White Balance

Keeping Colors True

—Photographs Taking

The color of the light reflected from an object varies with the color of the light source. The human brain is able to adapt to changes in the color of the light source, with the result that white objects appear white whether seen in the shade, direct sunlight, or under incandescent lighting. Unlike the film used in film cameras, digital cameras can mimic this adjustment by processing images according to the color of the light source. This is known as “white balance.” For natural coloration, choose a white balance setting that matches the light source before shooting. When the mode dial is set to P, S, A, or M, white

balance can be selected from the following options:

White
ApproximatecolorOption temperature*

Description

Balance

Auto

3,500–

White balance adjusted automatically based on color temperature from 1,005-pixel RGB sensor and CCD image sensor. For best results, use type

8,000 K

G or D lens. With built-in Speedlight and optional SB-800 and 600 Speedlights, white balance re- flects conditions in effect when Speedlight fires.

Incandescent

3,000 K

Use under incandescent lighting.

Fluorescent

4,200 K

Use under fluorescent lighting.

 

 

Dir. sunlight

5,200 K

Use with subjects lit by direct sunlight.

Flash

5,400 K

Use with Nikon Speedlights,

including built-in

Speedlight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cloudy

6,000 K

Use in daylight under overcast skies.

Shade

8,000 K

Use in daylight with subjects in the shade.

Preset

Use gray or white object or existing photograph

as reference for white balance (

 

52).

 

 

 

* Fine-tuning set to 0.

Auto white balance is recommended with most light sources. If the desired results can not be achieved with auto white balance, choose an option from the list above or use preset white balance.

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