If you set the wrong white balance in jpeg it throws away all the pixels not needed for the balance you set-SO, you are left without the pixel information needed to create your image if the color balance was WAY off from the condition you were shooting under.

Ok , in a nutshell. In jpg if you select the wrong color balance- tungsten when you wanted daylight- it will throw away so much of the captured information you will be unable to recreate the color balanced image you desire- the pixels just won't be available. On the other hand,if you set the color balance properly, and the file size too, jpg can be an economical way to shoot sports team photos, proms or other repetitive events-just do not make a mistake in your initial camera set up. If you are going to experience unknown lighting challenges or may not want to risk liability loss and have the ability to record larger file sizes shoot RAW and know you will have your image available for post processing.

Anyone notice that the original poster LEFT after his one and only post. I wonder why?

Oh-you also need to have the viewing light source that you view the print with at a specific color temperature too or the results will not be accurate. Color labs and print shops have specific viewing booths with grey walls and special high spectrum fluorescent lighting (CR90+) to view the print output with when color matching.

X-Rite has a great forum and some informative programs on calibration of monitors, printers, etc.

For best results the screen should be 90degrees from your plane of view-have someone view from the side to see if you are looking squarely into the screen. Try to consistently maintain the same position when doing critical color work.

The problems you face are many. 1) Most laptop screens can not be properly calibrated for color and brightness. They simply lack the range and gamut or brightness and color to do so. You may come close. The best ones seem to be the Mac Pro Laptops with Retina Display. A cheap printer may have the same issues- you must use the proper OEM ink for each type of paper(glossy, matte, etc) and develop a profile for each. You need to purchase software and a colorimeter to do so. OR, just develop a "rule of thumb" that a image viewed on your laptop will look(darker-lighter; off color, etc)and shift the laptop image back in that direction to correct for it.

I shoot in Adobe RGB. You can select that as a color profile on most high end inkjet printers too. Photo labs print in the smaller gamut of sRGB, as it is closer to that of the paper they print on, so if exporting to a photo lab send the image as sRGB. You can always change from a higher colorspace resolution to a lower colorspace resolution at export, you can not reverse from a lower colorspace to a higher one.

I never referred to any Canon product, did I? How they chose to write their copy is their business.

Well, a diopter being a single element lens I feel comfortable with my statement.

Do I have to call the ASPCA on this group beating a dead horse on the proper name for close up diopters?

I'm a retired freelance photographer who also worked for years in Commercial Photo Labs in the Metro Detroit Area, mainly Color Perfect; then Meteor Photo. I've done everything from B&W to Dye Transfer. I now take photos for fun with a Nikon D300 and process my images on an iMac using Adobe Lightroom 4 and Photoshop Elements 11. I do woodworking and DIY projects around the house. When possible my wife and I do travel (she is still employed). I'm a lifetime member of Mac Group Detroit, but not an expert at it! Our local charity is Hospitality House Food Pantry in Walled Lake, MI.

Shooting snow is much like shooting on a sandy beach in bright sunlight- it will give you about the same type of exposure conditions. The 28mm would give you some dramatic images close up to the starting line as the teams race by-sun at your back-if you don't get crowded out by other photographers?
The 18 to 55 will be a great daylight lens. As others have mentioned, the 300 is best used at right angles to a moving subject, not head on- easier to keep focus.Practice using it on your tripod and panning left to right, right to left to follow an object at a distance- use the remote release too. Take lots of memory cards and have a system for which are exposed vs not.Do shoot in RAW with a small confirming jpg.

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Do a Google Search for a used copy of "Dean Collins book TINKERTUBES" from the 1980's. It is plans for lots of things for lighting that can be made from pvc tubing.