White balance or not?

RichW

RichW

Active member
What's the story on white balancing? I've been told by a very experienced pro that on HD cameras, I should always use the presets of 5600 or 3200 kelvin for my white balance, and never do a white balance with a white card in the scene.
But in school, I was taught to redo the white balance whenever
the light changes. Who is right?

And what are the implications if I just use the presets? Thanks.
 
its opinion. a good friend of mine ALWAYS shoots just a little warmer than normal
white balance. that whats I would recommend, but do a test and look at it and decide
which one YOU like more just by using your eyes.
 
As a general rule it's best to use the preset if it's a multicam shoot. This way your cameras match (or close to it) and you can color correct once at the end. If you're shooting single camera, I believe there's nothing wrong with white balancing when the light changes. Just don't go crazy.
 
I'd agree with white balance to suit and check with your eyes. I had a shoot the other day that seemed awfully orange and it bothered me to no end...so I went ahead and white balanced. And alot of nle's and AE's auto white balancing do a damn good job of fixing wb problems with little processor overhead.
 
for a controlled studio environment, use the presents that match with your lights. For run and gun work, I usually always white balance to each new setting I arive at (exept outdoors, where I usually always stick with the 5.6k preset
 
depends on the job mostly. I use presets when shooting features because its a lot like shooting either daylight or tungsten balanced film. you know what lights you are using and you know that it will stay consistent most of the time. Also as cinebuddy said. there are so many ways to correct using the nle's.
Its fun to test and play with colors as well. for instance, try shooting outside on a nice partly sunny day and white balance with some trees in the shot. It can add some nice magentas to the shot if thats what you are looking for. but when theres no time I love the presets
 
I've not too happy with the white balance results of the dvx100 and hvx 200. Most of the time I use presets unless the color is too far off, and then I white balance. I've never had this problem with sony, ikegami, or jvc.
 
Never shoot with presets, what if you're shooting inside (3.2K) and they have a tungsten light, a halogen light going, and sunlight coming in the windows... different color temps all competing. Take a white balance then you can tell the camera which white you like best.

I would also suggest WARM CARDS (commercially available http://www.vortexmedia.com/). I give them to new shooters for XMas presents (@$65). We are able to trick the camera by white balancing on something slightly blue, the end result is making the scene look a little "warmer" than standard white balance. Clients love it because they look "healthier" especially in our midwest winters, and as you pan accross the scene there is a hint of yellow/red envoking a warmer feeling. Warm Cards come with various colors so you can add warmth in various colors, and also includes green so that you can take a little fluorescant light out.

Hope this helps.
 
whats really fun is white balancing on different colors.... Light green, light blue, light magenta.... then thigns get interesting....
 
I don;t think the PRST's cover all of the spectrum

White Balance always

chart.jpg
 
My WB philosophy: always do a white balance then compare it with the preset setting and choose what's best.



.
 
If I have mixed lighting in a location then I control the light. Turn off lights, black out windows, gel lights or windows. If I have to white balance then that is my last resort, and warm and cool cards help, but these panasonic cameras do not white balance to my liking. I can get a much richer and natural look by shooting on preset and controling the light.
 
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