Lightroom, White Balance and Nikon D810

[PaulButler]

I've noticed some odd behaviour with Lightroom and raw files from my D810. I have no import presets set so basically import the files as is. I use a card reader to import and the firmware is up to date on camera and LR and ACR are both up to date.

I thought I had forgotten to set the WB for the last studio shoot I did as the "As Shot" WB was Temp @ 7100 and tint @ -3. When I checked the camera it had a WB of flash set, which I believe should give a colour temp in the region of 5400.

I've since carried out a small test and flash WB on camera is definitely giving temp @ 7100 tint @ -3 in LR, checking the exif in exiftool the WB is set as Flash. Trying Incandescent as the camera WB gives temp @ 3000 tint @ 0 in LR which is about right I guess, daylight gives temp @ 5500 and if I set a temp manually on the camera, e.g. 8000 that is what I get in LR too. I get the same results using Neutral or portrait colour profile in the camera.

Am I wrong about the colour temp of flash? or is this some sort of bug in LR? Anyone else experience this?

Thoughts as always appreciated.

 

[Deckard]

Which flash Paul? Did you have a gel insert? I have an SB900 and seem to recall the colour temperature is altered according to the gel fitted.

I can't help directly, as I shoot a D800, but I've not noted this on my kit, colour temp is usually around 5500 when shooting flash as you say. Odd.

 

[PaulButler]

Which flash Paul? Did you have a gel insert? I have an SB900 and seem to recall the colour temperature is altered according to the gel fitted.

I can't help directly, as I shoot a D800, but I've not noted this on my kit, colour temp is usually around 5500 when shooting flash as you say. Odd.

Studio flash and no gels ... according to the blurb my flash should be in the range 5300 to 5500, the ones in the studio I used are the same as mine too. LR seems to interpret all the other WB settings correctly except for Flash.

 

[Kodiak Qc]

Anyone else experience this?

No Paul, I don't… but my experience is an other as I ap-
proach studio sessions somewhat differently and, so far,
it serves me well.

When shooting with the D810 and CO, I leave the camera
on AWB as I don't loose time with that parameter that I can
fix splendidly in CO using a reference card… then the light
sources (what ever they are but as long as they are stable)
are no more a sweat because CO can apply the same cor-
recessions (WB and or others) to all the next takes as long
as the set stays the same.

In my case, working with the D810, CO and my studio fla-
shes is a blessing.

 

[PaulButler]

No Paul, I don't… but my experience is an other as I ap-
proach studio sessions somewhat differently and, so far,
it serves me well.

When shooting with the D810 and CO, I leave the camera
on AWB as I don't loose time with that parameter that I can
fix splendidly in CO using a reference card… then the light
sources (what ever they are but as long as they are stable)
are no more a sweat because CO can apply the same cor-
recessions (WB and or others) to all the next takes as long
as the set stays the same.

In my case, working with the D810, CO and my studio fla-
shes is a blessing.

Hi Daniel, LR does the same thing, I am just trying to get out of lazy habits - I never used to bother about WB much, still don't lose too much sleep over it either. It just seems like odd behaviour from LR, not as though the D810 is a new camera, its been out a few years now.

 

[Kodiak Qc]

I never used to bother about WB much, still don't lose too much sleep over it either.

I know what you mean… I have no suggestions
for bad habits… I have my own to deal with!

 

[Livin The Dream]

I've found differences in colour casts from modifiers and different brands and age, of softboxes etc. My D Lites are around 5500k but speedlights are cooler. The only way to ensure a reference point is with a grey card of some note. I do have an ezybalance but prefer my passport colorchecker, this gives 4 portrait tweaks but I usually use the coolest setting and knock around 200k off that. Actual WB for artistic intent is different than an absolute, but the latter is the starting point.

 

[PaulButler]

I've found differences in colour casts from modifiers and different brands and age, of softboxes etc. My D Lites are around 5500k but speedlights are cooler. The only way to ensure a reference point is with a grey card of some note. I do have an ezybalance but prefer my passport colorchecker, this gives 4 portrait tweaks but I usually use the coolest setting and knock around 200k off that. Actual WB for artistic intent is different than an absolute, but the latter is the starting point.

