Day 1: Universal Camera Settings (Part 1)
6 Understanding White Balance
What is White Balance?
I'm going to show you what I would do if I was starting over from nothing...
Understanding White Balance
In this module we are going to cover white balance[cite: 2]. [cite_start]To make things simple, white balance is the setting that we use to ensure the whites in our scene naturally look white[cite: 3].
⚠️ Common Beginner Mistake: Wrong White Balance
[cite_start]Having the wrong white balance comes in at number 6 on the list of most common beginner mistakes[cite: 4]. [cite_start]Even if you nail all of the other settings we've talked about so far, forgetting your white balance can leave your shots looking totally off[cite: 5].
The Nature of Color Temperature
[cite_start]First, remember that all light has a specific color temperature to it[cite: 7]. [cite_start]Some light is warm and orange, like an incandescent bulb, while some light is cool, like blue LEDs[cite: 8].
[cite_start]White balance is the setting we use on our cameras to make sure that no matter what color light is hitting our subject, the whites in our scene will actually look white, which is what our eyes are used to seeing[cite: 9].
The Kelvin Scale
[cite_start]The Kelvin scale is how we literally measure the color temperature of a certain light source[cite: 12]. [cite_start]When we set the white balance on our camera, we're essentially telling our camera what the color temperature is of the primary light source[cite: 15].
Common Reference Points:
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[cite_start]
- Tungsten Light (Incandescent): 3200 Kelvin [cite: 13] [cite_start]
- True White Light (The Sun): 5000 - 5600 Kelvin [cite: 19]
The Problem with Auto Mode
[cite_start]The issue with white balance comes when people forget to take manual control of it and leave the setting in auto mode[cite: 22]. [cite_start]In auto mode, our camera basically has to decide on its own what the primary color of light in the scene is[cite: 23].
[cite_start]While cameras do a decent job in sunlight, they struggle indoors with multiple light sources, often resulting in videos that are either really orange or really blue[cite: 24, 25, 26].
💡 Anthony's Pro Tips for Clean Color
1. [cite_start]Minimize Color Mixing: Always turn off any lights that contrast in color temperature with your main light source[cite: 28]. [cite_start]If your main light is 5600K but your overheads are 4000K, turn the overheads off to prevent ugly color mixing[cite: 29, 30].
2. [cite_start]The Paper Trick: If you can't find anything white in your scene, grab a sheet of paper or a white pillowcase[cite: 36]. [cite_start]Use that object to set your manual white balance until it looks truly white on your display, then take it out of the shot[cite: 37, 38].
If your default camera app doesn't let you change these settings yet, don't worry[cite: 40]. [cite_start]Keep watching, and I will outline filmmaking apps in a future module that unlock these manual controls[cite: 41]. [cite_start]These intro concepts are crucial to understand before we dive into the practical exercises[cite: 43].
Key Takeaways
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[cite_start]
- All light has a specific color temperature (measured in Kelvin)[cite: 46].
- Warm/Orange light is lower on the Kelvin scale; [cite_start]Blue/Cool light is higher[cite: 46]. [cite_start]
- White Balance tells the camera what the predominant color temperature is so it can interpret it as true white[cite: 47]. [cite_start]
- Always try to match your camera setting to your primary light source (e.g., 5600K for sunlight)[cite: 20]. [cite_start]
- Avoid "Auto White Balance" to prevent the camera from guessing incorrectly[cite: 22, 25].
Thanks for watching this training!
[cite_start]I'll see you in the next one! [cite: 48]