White Balance Question at DVinfo.net

Joel Corral · April 3rd, 2004, 04:33 PM

hi,

i had a shoot with 2 gl2's running simultaneously at diffferent angles. i couldn't get the white balance set in either cam so our color was way off. so i have two questions:

1) what are some reasons why the white balance would NOT set.(and yes i do know how to set it normally.)

2) Is better or ok to use the factory setting for indoor white balance?

(shooting in a home living room with proper lighting and set)

please help i will die if i have to go thrugh this again.

Bob Harotunian · April 3rd, 2004, 04:59 PM

I would never use the camera's auto white balance indoors. Instead, point your camera at a white object and fill the frame. Make sure the camera is in manual exposure and adjust to a good level. Select white balance and then set. The blinking should stop in a few seconds and then you're all set.

Joel Corral · April 3rd, 2004, 08:46 PM

As i said before i DO know how to white balance. the icon just kept blinking. i tried and tried again.

This is a unique situation and i am trying to trouble shoot why the white balance would not set on two different GL2's.
again; Does anyone know what different reasons that could cause the GL2 not to white balance properly?

Rob Wilson · April 3rd, 2004, 09:24 PM

Joel,

Usually, it's that there is not sufficent light. You may want to try an add some light or get closer to your white source.

Joel Corral · April 3rd, 2004, 10:17 PM

ok, thank you for the advice.

will a sheet of paper work as a white source?

Ken Tanaka · April 3rd, 2004, 10:50 PM

The continuously-blinking wb indicator was recently raised and explained in this thread.

Joel Corral · April 3rd, 2004, 11:50 PM

so then it is normal and ok to shoot when the indicator is still blinking and it is better the the factory set indoor white balance?

Bob Harotunian · April 4th, 2004, 07:59 AM

Joel,
If you've tried white balancing on 2 GL2s and they both kept blinking, you're not setting them correctly and you won't have correct color reproduction in my experience. Try the thread that Ken recommended.

Joel Corral · April 4th, 2004, 11:07 AM

Bob Harotunian,

my reply was in response to

Ken Tanaka
Warden

The continuously-blinking wb indicator was recently raised and explained in this thread.

Ken Tanaka · April 4th, 2004, 11:30 AM

Joel,
Apparently a continuous blinker is ok, although it's not happened to me. Personally, I'd rather see it stick and would add light.

Graham Bernard · April 4th, 2004, 02:53 PM

"Apparently a continuous blinker is ok" Now THAT I didn't know . . . you've never have it happen Ken? You've always had WB get a fix? - Remarkable! - You must select the situation where it doesn't . . .I can get the blinkers anytime .. mostly "low" light.

Grazie

Joel Corral · April 4th, 2004, 04:20 PM

i get the blinkers all the time as well. but this time it was weired because there was plenty of light and both gl2's could balance.

Graham Bernard · April 5th, 2004, 12:18 AM

Now I'm really interested .. . .

Ken, Joel this needs further investigation and a response from Canon directly and/or from some more pro-user/s that can shed some light on this. I think we need a "back-to-basics" conversation to get clear and understnad the actual technical process that is happenning when the "blinker" is basically "hunting" - Hunting - my word - aint good if one wants to be in control. Is this hunting for the WB allowing the cammie to go onto a type of pseudo/auto WB "set"? This can't be good. Or is that the blinking is telling me that this is the "nearest" it can get to in this situation OR ARE we peering into to another XM2 "feature" set akin to the FF-REW and the dicky zoom-grip controller [ oh, by the way, I've got this "feature" back too .. . hey ho ].

Grazie

Ken Tanaka · April 5th, 2004, 12:36 AM

I really don't have any more info on this. Since it's a documented attribute of the camera I suspect the camera's signal processor is simply telling you that it encountered some ambiguity in chroma and/or luma values that prevented it from reaching what it considers to be a precise white balance on the target.

You could try to contact Canon's service center for more information but I doubt they'll offer anything other than a recitation of the manual's text.

Graham Bernard · April 5th, 2004, 01:14 AM

Ken, thanks. But as you say you have never encountered this, I wasn't really asking for a response from you. However your, "from reaching what it considers to be a precise white balance on the target", IS a clue - although a statement of the obvious - and for me an opportunity to further consider that WB may/will not be reached for either a particular set of circumstances and/or a "fault" within the signal processing function. And yes Ken, I also realise that contacting Canon will/may result in an echoing of the "manual's" Zen like qualities - OMmmmmmmm .. . .

Maybe a straw poll on blinking WB. Something akin to:

1 - Do you get blinking on WB? - Y/N

2 - Would you say that there was enough light to hold the WB setting and the blinking to go off? Y/N

3 - In such circumstances to do continue to film using the blinking WB? Y/B

4 - Having the blinking Icon and apart from NOT taking the shot what do you do to continue?

TIA

- - - - - -

Something like this Ken?

Grazie

April 3rd, 2004, 04:33 PM	#1
Joel Corral Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Brea, CA Posts: 356	White Balance Question hi, i had a shoot with 2 gl2's running simultaneously at diffferent angles. i couldn't get the white balance set in either cam so our color was way off. so i have two questions: 1) what are some reasons why the white balance would NOT set.(and yes i do know how to set it normally.) 2) Is better or ok to use the factory setting for indoor white balance? (shooting in a home living room with proper lighting and set) please help i will die if i have to go thrugh this again.

