Technical Solutions | D5 TIPS

White Balance Tips and Tricks

Auto white balance is recommended with most light sources. If the desired results can not be achieved with auto white balance, choose an option from the list below or use preset white balance.

White Balance Options

Choose from the following options:

Auto0: Keep white (reduce warm colors) Auto1: Normal Auto2: Keep warm lighting colors K * 3500 – 8000	White balance is adjusted automatically. Suitable for most light sources; if an optional flash unit is used, white balance is adjusted to match. See this section for more on options.
Incandescent K * 3000	Use under incandescent lighting.
Fluorescent: Sodium-vapor lamps K * 2700	Use with sodium vapor lighting (found in sports venues)
Fluorescent: Warm-white fluorescent K * 3000	Use with warm white fluorescent lights
Fluorescent: White fluorescent K * 3700	Use with white fluorescent lights
Fluorescent: Cool-white fluorescent K * 4200	Use with cool-white fluorescent lights
Fluorescent: Day white fluorescent K * 5000	Use with daylight white fluorescent lights
Fluorescent: Daylight fluorescent K * 6500	Use with daylight fluorescent lights
Fluorescent: High temp. mercury-vapor K * 7200	Use with high color temperature light sources (e.g., mercury-vapor lamps)
Direct sunlight K * 5200	Use with subjects lit by direct sunlight.
Flash K * 5400	Use with optional flash units.
Cloudy K * 6000	Use in daylight under overcast skies.
Shade K * 8000	Use in daylight with subjects in the shade.
Choose color temp. K * 2500 – 10,000	Choose a color temperature from a list of values.
Preset manual K * –	Use your subject or light source or an existing photo as a reference (see this section).

* Color temperature. All values are approximate and do not reflect fine-tuning; colors can be fine-tuned if desired.

Auto White Balance for Incandescent Lighting

offers a choice of AUTO0 Keep white (reduce warm colors), AUTO1 Normal, and AUTO2 Keep warm lighting colors. The warm cast of incandescent lighting can be eliminated by selecting Keep white (reduce warm colors) or preserved by selecting Keep warm lighting colors.

AUTO0 Keep white (reduce warm colors), equivalent to AUTO1 Normal on the D4S

AUTO1 Normal; no equivalent on the D4S

AUTO2 Keep warm lighting colors, equivalent to AUTO2 Keep warm lighting colors on the D4S

Measuring Preset Manual White Balance

In live view, you can measure white balance from any white or grey object in the frame.

When Preset manual is selected for white balance, you can press the WB button to enter direct measurement mode. PRE will flash in the display; tap a white or grey object to position the spot white balance target ( ) over the selected object and measure white balance. To zoom in on the target for precise positioning, press the button. Press the WB button again to exit direct measurement mode.

White balance presets d1–d6 can be viewed by selecting Preset manual for White balance in the photo or movie shooting menu. The white balance targets are shown on the preset.

In preset manual white balance mode, you can select a preset by pressing the WB button and rotating the sub-command dial.