Manuallly white balancing videos with G15

[Deep Water Dan]

Hi, folks. I am a recovering Sea and Sea DX-2G shooter, which served me faithfully right up until Tuesday morning when I was diving the San Franciso Maru in Truk Lagoon and it flooded. So now I'm in the market for a new camera.

One of the features of the DX-2G that I really liked was the ability to manually set the white balance when shooting video. I was looking over the owner's guide for the G15 and from what it looks like you can also manually set video white balance with it.

Can anyone here confirm that and provide any insight on how user-friendly setting the white balance in video is?

Actually, if I decide to go the Canon route I will probably hold out for a G16 when underwater housings become more readily available, but it looks like the feature set is about the same for both.

Thanks!

Dan

 

[netazure]

I do not use the video setting so much, as while shooting in manual mode, I will turn off flash, set the white balance to my hand, then hit the 1 touch video button and record what I need and then swap back to AWB, I also use the shortcut button to swap white balance settings if I know I will be diving at one depth. I think this is what you are asking?
I just checked, when you have it set on video, you can change the white balance to any of the presets or one of two custom settings (which you can set on the fly) while shooting in standard video, but not while shooting in slow-mo where only auto white balance works.

Mike

 

[Deep Water Dan]

Thanks, Mike. That's the info I was looking for.

 

[gungagallunga]

dan, have you had any luck with the video on the G15. Just purchased one and i'll be doing mostly still pics but want to do some video too. any pointers?

Scott

 

[Deep Water Dan]

Hey, Scott. I got the G16, but I believe the manual white balance procedures are the same. The videos from the G16 are fantastic. I have the shortcut button programmed for manual white balance, so it's only two quick button pushes to set it. I wear white fins specifically to use for setting the white balance. I still have only about 7 days worth of diving with it, though, so I'm by no means an expert yet.

 

[gungagallunga]

Dan, do you use a red lens filter with the manual white balance?

 

[Deep Water Dan]

You don't need any filters when using manual white balance. But you have to remember to recalibrate it if your depth changes by more than about five feet or the sun goes behind the clouds. I shoot all my stills in RAW so there's no need for filters or manual white balance then. Typically I keep the manual white balance adjusted in case a manta or shark comes out of nowhere. I had over 500 dives with my Sea & Sea until I flooded it. The manual white balance on it was pretty easy, also, but I prefer the Canon as it holds the white balance even if you change modes. With the Sea & Sea every time you turned the camera on or off or changed modes, the white balance had to be recalibrated.

 

[Tafflad]

Can anyone here confirm that and provide any insight on how user-friendly setting the white balance in video is?

Actually, if I decide to go the Canon route I will probably hold out for a G16 when underwater housings become more readily available, but it looks like the feature set is about the same for both.

Thanks!

Dan

I just bught a G16 ... (price dropped by a 1/3rd)
You can set the 'programmable' button for custom white balance ....... that means simple one press and done, no menu, no apply, or save, just - point press, done.
This works on stills & video ..... as easy as it gets.

Plus 60fps full 1080 HD is stunning video, with the very bright & capable lens.

Anything else you want checked on G16 just ask ... still in play mode

 

[Deep Water Dan]

Yeah, the 60fps video is stunning. I shot a turtle with it a few days ago and touched it up in Lightroom just a little and it is amazing. Heck, it looked fantastic before I touched it up just from using the manual white balance.

Tafflad - I replied to your PM twice but my responses appear to be vanishing into cyberspace. Did you get them?

 

[Tafflad]

.

Tafflad - I replied to your PM twice but my responses appear to be vanishing into cyberspace. Did you get them?

Yep ... got both, and replied - Thnx