Easy "colour contamination"

[Ron German]

Hi
One thing has called my attention since the first time I used my HD100A:
even after I white balanced the camera (no auto) I have noticed that is easy whatever surrounding colour refleted in the main subject to "contaminate" it, KEEPING THE SAME LIGHT SOURCE.
It happens much more frequently than with other cameras - most broadcasting - I worked in the past.
Regarding how the camera reacts to MINOR ambient colour changes, I have also noted that it`s VERY sensitive, forcing me to white balance it all the time, even in the same ambient and WITH THE SAME LIGHT SOURCE.
Again, it seems to happen much more frequently than with other professional cameras I saw and worked with.
Anyone with similar experience?
Best
Ron

[Bob Hart]

I have had a similar issue with a PD150. I white balanced for what I thought were ambient light conditions however messed up by using a white reflector.

Behind the white reflector was acreage of green coastal vegetation. Attempts to remedy the colour cast in post created magenta highlights.

In retrospect I should have found another location or put a screen between the green spill and my subjects.

[Ron German]

Hi Bob
I wonder if anyone had this experience with the HD 100.
The "standard" solution for this problem is to use some fill light on the main subject with the same quality of the main light source.
As I said, the "problem" is the excessive sensitivity to colour temperature changes that my unit has presented.
Best
Ron

[Earl Thurston]

I've noticed something similar with the first big project I've completed just this week. The camera is very sensitive to colour balance. I shot the entire thing with just the presets, expecting to make some minor balancing later in post. But in a lot of cases, the presets were either too blue or too orange, and the result had to be corrected more than I hoped.

I also had a lot of scenes with mixed colour balance -- interiors with open windows, office fluorescents mixed with tungsten kit lights, etc. Naturally, these were problematic situations to begin with.

However, when the balance is set right, the colour is spot-on and quite beautiful, especially when using one of Paolo's scene files (or variations thereof).

So, I guess the moral of the story is: do your best to match the lights and use manual white balance regularly. An external, calibrated monitor is also a plus.