Digital cameras 101

[amcgee]

What do you recommend as the best method of adjusting the white balance. I have a Fuji Finepix s5500.

[ShutterbugGail]

Hi amcgee and welcome to Digicamhelp!

Your camera has several white balance options:

• Auto
• Manual
• Fine
• Shade
• Fluorescent Light (daylight)
• Fluorescent Light (warm white)
• Fluorescent Light (cool white)
• Incandescent Light
• Custom

Select the white balance setting that best matches the dominant source of lighting. Take a few test shots and see which setting provides the best results.

Try the custom white balance control too. Your manual should provide specific instructions. Generally, when using the custom white balance control, point the camera at something white and the camera adjusts itself so white is a pure white. Your images should be free from having a color cast.

Here's additional information about white balance:

http://www.digicamhelp.com/white-balance/index.htm

[Deb]

Hi Amcgee, have you dabbled with shooting in RAW mode? Give it a whirl. Select the white balance setting most suitable to the lighting conditions you are dealing with. Then, open the file in your RAW File Converter and run it through each white balance setting. See the effect each temperature has on your image?

If you wish, you can also shoot RAW with "auto" WB selected. Again, run it through your converter and apply the different settings. See something you like better? or did "auto" do a decent job?

I'm a "testing" nut. It's a great way to learn. Hope you find this as much fun as I did.  

[amcgee]

Hi Shutterbuggail & Deb,

Tried both methods today and came up with the ideal white balance by using the manual (Gail) and having a tinker (Deb), thanks for your help/good advice.

Tony.

[Deb]

Hi Tony, that's dandy news! Glad you found a setting approach you like.