coin picture white balance

buffalohunter

does anyone have a setting for the white balance with incandescent using a nikon d60 its asking for a a-b number and a g-m number, im trying to take a picture of a nickel.
thanks

Barry

I'm not familiar with your particular model, but there's probably a custom white balance setting. Look in your manual how to set that and do it.

drwstr123

If you don't have a 'grey' card, use a white sheet of paper and custom set the WB to it.

boucharda

Here's a dumb question: If you set your WB to a white piece of paper won't it try to make it grey???? I thought that's why a grey card was used so it would balance to white....Just askin'

Barry

<< <i>Here's a dumb question: If you set your WB to a white piece of paper won't it try to make it grey???? I thought that's why a grey card was used so it would balance to white....Just askin' >>


No, it will work fine with a white sheet of paper. Both white and gray have no color, gray being black + white, so either will work.

boucharda

It now makes sense

I confused it with snow pictures and the camera making them grey but that is exposure not balance

ressikanflute

White paper or gray will work, but I prefer Gray card.

A few thoughts on photography in general...

A good Christmas gift for coin collectors would be a photography class. My local photography lab has beginner classes and the tailor there help to your specific interests.

Personally, when I shop on Ebay, I immeadiatly discount a coin or avoid it all togeather if I can't view the Details or even if there is poor white balancing.

In reality there is little difference between shooting a model and a coin. Photography is bending light. Only the scale and equipment differ.

Lessons learned from shooting a hundred weddings and a hundred sporting events...

1) Get it right in the camera. Typically, I only shoot usiing manual mode.

2) Learn how to do Custom White Balancing. Saves you SOOOO much time.

3) Not necessary, but think of using a second flash off camera. Easily done with a $20 sync cord.

4) Dedicate a place in the house with consistent lighting. Recreate the exact set up each time and in time it will become second nature.

5) Create a cheat sheet with the settings and the simple steps walking you thru a CWB.

With a modest camera, good macro lens and optional extra cheap flashes/sync cords and with a basic knowledge of manually operating the camera, you could get professional level images very quckly and afforadably.

Avoid the PROGRAM mode. However, if you camera illiterate shutter priority or aperture priority work as well. I prefer manual modes just because I'm anal about getting the image correct in the first place.

A good resource with plenty of acrchives and projects is www.strobist.blogspot.com

mgoodm3

Sounds like you are wanting to set a purely manual white balance. The first number is likely the Color temperature (such as 3100k). The second number is the tint, the balance between green and magenta.

If you use the "preset" white balance setting you can set it off a a white piece of paper or a gray card and get a good number. White paper is not entirely white, but the difference is pretty minimal. The main problem with using a white paper is getting a good exposure for the WB setting - much easier with a gray card.

slipgate

You need to get Nikon's capture editor software and start taking pictures in "RAW" format. It doesn't matter then as you can quickly fix the white balance after the shot is taken.