Author Topic: WB / color cast issue  (Read 13714 times)

elsa hoffmann

  • NG Member
  • *
  • Posts: 3822
  • Cape Town, South Africa
    • Elsa Hoffmann
WB / color cast issue
« on: October 03, 2016, 20:21:18 »
I have been having an issue for a while - and need some input please

Often of my images have a blue/green cast to them. Especially if there is a lot of foliage /grass etc in the image - but not necessarily.

While this could be a WB issue - is there a chance that my camera body has a color issue /setting that can be changed? What am I missing?
I think I am doing something wrong - so your thoughts suggestions might be very helpful.

I typically shoot on WB 5400 - 5600 or thereabouts.
"You don’t take a photograph – you make it” – Ansel Adams. Thats why I use photoshop.
www.phototourscapetown.com
www.elsa.co.za. www.intimateimages.co.za

David H. Hartman

  • NG Member
  • *
  • Posts: 2787
  • I Doctor Photographs... :)
Re: WB / color cast issue
« Reply #1 on: October 03, 2016, 20:37:07 »
Perhaps you've set a color adjustment by accident? One can be set with a white balance selection.

Dave
Beatniks are out to make it rich
Oh no, must be the season of the witch!

elsa hoffmann

  • NG Member
  • *
  • Posts: 3822
  • Cape Town, South Africa
    • Elsa Hoffmann
Re: WB / color cast issue
« Reply #2 on: October 03, 2016, 20:43:01 »
Perhaps you've set a color adjustment by accident?

Dave

in camera? what and where?

Edit - I should have said please :)
"You don’t take a photograph – you make it” – Ansel Adams. Thats why I use photoshop.
www.phototourscapetown.com
www.elsa.co.za. www.intimateimages.co.za

David H. Hartman

  • NG Member
  • *
  • Posts: 2787
  • I Doctor Photographs... :)
Re: WB / color cast issue
« Reply #3 on: October 03, 2016, 20:46:06 »
Looking ...

Shooting menu
White balance

...select white balance to check (game pad up/down)

Right game pad

... select color temp if applicable (game pad up/down)

Right game pad

You should see a color graph. A blue or green bias or both may have been set by accident.

I hope this makes sense

Dave


Beatniks are out to make it rich
Oh no, must be the season of the witch!

elsa hoffmann

  • NG Member
  • *
  • Posts: 3822
  • Cape Town, South Africa
    • Elsa Hoffmann
Re: WB / color cast issue
« Reply #4 on: October 03, 2016, 21:04:02 »
Checked - set to K 5560
I have been shooting on Kevin almost since day 1 - thoughts? would AWB be a better option?
"You don’t take a photograph – you make it” – Ansel Adams. Thats why I use photoshop.
www.phototourscapetown.com
www.elsa.co.za. www.intimateimages.co.za

David H. Hartman

  • NG Member
  • *
  • Posts: 2787
  • I Doctor Photographs... :)
Re: WB / color cast issue
« Reply #5 on: October 03, 2016, 21:11:33 »
With my D800 and D300s I use auto white balance. Auto WB was unreliable with my D2H. You probably have a newer camera than the D3, D300 era so auto WB should work quite well except under really spiky artificial light like cheep twisties.

I shoot NEF (raw) so it's easy to adjust if needed.

Dave
Beatniks are out to make it rich
Oh no, must be the season of the witch!

David H. Hartman

  • NG Member
  • *
  • Posts: 2787
  • I Doctor Photographs... :)
Re: WB / color cast issue
« Reply #6 on: October 03, 2016, 21:19:40 »
One can set an amber/blue and or Magenta/green bias for each WB selection so if this is an occasional problem a bias might be set for any one of them.

