White Balance

Author: Quadophile
Published on: 09-12-2004
Views: 47088


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The Computer System

An extension of the digital camera

Anyone using the digital camera knows that photos can be altered or corrected on the computer using photo editing software, but, it is a painful process which is time consuming and at the end you are probably not even sure if it is close to what it is supposed to be.

Your computer is an extension and integral part of your Digital Camera system. You do not only transfer and save the images on your computer but also view, alter and print them. The monitor you use also has the capability of being correctly set up for display of images. Let's assume you have taken pictures with correct white balance setting and are also well exposed, but, is your monitor showing correct colours?

You can set up your monitor based on the guidelines in the manual of the monitor for imaging purpose but allow me to give you an insight into what it is all about.

Professional television picture monitors use a standardized set of phosphors and are adjusted for a colour temperature of 6,500 K. In the US the colour temperature of consumer television sets is set at 7,100 K which basically would give a brighter image but also slightly bluish as well. In Japan the television sets are more likely to be set at 9,000 to 9,300 K making them bluish. However, European television makers tend to keep their television sets close to 6,500 K.

The history behind the colour temperature setting is that in olden days (black and white) the available phosphor, a yellow-blue combination had a colour temperature of 9,300 K. Black and white monitors used in television production today are set at 6,500 K since they are intermixed with colour monitors having colour temperature setting of 6,500 K.

Computer monitors white balance or white point should be set to 6,500K if any photo editing is to be done at all, since the default setting of the monitors is usually 9,300 K. This way no matter where the picture is being displayed it will be correct. Take for instance a monitor which is set at 9,300 K and colours are adjusted on them, the result on a calibrated screen will be that of yellow/reddish cast. Similarly it is also important that you set the colour depth to at least 24 bit or ideally 32 bit because at these settings you see true colours unlike 16 bit which is for general purpose applications.

The resolution of your screen is also important which you must set between 72 and 100 pixels per inch anything lower than 72 will result in less detail and anything over 100 you may be sending more information than your monitor or eyes can resolve. Here is a table which will give you an idea of the resolution based on the size of your monitor.

The new breed of LCD monitors have the setting “sRGB” which is an ideal setting to use if you need to have your digital camera matched for correct colours, for CRT the setting to be used is 6,500 K which also actually corresponds to “sRGB”, meaning both are one and the same. The contrast should be set at highest if possible (without being harsh).

The white balance setting of a camera deals with only the colours that are captured by the digital camera. White balance is critical to a digital camera, being the starting point for all the colours it will record. Whatever the source of light, if the white balance is set correctly, colours of a subject photographed under a particular lighting condition will be reproduced more faithfully. Use your camera correctly, get your colours right, after all you have paid for all those controls on your camera and it's about time you used them to your own benefit. Happy shooting!