Custom white balance for JPG?

Valvebounce

CR Pro
Apr 3, 2013
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Hi Jay.
I think it will basically only apply to the jpeg as although it will be written to the raw file (and used to create a jpeg later on if you don’t change it) you could still change the white balance in your editing software.

A related question for those who know. As white balance can be adjusted in post processing, is there any point setting the white balance (either custom or a camera preset such as cloudy) in camera if you are only shooting raw?

Cheers, Graham.

Hi
A friend wants to borrow one of my DSLRs because he needs to set a custom white balance. However, will the custom balance apply to JPGs, or only to RAW images?
 
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AlanF

Desperately seeking birds
CR Pro
Aug 16, 2012
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Hi Jay.
I think it will basically only apply to the jpeg as although it will be written to the raw file (and used to create a jpeg later on if you don’t change it) you could still change the white balance in your editing software.

A related question for those who know. As white balance can be adjusted in post processing, is there any point setting the white balance (either custom or a camera preset such as cloudy) in camera if you are only shooting raw?

Cheers, Graham.
I think, but may be wrong, that DPP will take notice of the camera settings when you convert RAW to jpeg if you set it to but not the other software packages I have used.
 
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koenkooi

CR Pro
Feb 25, 2015
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I think, but may be wrong, that DPP will take notice of the camera settings when you convert RAW to jpeg if you set it to but not the other software packages I have used.

Correct, DPP will read all the settings from the metadata and try to match the SOOC jpeg. This also applies for sharpening and noise reduction, so beware if you use DPP just to get proper colours and want to do other operations in 3rd party apps, e.g. noise reduction in DxO PL or Noise Ninja.

I was reminded of that today when I spotted strange looking photos in lightroom, the head of the hawk looked fine, but the body lacked detail, almost water colour like. Then I noticed that it said ISO 12800 :) Rainy day, hawk sitting on a perch in its night shelter.
 
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A related question for those who know. As white balance can be adjusted in post processing, is there any point setting the white balance (either custom or a camera preset such as cloudy) in camera if you are only shooting raw?
Graham,

There is probably little technical reason, since, as you say, it will be edited in post-processing anyway.

For me though, I like to have white balance set to 5600k (approx midday daylight) as that helps me (in my site workflow) when making initial checks on the back screen to help me determine there and then if I need to change anything at the time of shooting, which makes post a bit easier. It helps that I always do this, as I am used to a standard initial look. Personal workflow preference only, so I'm not saying that would suit all (or even many) ;)

Cheers
Stoical
 
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Jul 21, 2010
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A related question for those who know. As white balance can be adjusted in post processing, is there any point setting the white balance (either custom or a camera preset such as cloudy) in camera if you are only shooting raw?
Not really as far as the picture itself, IMO. I leave in on Auto. But there is UniWB (google ‘canon uniwb’), which attempts to get the exposure close to the actual RAW latitude, to make the histogram and exposure ‘blinkies’ better reflect the RAW clipping points.
 
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Apr 25, 2011
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A related question for those who know. As white balance can be adjusted in post processing, is there any point setting the white balance (either custom or a camera preset such as cloudy) in camera if you are only shooting raw?
If you use RGB histogram to evaluate the correctness of exposure, then yes.

I just keep it on "AWB", though.
 
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AlanF

Desperately seeking birds
CR Pro
Aug 16, 2012
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Hi Folks.
Thanks for the responses, as I thought, with raw it doesn’t really matter.

Hi Alan.
I thought DxO recognised the camera white balance too?

Hi Neuro.
I have been down the uniwb rabbit hole before on your advice, looks ghastly even if it works! :)

Cheers, Graham.
DxO on processing RAW ignores all the settings but does give you a choice of using the white balance set in the camera.
 
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stevelee

FT-QL
CR Pro
Jul 6, 2017
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I shoot only Raw almost all of the time. Usually I just use AWB, knowing that I will adjust in ACR. A surprising amount of the time, "As Shot" is amazingly good, better than ACR's "Auto."

The exception is that sometimes when I'm shooting near sunset and it is the look of the light itself that I want to preserve, even when not shooting the sunset itself. Then I will often set the WB for "Daylight" so that it opens with the right look in ACR. And if I don't think to do that when shooting, I will use ACR's "Daylight" setting as the starting point. I don't want the picture to try to look like it was made at noon.
 
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