Camera manufacturers might have been incorrectly adjusting white balance in their products, according to recent discoveries.
In the world of photography, understanding the intricacies of camera settings is essential for capturing stunning images. One such setting that often leaves photographers puzzled is white balance. A recent video by MinutePhysics, titled "White Balance is Broken," delves into the peculiarities of this setting and why it isn't treated more like exposure.
Exposure adjustments in cameras are designed to mimic human perception of light, which is logarithmic or exponential. This means that the increments used, such as doubling or halving light amounts, correspond to perceived equal brightness changes. However, white balance adjustments are applied linearly, which doesn't reflect human perception of colour shifts.
The Kelvin scale, used to measure colour temperature in white balance settings, is not linearly related to colour. Small numeric changes at lower Kelvin values cause more noticeable colour shifts than the same numeric change at higher values. Consequently, camera white balance controls, which adjust directly in Kelvin units linearly, lead to nonlinear perceived changes in colour temperature, making fine tuning less straightforward.
This discrepancy between exposure and white balance adjustments is what makes white balance treatment less intuitive. Shooting in RAW can help with white balance issues, as it allows for more flexibility during post-processing.
Mike Harris, a renowned photography expert, sheds light on this topic. Harris, who has written for various publications including Digital Camera, PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, and TechRadar, studied photography at college and honed his Adobe Photoshop skills. He is a top tutor for techniques on cameras, lenses, tripods, filters, and more, and his expertise extends to various photography subjects such as portraits, landscapes, abstracts, architecture, and wildlife.
The video suggests a solution to the white balance issue, but it is not revealed in the provided paragraph. To find out more, viewers are encouraged to watch the full video titled "White Balance is Broken" by MinutePhysics.
In addition, the video discusses the best LED light panels that allow altering colour temperature output on the fly, which can be beneficial for photographers and videographers.
For those interested in learning more about the technical aspects of photography, Harris previously worked as Technique Editor (later Deputy Editor) on N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine. He also offers insights on field of view in a separate article.
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[1] MinutePhysics (2021). White Balance is Broken. [YouTube video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhY-zN4oH5k [4] Harris, M. (2021). White Balance Explained. Digital Camera World. Retrieved from https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/features/white-balance-explained
- The intricacies of camera settings, particularly white balance, are essential for achieving stunning images in photography.
- Exposure adjustments in cameras are logarithmic or exponential, unlike white balance adjustments which are applied linearly.
- The Kelvin scale, used in white balance settings, is not linearly related to color, leading to nonlinear perceived changes in color temperature.
- Shooting in RAW can help with white balance issues because it offers more flexibility during post-processing.
- Mike Harris, a renowned photography expert, shares insights on various photography subjects, including white balance, in his tutorials and articles for publications like Digital Camera and TechRadar.
- The MinutePhysics video, titled "White Balance is Broken," discusses a solution to the white balance issue but does not reveal it in the provided text.
- The video also discusses the benefits of using LED light panels that allow users to alter color temperature output on the fly.
- Harris previously worked as Technique Editor on N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine and offers insights on field of view in a separate article.
- To stay updated on photography tips, news, camera deals, reviews, and product advice, subscribe to the Digital Camera World Newsletter.
