E-PL1 and one shot white balance

[Waterbase]

Hi,
I've been trying out my new E-PL1 and housing, and I'm having troubles with setting the white balance. I'm using the one shot wb option, and while this works at a depth of about 10m, I get a "wb ng retry" message when I try to set it again at say 15m.

Apparently, this means the white I'm showing at that moment is either too dark, or not white enough (I would wish I'd be the one deciding what is white...).
Camera is in P setting at this time.

Has anyone found a way around this issue? It's pretty annoying....

Thanks for your ideas...

 

[PHIL RUDIN]

Olympus Auto white balance is quite good and in P mode the brain being used is the cameras and not yours. You will never be able to overcome a problem when the camera is making most of the decisions.

Phil Rudin

 

[MadBeaverDK]

I have encountered the same problem with the xz-1. Apparently others also have the problem with the xz-1 and thr e-pl2.
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/olympus-outlet/407126-xz-1-white-balance.html

It seems the early e-pl's and xz-1 can't do custom white balance in low light. Don't know about the newer e-pl's and omd.

 

[smoore]

Olympus Auto white balance is quite good and in P mode the brain being used is the cameras and not yours. You will never be able to overcome a problem when the camera is making most of the decisions.

Phil Rudin

Phil is there any situation where you use the camera's underwater setting? I was told by someone at one of the underwater photo stores that they are similar to magic filters.

 

[PHIL RUDIN]

I never use the underwater settings, I shoot with the camera in manual mode with auto white balance and make any corrections in Lightroom with the white balance tool.

Phil Rudin

 

[jetlife2]

I never use the underwater settings, I shoot with the camera in manual mode with auto white balance and make any corrections in Lightroom with the white balance tool.

Phil Rudin

+1 from me, M mode, Auto WB, Lightroom. Also be sure to use RAW file format so as not to have any other camera intervention in the record.

---------- Post Merged at 11:36 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 11:30 AM ----------

Also by the way as another suggestion, if you don't want to use full M mode, for low light I would suggest S mode is better than P. Fix shutter speed, not lower than 1/60 or you will get motion blur, and the camera will find aperture. You can fix ISO or let the camera use auto ISO. If you want some automation that would be better IMHO. Sorry if I hijacked the thread into another direction...

 

[smoore]

Thanks for the input.

 

[decimal86]

let me jump right in and try not to make too much of a splash...i am using an E-PL1 and Olym casing. just bought an ElMarit 45mm Macro and shoot entirely on Auto WB...

Komodos - a set on Flickr

have never encountered any problems in these 3 years. maybe a firmware re-set?

 

[Waterbase]

let me jump right in and try not to make too much of a splash...i am using an E-PL1 and Olym casing. just bought an ElMarit 45mm Macro and shoot entirely on Auto WB...

Komodos - a set on Flickr

have never encountered any problems in these 3 years. maybe a firmware re-set?

Great pics! As far as I can see, these are all taken with a strobe, in that case, auto wb is of course the best setting.
I'm trying to get some good colour shots at 18 m and deeper, as well as hd movies (the reason I got the PL1) in good colours. So that is why I'm in need of the wb fix..., or workaround.

Thanks all for responding, I'll be diving again in two days in East Timor, see if I can use your tips to improve my pics.

 

[deeper thoughts]

+1 from me, M mode, Auto WB, Lightroom. Also be sure to use RAW file format so as not to have any other camera intervention in the record.

---------- Post Merged at 11:36 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 11:30 AM ----------

Also by the way as another suggestion, if you don't want to use full M mode, for low light I would suggest S mode is better than P. Fix shutter speed, not lower than 1/60 or you will get motion blur, and the camera will find aperture. You can fix ISO or let the camera use auto ISO. If you want some automation that would be better IMHO. Sorry if I hijacked the thread into another direction...

You prefer the S mode as opposed to A. Why may I ask?
Thnx