Panasonic SDR-H80 Explanation of terms, Automatic white balance, White balance adjustment

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Explanation of terms

Automatic white balance

White balance adjustment recognises the colour of light and adjusts so the white colour will become a purer white. The unit determines the hue of light that comes through the lens, thereby judging the recording condition, and selects the closest hue setting.

This is called automatic white balance adjustment.

However, since the unit only stores white colour information under certain light sources, automatic white balance adjustment does not function normally under other light sources.

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The illustration above shows the range over which the auto white balance functions.

1)The effective range of automatic white balance adjustment on this unit

2)Blue sky

3)Cloudy sky (rain)

4)TV screen

5)Sunlight

6)White fluorescent lamp

7)Halogen light bulb

8)Incandescent light bulb

9)Sunrise or sunset

10)Candlelight

Outside of the effective range of automatic white balance adjustment, the image will become reddish or bluish. Even within the effective range of automatic white balance adjustment, the automatic white balance adjustment may not function properly if there is more than one light source. For light outside the functional automatic

white balance adjustment range, use the manual white balance adjustment mode.

White balance adjustment

White balance adjustment determines the white colour under different light sources. By recognising which is the white colour under sunlight and which is the white colour under a fluorescent light, the unit can adjust the balance among the other colours.

Since the white colour is the reference for all the colours, the unit can record pictures in a natural hue if it can recognise the reference colour white.

Auto focus

The lens is moved forward or backward automatically to bring the subject into focus.

Auto focus has the following characteristics.

≥Adjusts the focus so that the vertical lines of a subject are seen more clearly.

≥Attempts to bring an object with higher contrast into focus.

≥Focuses on the screen centre only.

Due to these characteristics, auto focus does not work correctly in the following situations. Record pictures in the manual focus mode.

Recording distant and close-up objects at the same time

Since the unit focuses on whatever is at the centre of the screen, it is difficult to bring the background into focus when close-up objects are placed in focus. When recording people with distant mountains in the background, you cannot focus on both the subject which is close-up and the objects which are in the distance.

Recording a subject behind dirty or dusty window

The subject behind the window will not be focused because the focus is on the dirty window.

Similarly, when recording something on the opposite side of a road with heavy traffic, a vehicle that happens to pass by may be brought into focus.

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LSQT1484