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 ex- ample, 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 < >.

IconConditionsColor temperature K (Kelvin)

Camera selects the setting automatically.

approx. 3000 -7000

For bright outdoor daylight.

approx. 5500

For cloudy conditions, 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 balancedata

approx. 2000-10000

to set the ideal white balance for that

shooting location (→66).

 

3

Operations Advanced

65