April 3rd, 2004, 10:50 PM	#6
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	The continuously-blinking wb indicator was recently raised and explained in this thread. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

April 4th, 2004, 11:30 AM	#10
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	Joel, Apparently a continuous blinker is ok, although it's not happened to me. Personally, I'd rather see it stick and would add light. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

April 5th, 2004, 12:18 AM	#13
Graham Bernard Old Boot Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London UK Posts: 3,633	Blinking White Balance . .another "feature"? Now I'm really interested .. . . Ken, Joel this needs further investigation and a response from Canon directly and/or from some more pro-user/s that can shed some light on this. I think we need a "back-to-basics" conversation to get clear and understnad the actual technical process that is happenning when the "blinker" is basically "hunting" - Hunting - my word - aint good if one wants to be in control. Is this hunting for the WB allowing the cammie to go onto a type of pseudo/auto WB "set"? This can't be good. Or is that the blinking is telling me that this is the "nearest" it can get to in this situation OR ARE we peering into to another XM2 "feature" set akin to the FF-REW and the dicky zoom-grip controller [ oh, by the way, I've got this "feature" back too .. . hey ho ]. Grazie

April 5th, 2004, 12:36 AM	#14
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	I really don't have any more info on this. Since it's a documented attribute of the camera I suspect the camera's signal processor is simply telling you that it encountered some ambiguity in chroma and/or luma values that prevented it from reaching what it considers to be a precise white balance on the target. You could try to contact Canon's service center for more information but I doubt they'll offer anything other than a recitation of the manual's text. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

April 3rd, 2004, 04:59 PM	#2
Bob Harotunian Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Somerville, MA Posts: 360	I would never use the camera's auto white balance indoors. Instead, point your camera at a white object and fill the frame. Make sure the camera is in manual exposure and adjust to a good level. Select white balance and then set. The blinking should stop in a few seconds and then you're all set.

April 3rd, 2004, 08:46 PM	#3
Joel Corral Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Brea, CA Posts: 356	As i said before i DO know how to white balance. the icon just kept blinking. i tried and tried again. This is a unique situation and i am trying to trouble shoot why the white balance would not set on two different GL2's. again; Does anyone know what different reasons that could cause the GL2 not to white balance properly?

April 3rd, 2004, 09:24 PM	#4
Rob Wilson Major Player Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Flagstaff, AZ Posts: 473	Joel, Usually, it's that there is not sufficent light. You may want to try an add some light or get closer to your white source.

April 3rd, 2004, 10:17 PM	#5
Joel Corral Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Brea, CA Posts: 356	ok, thank you for the advice. will a sheet of paper work as a white source?

April 3rd, 2004, 11:50 PM	#7
Joel Corral Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Brea, CA Posts: 356	so then it is normal and ok to shoot when the indicator is still blinking and it is better the the factory set indoor white balance?

April 4th, 2004, 07:59 AM	#8
Bob Harotunian Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Somerville, MA Posts: 360	Joel, If you've tried white balancing on 2 GL2s and they both kept blinking, you're not setting them correctly and you won't have correct color reproduction in my experience. Try the thread that Ken recommended.

April 4th, 2004, 11:07 AM	#9
Joel Corral Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Brea, CA Posts: 356	Bob Harotunian, my reply was in response to Ken Tanaka Warden The continuously-blinking wb indicator was recently raised and explained in this thread.

April 4th, 2004, 02:53 PM	#11
Graham Bernard Old Boot Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London UK Posts: 3,633	"Apparently a continuous blinker is ok" Now THAT I didn't know . . . you've never have it happen Ken? You've always had WB get a fix? - Remarkable! - You must select the situation where it doesn't . . .I can get the blinkers anytime .. mostly "low" light. Grazie

April 4th, 2004, 04:20 PM	#12
Joel Corral Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Brea, CA Posts: 356	i get the blinkers all the time as well. but this time it was weired because there was plenty of light and both gl2's could balance.

April 5th, 2004, 01:14 AM	#15
Graham Bernard Old Boot Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London UK Posts: 3,633	Blinking W/B ! Ken, thanks. But as you say you have never encountered this, I wasn't really asking for a response from you. However your, "from reaching what it considers to be a precise white balance on the target", IS a clue - although a statement of the obvious - and for me an opportunity to further consider that WB may/will not be reached for either a particular set of circumstances and/or a "fault" within the signal processing function. And yes Ken, I also realise that contacting Canon will/may result in an echoing of the "manual's" Zen like qualities - OMmmmmmmm .. . . Maybe a straw poll on blinking WB. Something akin to: 1 - Do you get blinking on WB? - Y/N 2 - Would you say that there was enough light to hold the WB setting and the blinking to go off? Y/N 3 - In such circumstances to do continue to film using the blinking WB? Y/B 4 - Having the blinking Icon and apart from NOT taking the shot what do you do to continue? TIA - - - - - - Something like this Ken? Grazie