Color temperature.
I found out that the app “light meter” on my iPhone actually can measure color temp.
So I did some metering in different light...candle light, fluorescent light, normal lamp etc. I then set the measured temp and took a picture. It turned out perfect. I also compared the measure with what Nikon default setting was. ( fluorecent light 2700 K for example). The light meter came out with very close values and the pictures had perfect white balance!
I also took some pictures with auto white balance and compared the results. I found that auto white balance worked really good, so I will leave that setting on for probably 98% of all situations!
(I deleted all photos, so I can not show you how it turned out)
May I suggest you do the same test yourself?
Opinions please!
Elmerviking wrote:
I found out that the app “light meter” on my iPhone actually can measure color temp.
So I did some metering in different light...candle light, fluorescent light, normal lamp etc. I then set the measured temp and took a picture. It turned out perfect. I also compared the measure with what Nikon default setting was. ( fluorecent light 2700 K for example). The light meter came out with very close values and the pictures had perfect white balance!
I also took some pictures with auto white balance and compared the results. I found that auto white balance worked really good, so I will leave that setting on for probably 98% of all situations!
(I deleted all photos, so I can not show you how it turned out)
May I suggest you do the same test yourself?
Opinions please!
I found out that the app “light meter” on my iPhon... (
show quote)
I don't think so. I use a Macbeth Color Checker if I need a perfect image.
My point was that auto WB seems to work pretty good.😊
And besides that the app is free!
Elmerviking wrote:
My point was that auto WB seems to work pretty good.😊
And besides that the app is free!
I could not find it free.$3.95
I have a vintage Minolta color temp meter that I would like to learn to use. I think it is good to have as many tools in your toolbox as you can. I have friends who don't need meers. They just look and know what to set. Someday...
PixelStan77 wrote:
I could not find it free.$3.95
It is called “Pocket Light Meter”
Gene51
Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)
Elmerviking wrote:
I found out that the app “light meter” on my iPhone actually can measure color temp.
So I did some metering in different light...candle light, fluorescent light, normal lamp etc. I then set the measured temp and took a picture. It turned out perfect. I also compared the measure with what Nikon default setting was. ( fluorecent light 2700 K for example). The light meter came out with very close values and the pictures had perfect white balance!
I also took some pictures with auto white balance and compared the results. I found that auto white balance worked really good, so I will leave that setting on for probably 98% of all situations!
(I deleted all photos, so I can not show you how it turned out)
May I suggest you do the same test yourself?
Opinions please!
I found out that the app “light meter” on my iPhon... (
show quote)
Getting correct color temp is half of getting accurate color. The other half is green-magenta balance. In Photoshop and other programs it's referred to as tint. How does Pocket Light Meter handle tint?
Gene51 wrote:
Getting correct color temp is half of getting accurate color. The other half is green-magenta balance. In Photoshop and other programs it's referred to as tint. How does Pocket Light Meter handle tint?
All I noticed is that the colors turned out exactly as a saw them when I used the measured value for white balance and that is was no difference if I used auto WB.
Elmerviking wrote:
I found out that the app “light meter” on my iPhone actually can measure color temp.
So I did some metering in different light...candle light, fluorescent light, normal lamp etc. I then set the measured temp and took a picture. It turned out perfect. I also compared the measure with what Nikon default setting was. ( fluorecent light 2700 K for example). The light meter came out with very close values and the pictures had perfect white balance!
I also took some pictures with auto white balance and compared the results. I found that auto white balance worked really good, so I will leave that setting on for probably 98% of all situations!
(I deleted all photos, so I can not show you how it turned out)
May I suggest you do the same test yourself?
Opinions please!
I found out that the app “light meter” on my iPhon... (
show quote)
There is a lot more to geting good color than white balance.
You can white balance until the cows come home, but under a sodium vapor lamp,
there are only two colors: yellow and black.
Thise is an exmaple of a color reproduction problem caused by lighting.
Not all "white" lights are created. equal. Fluorscent tubes range from
pretty good to terrible. Some colors may look black--and there's nothing
you can do about it except use a different light (e.g. a flash).
Sunlight, incandescent light, and xenon flash are all continuos spectrum--
but vary in color tempoerature. Most other sources of light are missing
larger parts of the spectrum -- though they may look white.
Color Reproduction Index (CRI) measures how much of the spectrum is present
in a given light. Sunlight = 100. Incandescent bulb - 100. Typeical fluorescents
range from 50 to 98. Low pressure sodium vapor lamp has a negative CRI!
A newer measure, Extended CRI (ECRI), is even better.
Gene51
Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)
Elmerviking wrote:
All I noticed is that the colors turned out exactly as a saw them when I used the measured value for white balance and that is was no difference if I used auto WB.
Sounds like it's worth looking into . . .
cjc2
Loc: Hellertown PA
I have found the AUTO WB on my present set of Nikon cameras to be fairly accurate. I continue to set custom white balance when I believe I need to and I've rarely found an image that couldn't use some tweaking a la Gene51s comment. It all depends upon the result you need. Best of luck.
Elmerviking wrote:
It is called “Pocket Light Meter”
"Pocket Light Meter" App on my iPhone is listed at $10.99!! Not free for sure. Although the cost is not prohibitive, it might be worth looking into. Interesting to say the least.
Elmerviking wrote:
I found out that the app “light meter” on my iPhone actually can measure color temp.
So I did some metering in different light...candle light, fluorescent light, normal lamp etc. I then set the measured temp and took a picture. It turned out perfect. I also compared the measure with what Nikon default setting was. ( fluorecent light 2700 K for example). The light meter came out with very close values and the pictures had perfect white balance!
I also took some pictures with auto white balance and compared the results. I found that auto white balance worked really good, so I will leave that setting on for probably 98% of all situations!
(I deleted all photos, so I can not show you how it turned out)
May I suggest you do the same test yourself?
Opinions please!
I found out that the app “light meter” on my iPhon... (
show quote)
Seems unnecessary to me. With digital color can be faked to about anything you want. (Says this old film shooter!)
RWR wrote:
Seems unnecessary to me. With digital color can be faked to about anything you want. (Says this old film shooter!)
Faked? I prefer to think that I can SELECT the WB that best suits the image.
geezer76 wrote:
"Pocket Light Meter" App on my iPhone is listed at $10.99!! Not free for sure. Although the cost is not prohibitive, it might be worth looking into. Interesting to say the least.
I am sure I didn’t pay for. It when I downloaded it ,probably 2years ago. They might have upgraded it..I don’t know.
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