How to get correct white balance with weird pink LED uplighters at reception at DVinfo.net

Nigel Barker · July 16th, 2012, 10:35 AM

At the weekend in the large marquee I once again encountered the situation of a reception lit with LED uplighters round the walls that it was just impossible to get an accurate white balance as there is the most terrific pink/magenta cast on the 5D2 & 5D3. It did look a bit pink in the room to the naked eye but when seen by the Canon sensor it was much exaggerated. I tried AWB. I tried a custom white balance using an Expodisk (this allowed me to replace a pink cast with a green cast). I ran through all the WB presets. I cranked Kelvin from one end of the range to another. I tried using the Green/Magenta offset WB screen. None of these methods could produce a decent white balance. Does anyone have any suggestions as I seem to encountering these LEDs from hell more & more frequently. The problem is that these lights (which I have encountered in quite a few venues) make the venue look mildly pink to the naked eye but the whole room looks bathed in a vivid magenta glow to the camera sensor.

Oren Arieli · July 16th, 2012, 05:46 PM

I'm guessing that you'll have a devil of a time getting accurate colors if the LED instrument is not casting a full-spectrum of light. You might be best off putting up your own light source, and keeping one light on-camera for fill. That way, at least when someone is within the range of your lights, you'll get accurate skin tones while the rest of the room still reads pink. Have you tried setting your saturation/color profile to flat? You don't want to add saturation to an already super-saturated light source.

Mike Hammond · July 16th, 2012, 08:08 PM

Hi Nigel,

After countless frustrations regarding exactly your situation, I have to side with Oren here and recommend your own lighting. As long as people in your shot are white balanced correctly, you'll probably have to forget about the background colors which will remain that ridiculous pink shimmer. And the good thing about the 5d (I'm also shooting with the 5dmark2) is that it's pretty responsive to even a little self-provided lighting (I have a Belcor on-camera at the dimmest setting) and it colors most of the people in my crowd shots just right.

Chip Thome · July 16th, 2012, 08:30 PM

My experience, LEDs screw up and saturate everything and there's no way to get the look right in the camera. I posted about this in another forum and was instructed to desaturate using Colorista II. Here is the resulting attempt, both "as shot" and after mostly desaturated.

Warren Kawamoto · July 23rd, 2012, 09:36 AM

I prefer the "as shot" ones better, it looks like natural stage lights of different colors.

July 16th, 2012, 10:35 AM	#1
Nigel Barker Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Norwich, Norfolk, UK Posts: 3,531	How to get correct white balance with weird pink LED uplighters at reception At the weekend in the large marquee I once again encountered the situation of a reception lit with LED uplighters round the walls that it was just impossible to get an accurate white balance as there is the most terrific pink/magenta cast on the 5D2 & 5D3. It did look a bit pink in the room to the naked eye but when seen by the Canon sensor it was much exaggerated. I tried AWB. I tried a custom white balance using an Expodisk (this allowed me to replace a pink cast with a green cast). I ran through all the WB presets. I cranked Kelvin from one end of the range to another. I tried using the Green/Magenta offset WB screen. None of these methods could produce a decent white balance. Does anyone have any suggestions as I seem to encountering these LEDs from hell more & more frequently. The problem is that these lights (which I have encountered in quite a few venues) make the venue look mildly pink to the naked eye but the whole room looks bathed in a vivid magenta glow to the camera sensor.

July 16th, 2012, 05:46 PM	#2
Oren Arieli Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: San Jose, California Posts: 919	Re: How to get correct white balance with weird pink LED uplighters at reception I'm guessing that you'll have a devil of a time getting accurate colors if the LED instrument is not casting a full-spectrum of light. You might be best off putting up your own light source, and keeping one light on-camera for fill. That way, at least when someone is within the range of your lights, you'll get accurate skin tones while the rest of the room still reads pink. Have you tried setting your saturation/color profile to flat? You don't want to add saturation to an already super-saturated light source.

July 16th, 2012, 08:08 PM	#3
Mike Hammond Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: West Orange, NJ, U.S. Posts: 163	Re: How to get correct white balance with weird pink LED uplighters at reception Hi Nigel, After countless frustrations regarding exactly your situation, I have to side with Oren here and recommend your own lighting. As long as people in your shot are white balanced correctly, you'll probably have to forget about the background colors which will remain that ridiculous pink shimmer. And the good thing about the 5d (I'm also shooting with the 5dmark2) is that it's pretty responsive to even a little self-provided lighting (I have a Belcor on-camera at the dimmest setting) and it colors most of the people in my crowd shots just right. __________________ Mike Hammond http://www.yourcinematicwedding.com \| http://www.storyboardgroup.com

July 16th, 2012, 08:30 PM	#4
Chip Thome Major Player Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Green Bay Wisconsin Posts: 553	Re: How to get correct white balance with weird pink LED uplighters at reception My experience, LEDs screw up and saturate everything and there's no way to get the look right in the camera. I posted about this in another forum and was instructed to desaturate using Colorista II. Here is the resulting attempt, both "as shot" and after mostly desaturated. Colorista II -60 Master Saturation Test on Vimeo

July 23rd, 2012, 09:36 AM	#5
Warren Kawamoto Trustee Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 1,435	Re: How to get correct white balance with weird pink LED uplighters at reception I prefer the "as shot" ones better, it looks like natural stage lights of different colors.