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ADVANCED PHOTOGRAPHY—WHITE BALANCE
Auto white balance (A) can be used with most common light sources. To match
white balance to a specific light source, select the appropriate setting from the list
above. If desired, these white-balance settings (with the exception of preset white
balance) can be fine tuned to match a particular light source ( pg. 66). Alterna-
tively, preset white balance ( pg. 67) can be used to set white balance to a mea-
sured value.
Auto White Balance
Auto white balance is adjusted when the shutter-release button is pressed halfway. If you press
the shutter-release button all the way down in a single motion, white balance for the first
photograph may not accurately match the light source.
White Balance Measurements
White-balance measurements are performed using a through-the-lens metering system. Even
if the subject and camera are under different lighting, the camera will be able to adjust white
balance to suit the subject when auto or preset white balance is used.
Color Temperature
The perceived color of a light source varies with the viewer and other conditions. Color
temperature is an objective measure of the color of a light source, defined with reference to
the temperature to which an object would have to be heated to radiate light in the same
wavelengths. While light sources with a color temperature in the neighborhood of 5,000–
5,500°K appear to be white, light sources with a lower color temperature, such as incandescent
light bulbs, appear to be slightly yellow or red. Light sources with a higher color temperature
seem to be tinged with blue.