qq - white balance techniques

[scorman]

I have been reading up on color balancing for underwater photos

Most claim that post processing with PS (GIMP) is sufficient.
trick here is what is the best setting for the camera so post editing is most effective?
what to set for manual WB, saturation, sharpness, contrast,ISO(?) ??
BTW, I have spent many hours experimenting with RAW vs high q JPEG outdoors/sunlight/ISO100 in PS and cannot justify RAW in image size nor time required


this was posted on another thread:

GIMP correct underwater image tutorial · Tankedup-Imaging

I do not agree with the idea of using a physical red filter.... it removes information and can screw up dynamic range
However, for UW video, red filter MAY be needed if WB isn't sufficient??

BTW, on last trip to Mexico, a semi-pro gal took beautiful HD colorful videos without lights down 50 feet ...don't know if she used filters buried inside housing??

here is another unrelated ref from forum:
dema 2008 - white balance technical seminar


With manual WB, you could use the white plastic on your wrist writing board while under.
Preset camera WB options are generally considered inadequate.

Another thought on forums was to have different blue cards to WB on land with sunlight to store setting.
This goes back to the 35mm film days, where we used to keep an 18% gray card to get proper exposure when using light meters.


I would think that several "blue" cards would be needed for diff water environments.
Has anyone been successful with these type color correction cards?




Do you have any wisdom to add here??

thx,
Stew

 

[alcina]

I'm sorry if I've missed your point, your post is a little confusing for me to read, but I'll try.

#1 - shoot RAW. So easy for white balance. Shooting underwater is completely different to shooting on land. RAW is the easiest option. Get Lightroom - takes no time to adjust WB (or other things).

#2 - the "best" setting depends on your camera, your dive conditions on that dive, your depth, your goals. The only way to get the best setting is to experiment on the dive. Try to shoot multiple frames with different settings, see what you prefer. Remember those settings for the next time you are in similar conditions.

#3 - check out Alex Mustard's Magic Filters. They are great.

#4 - you can certainly take a WB reading from your hand, the sand (assuming it's kinda white) or a piece of plastic you've brought with you. Personally, I'll shoot RAW and not fool with that. But those methods do help when RAW isn't an option for whatever reason.

#5 - shoot with strobes (and in RAW). Makes life a whole lot simpler on the edit end

#6 - shoot the lowest ISO you can get away with for the conditions

 

[scorman]

Alcina,
thx for your response
I wasn't so much trying to make a point, but rather to create a thread that encompasses several
common practices for feedback, and looking for some others that I possibly have missed for future evaluation.

I was not aware of the "Magic filters" that you pointed to, and looked thru their site.

I dug around my 35mm stuff and found an orange 85B color conversion filter ....that is an alternative choice in altering color temperature towards the reds, but needs to be compared to camera WB setting for tungsten.....could be no difference.

Went thru the camera manual and found several features such as an underwater mode.
I also note that there is a "tuning" WB adjust mode even for UW mode, or tungsten, which also can save any setting changes.

As you had pointed out, sometimes RAW is not available and that is my case with the Pany ZS10.

thx again,
Stew

 

[alcina]

Sorry, I guess I'm still confused! Kinda sounds like you are trying to reinvent the wheel in some ways

Many of the answers to quite a few of these questions come up regularly, so also have a look through the threads here for bits and bobs. I hope to be updating the main Sticky at some stage in the not so distant future so clear, specific information or questions that you might think others would be interested can be sent to my inbox.

Have a look in the Panasonic area - there has been some good information on specific settings in a couple of threads there.

Have fun with it!

 

[Buadhai]

when RAW isn't an option for whatever reason.

Lack of money to buy a camera that shoots RAW, for example....

 

[craracer]

I completely agree with Alcina's statements, however I've never used filters.

As said before, I white balance from a photo taken of my hand, or if fairly white sand is available I'll shoot it. I re-white balance every 3 meters of depth change, and whenever the ambient lighting changes significantly (Yes, you do end up with a lot of photos of your hand). I also shoot in RAW for the versatility of post-production editing (I use PSE9).

What mode do you shoot in, and do you utilize your light meter? In the past (using P&S cameras) I've found the "Underwater" setting to be relatively inadequate, but better than nothing at all if you don't have the means to do post-production editing. The best shots are the ones in which the least amount of editing is required.