Hi Kris, I use grey cards as a reference and sanity check, I also have a colour checker doobrie too. The issue here is that LR is misinterpreting the data in raw file which is stored correctly as verified by exiftool. Opening the same raw file in the Nikon Capture NXD thing it opens at a colour temp consistent with 5500 rather than 7100. I think its a bug in LR tbh, it (LR) opens other raw files at or about the correct colour temp for the chosen WB on the camera. Weird, inconvenient is some ways, but not a show stopper and I can easily work around it.

 

[Livin The Dream]

Hi Kris, I use grey cards as a reference and sanity check, I also have a colour checker doobrie too. The issue here is that LR is misinterpreting the data in raw file which is stored correctly as verified by exiftool. Opening the same raw file in the Nikon Capture NXD thing it opens at a colour temp consistent with 5500 rather than 7100. I think its a bug in LR tbh, it (LR) opens other raw files at or about the correct colour temp for the chosen WB on the camera. Weird, inconvenient is some ways, but not a show stopper and I can easily work around it.

Ah, got the wrong end of the stick, ha.

 

[sk66]

I thought I had forgotten to set the WB for the last studio shoot I did as the "As Shot" WB was Temp @ 7100 and tint @ -3.

I just checked my D810 and the flash WB generates the same 7100/-3, so it's not a fluke w/ your system. 7100 is rather cool, even for speedlights. But I wouldn't be concerned w/ it unless it's way off in color rendering.

IF you have a consistent setup (i.e. studio) and you prefer a more accurate WB out of camera you can set it in Kelvin (which I believe is interpreted/displayed correctly), or you can fine tune the FLASH WB setting in the shooting menu.

 

[PaulButler]

I just checked my D810 and the flash WB generates the same 7100/-3, so it's not a fluke w/ your system. 7100 is rather cool, even for speedlights. But I wouldn't be concerned w/ it unless it's way off in color rendering.

IF you have a consistent setup (i.e. studio) and you prefer a more accurate WB out of camera you can set it in Kelvin (which I believe is interpreted/displayed correctly), or you can fine tune the FLASH WB setting in the shooting menu.

Yep, the Kelvin value is always correctly interpreted. Just seems a curiosity is all.

 

[DG Phototraining]

Yep, the Kelvin value is always correctly interpreted. Just seems a curiosity is all.

Defo an odd one, to which I can't help at all

All I will say though is that in my studio days I set the WB using an Expodisc and thereafter shot everything in jpeg. Worked fine

As a wee test though, I actually upped my WB by about 500k to add 'warmth' and every client liked that better than the accurate rendition! I took inspiration from colour film when Kodak introduced their Gold range which also warmed everything up a bit and was a huge hit

Dave

 

[PaulButler]

Defo an odd one, to which I can't help at all

All I will say though is that in my studio days I set the WB using an Expodisc and thereafter shot everything in jpeg. Worked fine

As a wee test though, I actually upped my WB by about 500k to add 'warmth' and every client liked that better than the accurate rendition! I took inspiration from colour film when Kodak introduced their Gold range which also warmed everything up a bit and was a huge hit

Dave

Must admit I liked Kodak Gold too, was good for landscape as well, I guess because it was a warmer emulsion. I'll make sure I use a grey card / colour checker for each session I think, at least I'll have a consistent starting point.

 

[DG Phototraining]

Must admit I liked Kodak Gold too, was good for landscape as well, I guess because it was a warmer emulsion. I'll make sure I use a grey card / colour checker for each session I think, at least I'll have a consistent starting point.

Or - you could have my now unused for years Expodisc

Its a great & easy tool, especially on Nikons as its dead easy to set - many years ago, when they first came out, I paid £80 for it - cost to you if you want it... postage only

Dave

 

[PaulButler]

Or - you could have my now unused for years Expodisc

Its a great & easy tool, especially on Nikons as its dead easy to set - many years ago, when they first came out, I paid £80 for it - cost to you if you want it... postage only

Dave

Very kind of you