-day produces adequate results (cloudy, shadow, daylight). Where I am finding the Expodisk useful is at the beginning and end of the day, when light tempurature fluctuates and, most usefuly, horrible indoor lighting such as that produced by aging flourescent tubes.

So far I have not gotten $100 of benefit out of the Expodisk (which is how much it costs), but with practice that may change.
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[torralba]

No such thing. I have had a total of 4 m8's and not one of them ever had consistent WB. It is a gamble, a hit or mis. Like Forest Gump said, "An M8 is like a box of chocolate. You never know what you are gonna get" Of course, when you do get that WB correct or even close, the photos are amazing.

 

[Stovall]

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'New images surround us everywhere. They are invisible only because of sterile routine convention and fear.'

Lisette Model

 

[Pointcolville]

Which I don't.
Exposure
WB
Green cast (for WA using B+W rather than Leica IR cut filter. . .

Too much computer time for stuff that maybe I can get right in camera.
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[Stovall]

Rather than take the time to get it right?

I guess with film you just sent it to 60-second photo also?

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'New images surround us everywhere. They are invisible only because of sterile routine convention and fear.'

Lisette Model

 

[Pointcolville]

Your bait smells awful. I'll ignore it.
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[red28g]

Didn' t realise that this thread would cause arguments,

I was more keen to find out if anyone uses Kelvin?

I always shoot raw but always aim to have the best possible picture straight out of the camera and limit processing time, hence the reason for the question.

The main thing I want to know is, does everyone shoot raw then post process or aim to ge the WB good to start of with.

Thanks

 

[Artichoke]

Didn' t realise that this thread would cause arguments,

we can argue about anything

I was more keen to find out if anyone uses Kelvin?

rarely if ever

I always shoot raw but always aim to have the best possible picture
straight out of the camera and limit processing time, hence the
reason for the question.

always best to get it as close to the way you want it in camera

The main thing I want to know is, does everyone shoot raw then post
process or aim to ge the WB good to start of with.

the M8 seems to me to be a RAW camera ...I have found setting a Manual WB the best way to get colors as close as possible in camera
this is not all that difficult really

I use C1 beta 4 version 2 for processing the DNG files and try to get a neutral white to further correct while converting these files to tiff ...I often will further correct in PS

getting the colors the way you want them is not all that difficult ...the DNG files from the M8 can take a lot of flogging in post, but it is best to get as close as possible in camera & shooting Manual WB seems the best way to do this ...a further tweak in PS takes but a few seconds and neutral greys are abundant in most photographs to help with this

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pbase & dpreview supporter
DPR forum member since 5/2001
http://www.pbase.com/artichoke

 

[Pointcolville]

I have had a chance to use Expodisk now and it is fantastic - no more corrections in Lightroom. Today it snowed in Seattle. I took pictures at my daughter's violin recital under mixed flourescent and tungston, took pictures outside in artificially lit snow in the evening, took pictures at mid-day - Expodisk nailed it every time. The difference between manual presents and Expodisk is minimal outsdie, but inside it is dramatic. I'm a believer.
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[DaveKl]

For those that are using the Expodisk, what is the advantage of it over a simple gray card?

 

[Max Savin]

Kelvin
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max

 

[Pointcolville]

I don't know whether one is more or less accurate than the other. I like the convenience of the expodisk. I carry an M8, 35 Cron adn 75 Cron in a Lowepro film holder. The bag with everything indisde of it is roughly the size of my Canon. The Expodisk fits as well.

Given time, I use it like an incident meter - taking a manual white balance reading from the position of the subject. A reflected reading from a gray card would probably be as accurate, but for me, less convenient.
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