3
Advanced Operations
69
White Balance Settings
In light from any source, the proportion of the primary colors (red, green, blue) in the light varies
according to the color temperature. Higher color temperatures contain a greater proportion of
blue, and lower color temperatures contain a greater proportion of red. Moving from low to high,
the progression is red →orange →yellow →white →blue-white. For example, a given subject
will appear reddish if taken under tungsten (incandescent) lighting, or greenish if taken under
fluorescent lighting.
The human eye automatically adapts to changes in light so that white subjects appear white
even under different lighting conditions. Cameras that use film have to adjust for these
differences by using color-correcting filters or switching to different film types. Digital cameras
rely on software to correct the color temperature by determining white as the basis for the colors
in the subject, then correcting the other colors to achieve a natural color range.
〈〉mode automatically selects the white balance according to the light source where you
are shooting. If this does not produce pictures with satisfactory coloring, you can select a mode
other than 〈〉.
Icon Conditions Color temperature K (Kelvin)
Camera selects the setting automatically. approx. 3000 -7000
For bright outdoor daylight. approx. 5500
For cloudy conditions at twilight or evening. approx. 6000
For indoor incandescent lighting. approx. 3200
For indoor white fluorescent lighting. approx. 4000
For flash pictures. approx. 6000
To photograph a white subject to use as a
base color, then load that white balance approx. 2000-10000
data to set the ideal white balance for that
shooting location (→70).