White Balance Settings: My Nikon d7100 permits various adjustments to white balance. I understand the need and desire to adjust indoors based upon types and sources of lighting. My...

bobgreen Loc: Maryland

My Nikon d7100 permits various adjustments to white balance. I understand the need and desire to adjust indoors based upon types and sources of lighting. My question is whether I should use the auto white balance option outdoors or change the setting based upon the type of lighting- direct sun, shade, overcast, etc. I have tried a few test cases and didn't see a noticeable difference.

I appreciate your opinions and advice!

ricardo7 Loc: Washington, DC - Santiago, Chile

If you've tested and don't see a difference than you don't see a difference and all should
be well. Indoors will be another issue and you should test that as well. Optimally, you
should shoot in RAW and adjust the WB in PP. Try that too.

TonyP Loc: New Zealand

bobgreen wrote:

My Nikon d7100 permits various adjustments to white balance. I understand the need and desire to adjust indoors based upon types and sources of lighting. My question is whether I should use the auto white balance option outdoors or change the setting based upon the type of lighting- direct sun, shade, overcast, etc. I have tried a few test cases and didn't see a noticeable difference.

I appreciate your opinions and advice!

I leave it on auto for all outdoor photos. The D7100 seems to make good decisions most of the time. I do shoot RAW files so I can change the temp easily in pp. I use ACR for processing and this gives a range of set options for white balance adjustment (shade, cloudy etc) or you can play with the actual temp by degrees for fine tuning. Most of the time, for outdoor shots, the D7100 does a very intelligent job.

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

bobgreen wrote:

My Nikon d7100 permits various adjustments to white balance. I understand the need and desire to adjust indoors based upon types and sources of lighting. My question is whether I should use the auto white balance option outdoors or change the setting based upon the type of lighting- direct sun, shade, overcast, etc. I have tried a few test cases and didn't see a noticeable difference.

I appreciate your opinions and advice!

Shoot raw and leave it on auto for most of your shooting. If you need to have absolute color accuracy, then purchase and use an XRite ColorChecker Passport.

photoman022 Loc: Manchester CT USA

I agree with everyone who says shoot RAW and adjust in PP.

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

ricardo7 wrote:

Optimally, you should shoot in RAW and adjust the WB in PP. Try that too.

Absolutely. An editing program specifically designed for photography like Lightroom makes adjusting WB as easy as it can be. Let the Nikon make decisions when shooting and change it later.

bobgreen Loc: Maryland

Thanks everyone for your advice!

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

I always take a custom WB when it is feasible. That way I don't have to adjust it in post, I know it is right, and I can make adjustments to my taste such as warmer skin tones if I want. If you are going to adjust it by eye in post, make sure you have a good quality calibrated monitor or you won't know if it is really right.

bobgreen Loc: Maryland

Thanks John.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

bobgreen wrote:

My Nikon d7100 permits various adjustments to white balance. I understand the need and desire to adjust indoors based upon types and sources of lighting. My question is whether I should use the auto white balance option outdoors or change the setting based upon the type of lighting- direct sun, shade, overcast, etc. I have tried a few test cases and didn't see a noticeable difference.

I appreciate your opinions and advice!

I use AWB. I shoot raw, but even shooting JPEG, it's easy to adjust in post, rather than guessing how to set it ahead of time.

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

photoman022 wrote:

I agree with everyone who says shoot RAW and adjust in PP.

Same here

Jim Bob

bobgreen wrote:

My Nikon d7100 permits various adjustments to white balance. I understand the need and desire to adjust indoors based upon types and sources of lighting. My question is whether I should use the auto white balance option outdoors or change the setting based upon the type of lighting- direct sun, shade, overcast, etc. I have tried a few test cases and didn't see a noticeable difference.

I appreciate your opinions and advice!

Virtually everyone says use the lazy route, i.e., shoot RAW and adjust in post processing. I say experiment in JPEG until you get it right. This is more time consuming and difficult. But what you learn about the color of light and how to adapt to it is invaluable.

GLKTN Loc: TN

I am reading Bryan Peterson's 4th edition of "Understanding Exposure" and on WB he keeps his on "sunny" outside for all conditions. He will change for certain things. He likes his exposures on the warm side.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

No matter what white balance is used, I do an image specific white balance with every image I shoot digitally. If one analyzes any of their images it will be seen that the image is biased towards some color. That is what I adjust in post. For the most part, I simply leave the camera on Auto WB and adjust both in ACR and in PS.
--Bob

bobgreen wrote:

My Nikon d7100 permits various adjustments to white balance. I understand the need and desire to adjust indoors based upon types and sources of lighting. My question is whether I should use the auto white balance option outdoors or change the setting based upon the type of lighting- direct sun, shade, overcast, etc. I have tried a few test cases and didn't see a noticeable difference.

I appreciate your opinions and advice!

sueyeisert Loc: New Jersey

Every photography lecture I've gone to with well known photographers i.e. Tim Cooper have recommended using the various settings and not AWB.