White Balance Settings

White balance (WB) is for making the white areas look white. Normally, the Auto [] (Ambience priority) or [] (White priority) setting will obtain the correct white balance. If natural-looking colors cannot be obtained with Auto, you can select the white balance to match the light source or set it manually by shooting a white object.

  1. Press the White balance selection button.

  2. Select an option.

(Approx.)
Display Mode Color Temperature (K: Kelvin)
Auto: Ambience priority 3000–7000
Auto: White priority
Daylight 5200
Shade 7000
Cloudy, twilight, sunset 6000
Tungsten light 3200
White fluorescent light 4000
Flash Automatically set*
Custom 2000–10000
Color temperature Color temp. 2500–10000

Applicable with Speedlites having a color temperature transmission function. Otherwise, it will be fixed to approx. 6000K.

White Balance

To the human eye, a white object looks white regardless of the type of lighting. Digital cameras determine white from the color temperature of lighting and, based on this, apply image processing to make color tones look natural in your shots.

[] Auto White Balance

With [Auto white balance], you can slightly increase the intensity of the image's warm color cast when shooting a tungsten-light scene.

If you select [Auto: White priority], you can reduce the intensity of the image's warm color cast.

  1. Select [Shooting: White balance].

  2. Select [Auto white balance].

    • With [Auto white balance] selected, press the INFO button.

  3. Select an option.

Caution

  • Precautions when set to [Auto: White priority]

  • The warm color cast of subjects may fade.
  • When multiple light sources are included in the scene, the warm color cast of the picture may not be reduced.
  • When using flash, the color tone will be the same as with [Auto white balance].

[] Custom White Balance

With custom white balance, you can manually set the white balance for the specific light source of the shooting location. Always follow these steps under the light source you will use when shooting.

  1. Shoot a white object.

    • Aim the camera at a plain white subject, so that white fills the screen.
    • Focus manually and shoot with the standard exposure set for the white object.
    • You can use any of the white balance settings.

  2. Select [Shooting: Custom White Balance].

  3. Import the white balance data.

    • Press the Left key Right key keys to select the image captured in step 1, then press SET.

      Select [OK] to import the data.

  4. Select [Shooting: White balance].

  5. Select [Manual].

Caution

  • If the exposure obtained in step 1 differs greatly from the standard exposure, a correct white balance may not be obtained.
  • These images cannot be selected: Images captured with Picture Style set to [Monochrome], images with a Creative filter applied before or after shooting, cropped images, or images shot with another camera.
  • Images that cannot be used in the setting may be displayed.

Note

  • Instead of shooting a white object, you can also shoot a gray chart or standard 18% gray reflector (commercially available).

[Color temperature] Color Temperature

  1. Select [Shooting: White balance].

  2. Set the color temperature.

    • Select [Color temperature].
    • Turn the Main dial dial to set the desired color temperature, then press SET.
    • The color temperature can be set from approx. 2500K to 10000K in 100K increments.

Caution

  • When setting the color temperature for an artificial light source, set the white balance correction (magenta or green bias) as necessary.
  • If you set [Color temperature] to the reading taken with a commercially available color temperature meter, take test shots and adjust the setting to compensate for the difference between the color temperature meter's reading and the camera's color temperature reading.