Dave
Beatniks are out to make it rich
Oh no, must be the season of the witch!

elsa hoffmann

  • NG Member
  • *
  • Posts: 3822
  • Cape Town, South Africa
    • Elsa Hoffmann
Re: WB / color cast issue
« Reply #7 on: October 03, 2016, 21:27:42 »
Thanks Dave - I appreciate your input!!
"You don’t take a photograph – you make it” – Ansel Adams. Thats why I use photoshop.
www.phototourscapetown.com
www.elsa.co.za. www.intimateimages.co.za

pluton

  • NG Supporter
  • **
  • Posts: 2687
  • You ARE NikonGear
Re: WB / color cast issue
« Reply #8 on: October 04, 2016, 00:40:55 »
I always use the factory Nikon (and Fujifilm) "Daylight" WB setting---without added adjustments--- for existing light photography.
If I get strange off-color results, I know that the existing light itself was strange and off-color.  When shooting around large amounts of green plants, I have come to expect "green pollution" or "green bounce".  If there is open shade with a blue sky providing the some or all of the illumination, I expect blue pollution.
Of course, with Nikon raw files and a non-Nikon raw converter, the color hues are plastic and adjustable anyway.  Calibrating the raw converter with a color checker helps but is not required , since I'm going to be manipulating the color to my own taste anyway.
Over time, this hopefully allows me to learn something about which existing light situations might have subtle color shifts and influences that the everyday human eye easily ignores.
Keith B., Santa Monica, CA, USA

armando_m

  • NG Supporter
  • **
  • Posts: 3685
  • Guadalajara México
    • http://armando-m.smugmug.com/
Re: WB / color cast issue
« Reply #9 on: October 04, 2016, 04:30:16 »
When the scene has lots of green I often find myself desaturating the green , regardless if I use CNX2 or Lr, or ACR

I do have an offset dial into the AWB , a 1 click towards the right and down , I'm having a glass of wine and feeling to lazy to go and get the camera to check what color that is, but I think it is towards blue/magenta
Armando Morales
D800, Nikon 1 V1, Fuji X-T3

elsa hoffmann

  • NG Member
  • *
  • Posts: 3822
  • Cape Town, South Africa
    • Elsa Hoffmann
Re: WB / color cast issue
« Reply #10 on: October 04, 2016, 06:22:41 »
Armando - you made me smile :)
Pluton  - you describe the situation well - my sentiments exactly
I have found the color checker very useful at times - on other occasions though the results unpleasing to say the least

Many years ago I had a D2x and the colour was unbalanced - Nikon corrected it  - but I think this is either settings or my editing
"You don’t take a photograph – you make it” – Ansel Adams. Thats why I use photoshop.
www.phototourscapetown.com
www.elsa.co.za. www.intimateimages.co.za

MFloyd

  • NG Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1801
  • My quest for the "perfect" speed blur
    • Adobe Portfolio
Re: WB / color cast issue
« Reply #11 on: October 04, 2016, 10:33:20 »
I nearly all cases I rely on AWB. Shooting RAW, I can always adapt afterwards. When shooting planes over a grass field, I have always to correct the green in the plane's undercarriage, due to the light coming for a substantial part from the grass.
Γνῶθι σεαυτόν

elsa hoffmann

  • NG Member
  • *
  • Posts: 3822
  • Cape Town, South Africa
    • Elsa Hoffmann
Re: WB / color cast issue
« Reply #12 on: October 04, 2016, 10:51:09 »
Okey so at least I am not the only one with green issues.

I have found the settings Armando was referring to - and will do some testing there. Seems I can still shoot in Kelvin and put in a custom setting towards magenta rather than neutral (which is so green)
Same can be done in AWB
I need to test a bit
"You don’t take a photograph – you make it” – Ansel Adams. Thats why I use photoshop.
www.phototourscapetown.com
www.elsa.co.za. www.intimateimages.co.za

elsa hoffmann

  • NG Member
  • *
  • Posts: 3822
  • Cape Town, South Africa
    • Elsa Hoffmann
Re: WB / color cast issue
« Reply #13 on: October 04, 2016, 11:01:59 »
1. Kelvin 5560 G-M M0 (default)
2. Kelvin 5560 G-M M1

Straight out of camera - cropped a piece off and saved for viewing here

One could of course do the same adjustment when converting from RAW - which I think might be better as you can fine tune better

Thoughts?
"You don’t take a photograph – you make it” – Ansel Adams. Thats why I use photoshop.
www.phototourscapetown.com
www.elsa.co.za. www.intimateimages.co.za

Fons Baerken

  • NG Supporter
  • **
  • Posts: 11158
    • https://www.flickr.com/photos/fonsbaerken/
Re: WB / color cast issue
« Reply #14 on: October 04, 2016, 11:05:11 »
Adjustments in post is what i do, the hue/saturation tab in photoshop may come to the rescue, for instance with green edges one may adjust by desaturating the green :)