Crazy White Balance Trick for Converted, Full-spectrum Nikons

[Shane]

Folks, remember this is basically a Nikon shortcoming. Other cameras can more easily measure white balance through dark UV or IR filters. Although note that these in-camera WB measurements may not always be accurate compared to the results obtained from using a photo of a UV/IR stable white standard and setting WB in the converter. That is always the Gold Standard method.

 

I guess we all have our personal "Gold Standard". I haven't had to worry about WB in camera for about 12 years when I switched to UWB. Any Nikon DSLR, any wavelength, filter or conversion, I just pick up the camera and shoot and my histogram provides me with more accurate RAW saturation data than OEM configuration. Then WB in post.

 

Of course, I can't count how many times in the field people have asked me why my (visible) images are greenish.

 

Well actually I worried about WB 10 times in 12 years, one for each new camera I acquired.

[Andrea B.]

You are using my exact Gold Standard = white balance done in the converter against some UV/Vis/IR stable white standard photographed under field conditions of the shoot. B) And usually stored as a preset for easy use.

 

As long as I can set some WB to reduce the red in the Nikons (as described above), I'm happy. Although indeed UniWB in-camera is a Gold Standard #2 for the reasons you state -- more accurated assessment of exposure via histogram.

 

I am not fond of the UV UniWB appearance when shooting and prefer the above. Irrelevant though to the matter of good exposure.

 

Shane, I think many folks here aren't shooting hours a day in the field. So some of this stuff like front-heavy cameras or UniWB is not as relevant to them. For example, I cannot use my Sony A7R for a day's work in, say, the Mohave Desert. The tiny buttons are too fiddly, the camera is too front heavy with the UV-Nikkor, the menus are not easily changed on the fly and other problems. I need the ruggedness and ergonomics of the F-mount and Nikon body for that kind of day. Along with UniWB (or close to it) for speedy exposure assessment. Back home in my (so-called) studio or in my back yard, the A7R is quite nice because I have the luxury of time and can often set a useable in-camera WB through dark filters (which WB is fully corrected later in post).