capt2575 Loc: New York City

Hello Fellow Hoggs,
I am trying to find out which is more accurate custom white balance or Kelvin. Will they or should they give the same results or as close to the same. Any answers will be helpful. Also let me include the fact that this is regarding shooting in a high school dimly lite gym. So the iso will be high (1250-1600) with the f stop (f2.8, f2.0) and shutter speed at least 1/500 or higher.

twowindsbear

Well, just exactly how are you going to measure the color temp in degrees Kelvin? And, how exactly are you going to set the custom WB?

Erik_H Loc: Denham Springs, Louisiana

I'd say that a custom WB would be more accurate because you only have a limited number of kelvin settings to chose from whereas using a custom WB will get you in those "between" ranges.

capt2575 Loc: New York City

Using the kelvin from the camera instruction manuel(Tungsten light) 3200 and work from there and taking a custom white balance using a grey card.

twowindsbear

Given the variables in light bulbs, age of the bulbs, when 1 may have been replaced compared to another, dirt on the bulb, type of reflector, voltage variations, etc., etc., etc., I'd say using the WHITE side of the grey card would probably give you a slightly more accurate WB. For better accuracy, I'll suggest an Expo-disc (or similar device). And for best accuracy, a calibrated color temperature meter.

What degree of WB accuracy does your job require?

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

Well, the accuracy is up to you. If using K, then how so you know what is "accurate?" You can go to live view and keep moving the dial until you like it. That may or may not be accurate. In fact, "accurate" is a moving target. More important is what you like. Personally, I tend to like a slightly warmer color temp than the accurate color.

Shooting a gray card or using something like an Expo Disk can do a good job of setting an "accurate" WB, but I have done that often and then changed it because I did not like the accurate color.

Some (thankfully not all) gyms are lit by lights than change color throughout the 60 cycle wave. Each bulb on a circuit could go through a magenta cast, then maybe a greenish cast. The only solution is to shoot at about 1/30 of a second to allow the the lights to go through full cycles. Not practical for sports.

There is NO correction for this as every frame will have a different color and shooting a gray card is only accurate at that part of the cycle.

Worst case is when adjacent bulbs are on separate circuits. Then one side of a person can be magenta and the other side sorta green. I have done some hockey and you can see circles on the ice of different colors.

capt2575 Loc: New York City

Erik H seems like I will be doing a few test shots using live view, custom white balance and which I feel is the best for me.

capt2575 Loc: New York City

Captain C, you have introduced a new element into the quest for proper white balance thanks for the info.

capt2575 Loc: New York City

twowindsbear, thank you for insight but it seems there a so "many" variables involved I will try several and get back to everyone with some examples. there is no degree of WB accuracy except me and the kids playing. Hope they enjoy the shots.

twowindsbear

In this case, I'll suggest making a few test shots before the game begins by varying the WB, choose the WB that you like and then shoot the game at that setting. Just remember to reset the WB before your next shoot.

Good luck & have fun!

sloscheider Loc: Minnesota

Also shoot RAW so you can alter the WB later if you need to.

Erik_H Loc: Denham Springs, Louisiana

What I do in the absence of a custom WB is to use Live view + Kelvin to get me pretty close. since I shoot raw, I can easily adjust in post if needed.

CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver

I think that is a really practical approach.

WessoJPEG Loc: Cincinnati, Ohio

Keep shooting and deleting, and changing WB, untill it suits your fancy, simple.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Use an Xrite Color Checker Passport, shoot raw, and take all the guesswork out of it.