Setting and keeping manual white balance settings?

[Ming Dong]

I am having difficulty telling[list=1] [*]when I have successfully set the manual white balance[*]when I have recalled the previous (manual white balance) settings[/list=1]
The confusion arises from the description in the GL2 Instruction Manual (pgs 80,81), on how to set the white balance manually:


3) Press the WHITE BALANCE W set button.

• W flashes quickly in the display and then remains lit, to show that the camcorder has set the white balance.
• Depending on the light source, the flashing may at times change to a slower speed, rather than remaining lit. The result will remain better than with the auto setting, and you can continue shooting."

Note: When you turn the camcorder on, the white balance returns to auto white. If you then press the WHITE BALANCE W button, the camcorder will remember your last setting.

Hmmm. So it would seem that manual white balance settings are saved even when you turn off the camcorder!

Questions: [list=1][*]I've had it flash fast, flash slow, and remain lit, all while trying to set the white balance on the same scene? How do I tell if/when I have successfully set the white balance? [*]When setting white balance after a power down, how can I tell if I have recalled the last setting, or am setting the white balance for the new scene?[/list=1]

...

[Robin Davies-Rollinson]

The manual white balance is preserved after you switch off the camera. At least, it's nice to have something of your manual settings saved ;-)
answer to 1/
Keep an eye on the monitor or viewfinder - you should see your white reference starting to look good.
answer to 2/
Just cycle through the options. When you come to the white balance symbol, that will be the one you pre-set.

Robin.

[Bob Harotunian]

Also, when white balancing, make sure you have proper exposure otherwise the camera might not set the white balance correctly. Indication would be when the W keeps blinking.

[Ming Dong]

OK. So the flashing W indicates insufficient light for optimal white balance(ing). That makes sense, although the documentation is vague about this, simply saying, "The result will remain better than with the auto setting, and you can continue shooting."

[Bob Harotunian]

Yes, I've found that when using a white object or Warm Cards and the image fills the viewfinder but is under or over exposed, white balance will not be accurate. When I set exposure to a good level, the white balance always works.

[Alan McCormick]

100% with you on this one folks, happened to me yesterday in an interview set-up. Manual w/b would not finish. Came across answer by trial and error then found this thread. I was loathe to continue without a white balance but after correct exposure manual w/b was AOK!

[Graham Bernard]

Alan, I'm assuming that the exposure was not set manually either? Is that correct? Were you relying on exposure to find its level? No? Then I guess you were setting the exposure to a setting - that is a "manual exposure". Did you use the Zebra Bars to do this? How did you "set" the Exposure correctly? Did you raise any of this with The Man from the IoV? . . . Many questions . .. At what point did you set W/B before or after Exposure settings . . .

I did an event yesterday .. I used a W/B for this multi lighting source .. . the XM2 just reared up at me . .It was terrific .. W/B with the exposure setting correctly is a bit GOOD!

Grazie

[Alan McCormick]

I tried to set w/b 1st thing but manual w/b kept "hunting", I was in manual exposure but had not "exposed".

I then "exposed" properly after getting the hunt and w/b set itself pretty quickly.

This was the 1st time I had seen this so I suspect that previously I had set "exposure" before trying manual w/b, more luck than judgement.

Yesterday I thought the actual colours were "off" so I tried w/b straight away.

As for IoVman I did not have to contact him as I sussed it out myself.

Hope all is well.

[Graham Bernard]

Alan, please explain:

1 - "I tried to set w/b 1st thing but manual w/b kept "hunting", I was in manual exposure but had not "exposed". .. what do you mean? If you are in manual you are already "exposing"

2 - "I then "exposed" properly after getting the hunt and w/b set itself pretty quickly." . .what do you mean by exposing properly? What and how do you expose properly?

Grazie

[Alan McCormick]

1. Although I was in manual exposure I had not actually exposed/set my exposures 100%.

2. As I could not get a w/b set (i.e. the wedges kept flashing in v/f) I then adjusted Iris to the best setting (in my eye!)
Note i did this as a guess at fixing the w/b problem, lucky for me it worked and then when I read this thread it confirmed my suspicions, must be doing something correct!

[Graham Bernard]

Okay . . I'm getting there .. however ..

1. "Although I was in manual exposure I had not actually exposed/set my exposures 100%." - What do you mean by 100%? What are you setting to get 100%? What is this 100% do you mean? Do you need to brighter or do you mean to get darker? I'm assuming you are manually adjusting the Iris F-stop by F-stop. Sooooo... what are you attemtping to get?

2. "As I could not get a w/b set (i.e. the wedges kept flashing in v/f) I then adjusted Iris to the best setting (in my eye!)" . . Okay, this I understand, but what is this "best" you refer to that is apparent in your eye? What is "good" and what is "bad"? Are you using Zebras? Are you seeing detail that is being "blown" away by too much light?

Regards,

Grazie

[Alan McCormick]

"What do you mean by 100%"
- basically exposure was not set to optimum so you can assume it was not set at all.

"What is "good" and what is "bad"
- once again I meant the Iris was set to get best view, having zebras on/off is another story and would depend where the white balancing was being conducted.
As it happens I was indoors and overexposure was not an issue in this case.

Bottom line is I set the Cam to give me the best picture, sorry I am not technical in my responses.