What is 'White Balance' in a camera? How to use it optimally? 'Auto, Daylight, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Horizon'

Question

In my mobile phone's camera, there is 'White Balance' settings. And there are five settings which one can use. These five settings are: Auto, Daylight, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Horizon.

So what is correct method of using these settings so that best photo/video quality is obtained? I use Nokia 6233 which has a 2megapixel camera. I have 1GB memory card inserted in my mobile phone for shooting/recording.

Please help.

Answer 1

Unlike film cameras that we had to use different colored filters on the lens, digital cameras have the "white balance" built in.

The best way to learn to use it, is to point your camera at a scene and then step through the settings while viewing the scene. You can then compare the colors of the scene to what you see without the camera. You may well even see settings that will enhance the scene or give it special effects. Thanks to white balance, about the only filters (ignoring the built in ones) are an UV and a polarizing filter. Not on a cell phone camera though, but white balance works the same as on any digital camera.

Answer 2

Well, if you've ever noticed that sometimes white doesn't really appear white, it might have a yellow cast to it, or maybe a green cast. If you white balance a camera, you tell it to adjust for those situations so that white appears as it would under normal daytime sunlight. White balance is actually a scale that goes from red to blue. To "optimize" your use, simply go by the labels you're given. If shooting indoors under flourescent, use that, if shooting under tungsten lights (most non-flourescent lights fall in to this category) then use that setting, use daylight shooting outdoors, etc. Auto is supposed to figure out your shooting conditions and adjust accordingly, if it does then great, if it doesn't then switch to a more appropriate setting.

Answer 3

white balancing is toa achieve near correct colors.

if u select tungsten that will remove all orange tints .

flouroscent will remove all green tints coming from tube lights.



auto will adjust automatically.

if there is more orange light try taking same pic in different settings, u will understand better.

read books on photography techinques.

Answer 4

White Balance is one of the most important setting to learn.  I not go for too technique here, but it affect the image color, like blueish, or yellowish.

Each setting there is trying to correct the light to reproduce what it should look like.  so, you need to match the light source type to the setting. like indoor that use fluorescent light should use Fluorescent WB setting; sunset should use Horizon, etc.

sometimes the camera can be smart enough to pick the correct light using AUTO, but you may need to manually pick it if the camera make a wrong choice.

but most of the time, use AUTO as your default, if u see the image getting blueish or yellowish, play around this setting.