White Balance: Whibal

[KevinStecyk]

Hi,

I read the Strobist article and saw the video from Dave X. Tejada: Head Shots, and Pimping Your Chimping. In the video, the photographer uses Whibal white balance.

YouTube Video link: YouTube - Portrait Photography

I tend to use Photovision Target. When using the target, I need to ensure that the camera frame is filled with the target. I then set the camera to provide the proper white balance.

In the video, I get the impression that only a small portion of the camera frame is filled with the Whibal target. My question is, how did the photographer use a small target to obtain his white balance in camera?

My prior thoughts were that you photographed the Whibal and used that photograph in Photoshop to get your white balance. Then you just transferred your setttings to your other photographs. In this instance, however, the photographer has his white balance properly set in his camera.

Regards,
Kevin

[Noel_Carboni]

What camera?

The Canons, for example, use only what's at the center of the frame for the white balance calculation, which is then applied to subsequent JPEGs as long as you have the Custom White Balance function enabled.

From the 20D manual, for example: "The plain, white object should fill the partial metering circle."

-Noel

[MikeA]

Slightly off topic, but may be of relevance. Using a Whibal outdoors in natural light.

I used a whibal for a while (RAW Workflow), but I found variable results on the same image using the picker tool in Lightroom, so eventully gave up on it.

What I found was that I got different color temps depending where I clicked on an apparently evenly lit and exposed whibal, everytime I used it. It could be the sensitivity of the picker is too fine or something like that, but in the end, I just put it in the drawer and forgot about it.

If there is a trick to it, I'd like to know

Mike.

[KevinStecyk]

Originally Posted by Noel_Carboni

What camera?

The Canons, for example, use only what's at the center of the frame for the white balance calculation, which is then applied to subsequent JPEGs as long as you have the Custom White Balance function enabled.

From the 20D manual, for example: "The plain, white object should fill the partial metering circle."

Hi Noel,

Yes, Canon 20D.

I've used my target before without filling the complete frame and got poor results. I've been told that to get more accurate results, I need to fill the entire frame.

Even so, the Whibal target is pretty small, or at least it appeared so in the video. I am not sure it would fill the partial metering circle.

Best regards,
Kevin

[KevinStecyk]

Originally Posted by MikeA

Slightly off topic, but may be of relevance. Using a Whibal outdoors in natural light.

I used a whibal for a while (RAW Workflow), but I found variable results on the same image using the picker tool in Lightroom, so eventully gave up on it.

What I found was that I got different color temps depending where I clicked on an apparently evenly lit and exposed whibal, everytime I used it. It could be the sensitivity of the picker is too fine or something like that, but in the end, I just put it in the drawer and forgot about it.

If there is a trick to it, I'd like to know

Hi Mike,

That's interesting. I hope another Whibal user comments.

Best regards,
Kevin

[michaelnotar]

fill at least 50% of the screen with it to use a custom WB in camera. if using raw, it can be what ever size you want, just large enough for the color picker to target on. its just a starting point, i fine tune it to my liking...usually i like it a little warmer than dead neutral.

[DierkHaasis]

1. Michael Tapes advises to use the eyepicker in at least 3x3 mode to get around the simple fact that individual pixels might show differences between them. I faintly rmemeber he once answered a similar question with the advice to go 5x5. In Capture NX I use the Marquee sampling in the WB tool.

2. WhiBal is not developed to set [inconvenient] in-camera WB. It's normal use is too shoot a reference photo for the lighting conditions encountered, then get a WB reading in your image processor of choice, save it and use it for all photos in the same lighting conditions.
You can use it to set a custom WB in the camera; depending on the camera you need to fill the full frame [Nikon] - meaning you should get at least a Studio, better yet a Reference - or the shown spot metering area [some Canons].

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