Custom White Balance
October 28, 2010 Leave a comment
Create a custom White Balance for your camera
For landscape photography this works much better than relying on the cameras Auto White Balance (AWB) or factory made fixed Daylight settings.
AWB and factory fixed WB settings are typically not calibrated for your camera but for an average camera.
Create a custom White Balance with Capture One
Create your own Custom White Balance setting in Capture One. When using a ColorChecker use the second brightest neutral patch. This patch is the most neutral patch on the target.
In Capture One you can easily create a Custom White Balance preset for you camera
• I always use the GretagMacbeth ColorChecker as my White Balance target but other specially made White Balance card can be used. At midday with clear blue sky take a picture of the White Balance target placed in direct sunlight.
• In Capture One use the White Balance picker from the White Balance Tool to pick on the White Balance card.
• In the White Balance Tools Action Menu use the add preset to save the just made White Balance pick.
• This Custom White Balance preset can now easily be applied to the real photos.
People living in areas where there are big variations in the midday Color Temperature throughout the year can refine their presets by having a Custom White Balances made for each of the mayor seasons, e.g. summer, fall, winter and spring.
An alternative method, which I prefer is to create a custom White Balance presets in the camera. Most cameras have this option. This way your images will look right already from when you load them into Capture One.
