Need help on "white balance" camera setting...

dizzyfoxx

I'm using a Nikon D-70 and a 27 watt/6500K flourescent bulb and a background incandescent bulb. My images are coming out very clear but they are also very "blueish". Any suggestions? and where is the white balance setting on the D-70... I can't find my instruction manual.

JapanJohn

Do a custom white balance with a white card or set your white balance to incandescent.

I use a device called an Expo disc to set custom white balances but they are pricey. Pricey. A white or gray card will work as well.

John

Link to D70 Manual

Boom

Same thing here particularly when trying to use the OTT lamp I heard so much about. I use a Fujifilm Finepix A330.

I actually prefer the look of my photos when using two 40 Watt clear bulbs. The WB setting is obviously all together different from one

extreme to the other.

EV set on Zero WB set on bright for the clear bulbs works fine but with the OTT everything is Bluish.

EV set on Zero WB on the opposite end works best but still not quite right.

Played with different EV and WB settings, even AUTO and just can't seem to quite dial it in for the OTT.

JapanJohn

One more thing. Shoot your photos in RAW and change the white balance in software. What software do you use with your D70?

John

MikeInFL

With the D-70 your best bet for color accuracy is to use a grey card (or ExpoDisc) and a custom white balance. The complex lighting introduced by using both incandescent and fluroescent bulbs will wreak havoc with trying to tune white balance in any other manner. Do it correctly in the camera using a grey card and a custom white balance, and do not use post processing to correct the color cast and your results will be superior. I would suggest a grey card with your D-70 like the one I own: Kodak Card at B&H, although cheaper alternatives exist like this: Delta Grey card at B&H

mgoodm3

Don't use two different light sources. You can't get an accurate white balance with both.

dizzyfoxx

Thanks guys!!! You're all way too

carl

Just to make sure of what the problem may or may not be, try taking a few shots like that of a coin outdoors. Put the coin on a black surface such as a bar-b-que grill (not lite), not in direct sunlight, take a few pictures with different coins, different distances, different angles. If the white balance problem is still there with daylight, you'ld better find the instructions.

dizzyfoxx

<< <i>Just to make sure of what the problem may or may not be, try taking a few shots like that of a coin outdoors. Put the coin on a black surface such as a bar-b-que grill (not lite), not in direct sunlight, take a few pictures with different coins, different distances, different angles. If the white balance problem is still there with daylight, you'ld better find the instructions. >>



Thanks for the tip.

It's awsome how this forum helps each other out.

LickThoseStamps

dizzyfox,

You can download the manual from the Nikon website (www.Nikon.com). The manual is there along with firmware updates.

gyocomgd

Have you tried Reveal bulbs yet? Softer than flourescent, whiter than standard bulbs. Not that I take great pix, but it did make a huge difference inasfar as not having to monkey so much with the white balance settings.

Boom

I take my best pix with 2 lamps using clear bulbs. I've tried Reveal, clear and now OTT. Always tinkering trying to get it just right.

Thanx for the help Mark.

Frankcoins

Trying to photograph a metal object that reflects much of the source illumination back into the lens is
always tricky, since in general you don't want this situation. That's why the movies have eyeglasses and
windows with no glass, and de-shiny spray for bald heads and automobile bumpers.

The best calculated plans for white balance can still give unexpected results.

You'll almost always need to resize and merge the obverse and reverse images with a good
program like Paint Shop Pro anyway, and it's quite easy to correct any white balance errors
at the same time.

AlixTCat

From DCRP Review: Nikon D70
by Jeff Keller, DCRP Founder/Editor
Originally posted: April 21, 2004
Last Updated: April 28, 2004
Nikon D70 Review
"To the left of the LCD are five buttons:

* Playback mode
* Menu
* ISO (200, 250, 320, 400, 500, 640, 800, 1000, 1250, 1600) {record mode} / Thumbnail mode {playback mode}
* White balance (Auto, incandescent, fluorescent, direct sunlight, flash, cloudy, shade, preset) {record} / Image info + protection {playback}
* Image quality (see chart later in review) {record} / Enter {menus} / Zoom and scroll {playback}

First, the D70 has a "preset" WB mode, which lets you shoot a white or gray card to get perfect color in any lighting. If that's not good enough, you can fine tune the WB. The range is ±3, with each increment being equivalent to 10 mired (a measure of color temperature). By doing this fine tuning, you can practically select the exact color temperature you want. If this sounds confusing, don't worry too much -- there's a handy chart in the manual that explains what this all means."

Set the white balance to the light you are using. Do not use two different light sources. Either use 2 flourescent or 2 incandescent.

You can also change the white balance in your graphics program, but I prefer to get it right from the camera.

Jonathan

mrearlygold

carl

If you use flourescent lamps you may want to check with a lighting fixture store. Flourescent lamps come in a large vaiety of types, colors, color corrections, wattages, etc. There is a Daylight lamp I use and it gives off great lighting for indoors but is harsh for general usage. The color corrective lamps also do a coin justice. Of course these lamps are usually only at electric supply organizations or lighting fixture stores and cost a great deal more than standard lamps from Home Depot.

RWB

Your first step is to follow Jonathan's advice and use only one type of light source. The D-70 cannot simultaneously compensate for the different spectra of fluorescent and incandescent sources. Then use a Kodak gray card (use the 18% gray side) to do a custom light balance. You should turn off other lights in the room. After that, you can adjust lighting angle and exposure for the best results knowing that the relative colors of your coins will remain constant.