Caution:
All contents of this document are the property of Intellectual Property (IP) copyright of Focus archipelago, is prohibited to copy or move into the form, format or media whatsoever without the prior written consent (written consent) from Focus archipelago.
One of the important features of the digital camera is White Balance feature. This feature can be found on all digital cameras ranging from cameras on mobile phones, pocket cameras to digital SLR cameras. Why is quite important feature? The answer is none other than because this feature will determine the color accuracy of every photo we make. The resulting color digital camera can be affected by light sources used when we take pictures, whether sunlight, flash or other sources.
Light itself is actually a blend of various mixed color spectrum so that various light sources have different color character. In photography known various light sources to suit shooting conditions, such as sunlight, flash, light room (bulb or fluorescent) to the studio lights. Despite the fact that the light source has the same color visible to the human eye, is not the case with the camera. A light source such as incandescent bulbs will tend yellowish (or orange) while other light sources exist which tend to bluish .Warna of various light sources and is expressed in color temperature (degrees Kelvin) with a temperature range of between 1,000 K to 10,000 K. The lower a source color temperature, the color will be yellow (warm). The higher the temperature, the color will be blue (cool). Although the human eye color temperature difference is not a problem, but in digital photography this can interfere with the final color produced. For the human eye, a white object will appear white under different light sources. On camera, white object can appear yellowish when exposed to light with a low color temperature, or bluish when exposed to a light source with a high temperature. This is because the human eye has a color compensation capabilities while cameras only record what their color, the color temperature of the light source used could potentially shift the color produced by the camera so that a photograph can seem unnatural.
For that the digital camera is given a feature called White Balance (WB), which is a color compensation process performed on the camera to prevent the images whose color is not natural. WB process on the camera will adjust the color temperature emitted from the light source so that a white object will still look white, not too orange or blue.
Why should the white stuff? This is because the object putihlah easy to be a reference and be able to react to changes in the color of the light source. White color uncompromising, no young or old, gray white, no bluish white or yellowish white. The white color will be yellow when exposed to light yellow, and will be blue when exposed to blue light. So the white stuff could be appropriate benchmarks or not the camera WB settings. When the camera is set to WB for low color temperature light source, but given the higher color temperature of the white stuff last result will be bluish, otherwise if the camera is set to WB for high color temperature but given light source warnanyaa temperatures lower then the result is the white stuff This should be yellow (or orange).
The working principle White Balance on camera
Process White Balance on a digital camera can be done automatically by the camera, the term Auto White Balance (AWB), is available on all digital cameras from camera phones to high-end cameras. When the results of the AWB is not satisfactory, we can also choose from a variety of preset WB value available on the digital camera. In modern cameras even available option to perform the calibration manually.
Auto White Balance (AWB) is an internal process of the digital camera will automatically adjust to the color temperature of the light source. You could say in this process camera 'guess' the color temperature of the light source and compensate the color shift as necessary so that the resulting color becomes natural. AWB mode is in most cases unreliable for outdoor use day and night, with or without flash. How well this AWB could get a natural white color is determined by various factors such as the type of light source, the atmosphere around and the color of the object to be photographed. AWB will be safe when used during the day and use the flash, and AWB can deliver different performance when confronted with a light source that temperaturnnya low enough or high enough. When using the AWB does not give satisfactory results, use preset WB are already adapted to a wide range of color temperatures.
Here are some preset WB are common in digital cameras, sorted from lowest to highest temperature:
- Tungsten or Incandescent (2500-3500K):
This preset is suitable to compensate for light sources such as incandescent light yellowish and is usually used for indoor shooting without flash. When the preset is applied to other light sources result will be very blue.
- Fluorescent (4000-5000K):
Peset tailored to the color temperature of the fluorescent lamp. In the market generally available fluorescent light with two choices of warm white and cool daylight, where the two types of color temperature is different. Warm white has a low temperature approaching incandescent bulbs, are cool daylight has a color temperature closer to the sun in the daytime.
- Daylight (5000 - 6500K):
Suitable for use when shooting outdoors in daylight with direct sunlight.
- Flash (5600K):
Adjusted preset color temperature of the camera's flash. This color temperature is considered the most natural, not bluish or yellowish.
- Cloudy (6500 - 8000K):
These presets for use in the daytime but cloudy conditions (sometimes when using AWB results are somewhat bluish). These presets can produce a warmer color when compared with Daylight presets when used in daylight.
- Shade (8000-10000K):
Preset to face the color temperature is very high, usually occurs while under the shadow of the sun or very cloudy conditions. Use preset Shade when the AWB you still have the photos are bluish. When the preset is applied to other light sources would be most yellowish.
By selecting a preset WB setting above, in principle, we are the ones who tell the camera will light sources that we use to take pictures. It is expected the camera will give the best results for WB existing light sources. Especially for the source of light, selection of preset WB presets do not have to always wear Daylight alone, because the color temperature of the sun is also dependent on the time, altitude and cloud. When using preset Daylight or use AWB still produce a bluish color (meaning presets that we choose are still too low) could try to raise the temperature by using a preset Cloudy Shade even. Conversely, if we photograph yellow (meaning presets that we choose too high), lower the temperature by using fluorescent light presets even incandescent lamps.
In particular camera facilities are also available to perform manually preset by pointing the camera to the object is white or gray to get the most natural colors. It is available as an accessory to a tool called gray card that is usually used for more precise WB settings. If color accuracy is a must, it is advisable to wear shooting RAW format so that the resulting color can be set accurately by computer.
By selecting a preset WB setting above, in principle, we are the ones who tell the camera will light sources that we use to take pictures. It is expected the camera will give the best results for WB existing light sources. Especially for the source of light, selection of preset WB presets do not have to always wear Daylight alone, because the color temperature of the sun is also dependent on the time, altitude and cloud. When using preset Daylight or use AWB still produce a bluish color (meaning presets that we choose are still too low) could try to raise the temperature by using a preset Cloudy Shade even. Conversely, if we photograph yellow (meaning presets that we choose too high), lower the temperature by using fluorescent light presets even incandescent lamps.
In particular camera facilities are also available to perform manually preset by pointing the camera to the object is white or gray to get the most natural colors. It is available as an accessory to a tool called gray card that is usually used for more precise WB settings. If color accuracy is a must, it is advisable to wear shooting RAW format so that the resulting color can be set accurately by computer.
