White Balance:
White balance ensures that colours are unaffected by the colour of the light source. Auto white balance is recommended for most light sources; if necessary, other values ca be selected according to the type of source.
The following are the available sources. (Check with your camera's handbook for an exact list of sources available to your camera).
Auto
Camera sets white balance automatically. Recommended for most situations.
Incandescent*
Use under incandescent lighting.
Fluorescent**
Use under fluorescent lighting.
Direct Sunlight
Use when subjects lit by by direct sunlight.
Flash
Use with built-in or optional flash guns.
Cloudy
Use in daylight under overcast skies.
Shade
Use in daylight with subjects in the shade.
Choose Colour Temp. (Depicted by the letter K)
Choose colour temperature from the list of values.
PRE (white balance preset)
Use gray or white object or existing photograph as reference for white balance.
To select a value for white balance, press the WB button and rotate the main command dial until the desired setting is displayed in the control panel. White balance can also be adjusted from the shooting menu.
FINE TUNING WHITE BALANCE
At settings other than K and PRE, white balance can be 'fine tuned' by +/- 3 in increments of one. Choose lower values to make photographs appear slightly more yellow or red. Higher values tend to lend images a bluish tinge.
Press the WB button and rotate the sub-command dial until the desired setting is displayed in the control panel.
During shooting, settings other than +/- 0 are displayed in the control panel.
CHOOSING A COLOUR TEMPERATURE
At a setting of K, colour temperature can be selected by pressing the WB button and rotating the sub-command dial until the desired value is displayed in the control panel. Colour temperature can also be selected in the shooting menu.
PRESET WHITE BALANCE
Preset white balance can be used when the desired results cannot be achieved at other settings or to match white balance to the value used in a previous photograph. Two methods are available for preset white balance:
Direct Measurement - Neutral gray or white object is placed under lighting that will be used in final photograph and white balance is measured by the camera;
Copy From Existing Photograph - White balance is copied from photo on memory card.
CHOOSING A COLOUR TEMP.
Take a test shot to determine if the selected colour temperature is appropriate to the light source. It is worth noting that the desired result may not be achieved with the flash or with fluorescent lighting; choose flash of fluorescent instead.
Colour Temperature:
The perceived colour of a light source varies with the viewer and other conditions. Colour temperature is an objective measure of the colour of a light source, defined with reference to the temperature to which an object would have to be heated to radiate light in the same wavelengths. White light sources with a colour temperature, such as incandescent light bulbs, appear slightly yellow or red. Light sources with a higher colour temperature appear tinged with blue.
*With an incandescent light, the light is emitted directly from the element, giving off a red light.
**In a fluorescent light the element excites a gas, which in turn excites a secondary emission surface, this then emits the light, giving off a blue light.