Check your White Balance

[tukaniray]

I recommend to anyone shooting ... to Always check their white balance.

I don't know how many times I have taken a few guys on shoots ... and get the footage back with either Blue or Orange tint.
(Blue - outside with indoor white balance)
(Orange - inside with outdoor white balance)

Especially if you are with 2 camera operators ... be the better person and match the cameras white balance.

Another tip for white balance ... find the subjects main spot and white balance in that area.

For instance:
... at a wedding ... white balance the front alter
... at a corporate event ... white balance the speaker or product of importance

Lastly ... don't always trust the Auto White Balance ... Create your own presets. The ProSumer cameras today have 2 presets and an auto ... use one for outside and one for inside.

-Ray-

[Daniel W.]

If you have two cameras / ops, (if you're lucky they're matched in setup) - WB both to the same target.

[Abel]

Very true... I make it a habit to do custom WB's on my camera when shooting video... Makes the post processing so much smoother.. =)

[tukaniray]

It should since it's in correct color.

-Ray-

[tukaniray]

Also to add ... I usually do 2 cameras and sometimes get 2 different kinds (Canon XLHD and a Sony Z7 for instance) ... and I white balance.

But the addition is to also make sure that the Gain is either at 0 (for no Grain ... annoying in video) or an acceptable number for that camera.

Helps to match to different company sensors.

-Ray-

[Daniel W.]

One of the reasons I held on to using older cameras (my favorite to date is split between the Sony D600 and the Ike V55, send em' to an engineer and he would match the entire fleet, all we had to worry about was dialing in color temp / switching the ND wheel (and that whole...exposure and...focus thing).

[grinner]

Shooting lots of reality, I often just go with preset then dial it in in post. If in a controlled environmt, I always do but most of the time I just have to grab the image.

[silversixx]

Just shoot in raw and correct them all together when you edit them. Shooting in jpeg does not allow you do choose custom white balances as many times as you want in post. Put a gray card in one of your first shots and take the white balance off of that then use that image for the correct wb on the rest of the photos.

[groovyone]

Originally Posted by silversixx

Just shoot in raw and correct them all together when you edit them. Shooting in jpeg does not allow you do choose custom white balances as many times as you want in post. Put a gray card in one of your first shots and take the white balance off of that then use that image for the correct wb on the rest of the photos.

He is talking video though. I have tried fixing video in post and found it much easier to get it right in camera. Same still goes for stills with me. Get it right in camera and save the editing.

[grinner]

when it can be done. When shooting reality... grab the image and don't get fired.

[groovyone]

Originally Posted by grinner

when it can be done. When shooting reality... grab the image and don't get fired.

You can still plan for "reality", but yes, grabbing the moment is more critical.

[grinner]

you can try but it'll only frustrate ya. Unless shooting fake reality for TRU, flaybing off the cuff to catch acual actuality is yer buddy.

[tukaniray]

If you shoot run and gun ... and use a more professional video camera (sorry I don't put the 5D and 7D in this category for this issue)

You should have 3 sets for WB - A / B / Preset.

So, if you are good at it, you would set WB for Outdoor and Indoor ... when you jump from one to the other, just a quick flip of the switch you are good to go.

-Ray-

[grinner]

I do but it stays in preset more often than not. All of my scenes are usually outdoor but things change. Being my own editor leaves lots of freedom when shooting.

[KdLaneJr]

Color Correction for video is new to me. The advanced consumer HD video recorder I have doesn't let me dial in a kelvin temp. So far the custom white balance doesn't appear to be able to set an accurate CWB under stadium lights.

I have a few ideas on correcting that, but haven't had a chance to put them into action yet.