How to choose the correct white balancing

[enyu]

>>TMC>> your opnion, which is more suitable for beginner, Pic capture or PS ??

 

[nightwolf75]

tks for all the advices, as a matter of fact, i'm trying out Adobe Photoshop Element 3.0 to do some very basic corrections, but most of the time i choose the auto level, auto contrast. some turned out to be better but some ..... worst, just have to keep trying, but very time consuming. BTW, any good recommendation in "easy-to-use" software for beginner like me, PS element is too pro for me alrdy.

(apologies to charles schutz)good grief, charlie brown.... :what:

PSE3 (and the latest PSE4) is one of the easiest post-processing software ard... well, short of using Microsoft Photo Editor... then again, if u are using photo editor... :faint:

go to the library and pick up a guide book on how to use it. alternatively, press 'F1' for the help menu...

mebbe its just me, but i avoid using 'auto-everything' settings in PSE cos u are basically tossing a dice and pray the PSE will do a good job. if really really boil down to the very basics of post-processing, IMO, the least u must know is levels, curves and USM. google to read more.

a cheaper alternative to a full-blown Photoshop, and yet still retaining most of the useful functions is for u to get Nikon Capture 4. this is available at the major camera shops like CP. its relatively easier to use than PS CS2 and cost a lot cheaper too (ard $200?).

 

[enyu]

>>nightwolf75>> thks for the website...

 

[TMC]

If using RAW, then Nikon Capture is a must, just go down to NUG at Spinelli`s and ask around, normally they can give you some tips.

Some general knowledge for post processing like UnSharpen Mask(USM), Levels, Contrast and Curves are a must, do some read up on the internet. There are sites that have guides and tutorials on it too.

Have fun learning

 

[enyu]

>>nightwolf75>> roger that, btw can PS print passport size photo, i tried resize the pic, but unable to get the right size, (actually what i want is to... eg print few passport size photo on a 4R paper) any software for that ???;p ;p sounds a bit cheapo right ? printing myself is lot cheaper than to print in studio;p

 

[TMC]

Printing passport photos have to depend on the quality of your printing, or else they will not accept it. Check the official size of the photo and resize your pics accordingly. Adobe Photoshop will be able to do that well.

 

[enyu]

>>TMC>> sorry to ask.. what is NUG and spinlli ?? :embrass:

 

[enyu]

>>TMC>> done that, everytime i set a width, it has a preset height, and it never match the official passport size.

 

[enyu]

>>TMC>> most studio i visited also use a digital compact to shoot for passport photo, perhape its their software....

 

[TMC]

There should be a function that allows you to set the height and width of the area you want to crop out.

NUG - Nikon Users Gathering/Group

Check out this site: http://www.nikonuser.org/

They normally meet at Spinelli`s, a coffee place , at Peninsula Hotel. or opposite the road from Cathay Photo.

 

[catchlights]

>>TMC>> most studio i visited also use a digital compact to shoot for passport photo, perhape its their software....

requirements for passport photos

 

[enyu]

thanks everyone for the great advice.

 

[ernest_ted]

well, most will say 'memory cards are cheap'!

reason i suspect u are shooting in jpg is becos WB (IMO) is impt for people who shoot in jpgs. for those who shoot in RAW (is NEF), we can change the WB in either Nikon Capture 4 or PS CS2 (or other 3rd party software, as long as they can read the NEF file). thus, we will shoot in AWB mode and change the WB later to our liking. this option is not available if u shoot in jpg.

(dat said, the more pro shooters will say do everything rite in camera, including WB settings. and this will save u a lot of work later.)

there are a lot of advantages in shooting NEF, and lack of storage space is the least of ur reason not to do so. i will leave the advantages of shooting NEF to others to explain. u can also do a search on this matter. btw, computer illiteracy is also the least of ur reason. shooting digital will, inevitably, need some post-processing in the computer (yes, dat goes for all the fuji DSLR users too...). it will do u well to learn some basics of post-processing, whether on PS or NC4. dun use computer illiteracy as an excuse, and thus preventing u from getting the best out of the pics.

for 'correct' white balancing, as mentioned, there is no 'correct' WB. all depends on wat u want to achieve on ur shot. more imptly is to understand how ur camera 'sees' the whole. read here for some basics. u can google more online.

if u really want to know more abt how to maximise the use of ur camera (btw, d70 is one heck of a camera. so, dun 'under-use' it), do sign up for the free nikon classes or join PSS' D70 introductory course, after u read ur manual and know how to operate ur camera.

Well said :thumbsup:

Even Nikon King can't explain any better.

 

[TMC]

Waaa.....cant wait till Espn sees this :bsmilie:

 

[Witness]

the d70's NEF file at 5mb each is only the size of the large jpegs i am getting from my other cam.... thus,personally i feel its alot better to shoot NEFs with the d70 and adjust the colour temperature from there..... sharpening using the programme's algorithms are also alot better than the in camera ones...

auto wb on the d70 doesnt seem to accurate for me ..anyway correct wb for technicians tend to lean to the blue side when u see it with your eyes...but we all like our prints with a warm cast dun we...especially if we are shooting people......if u really want to shoot jpegs...try cloudy -1 if u want.... it balances up to daylight temperature pretty well...so wusiwug....or almost there....

 

[TMC]

What about D2H? any thing you would recommend?

 

[Witness]

eh how would i know...i dun own a d2h hahaha....

 

[espn]

Waaa.....cant wait till Espn sees this :bsmilie:

See what? :dunno: