48
Taking Photographs—White Balance
White Balance
Keeping Colors True
The color of the light refl ected from an object varies with the color of the light
source. The human brain is able to adapt to changes in the color of the light
source, with the result that white objects appear white whether seen in the
shade, direct sunlight, or under incandescent lighting. Unlike the fi lm used in
fi lm cameras, dig i tal cam er as can mimic this adjustment by processing images
according to the color of the light source. This is known as “white balance.”
For natural coloration, choose a white bal ance set ting that match es the light
source before shooting. When the mode dial is set to
P
,
S
,
A
, or
M
, white
balance can be selected from the following options:
* Fine-tuning set to 0.
Auto white balance is recommended with most light sources. If the desired
results can not be achieved with auto white balance, choose an option from
the list above or use preset white balance.
Approximate
color
tem per a ture
*
White bal ance adjusted automatically based on
color temperature from 1,005-pixel RGB sensor
and CCD image sensor. For best results, use type
G or D lens. With built-in Speedlight and optional
SB-800 and 600 Speedlights, white balance re-
fl ects conditions in effect when Speedlight fi res.
3,500–
8,000 K
Auto
Use under incandescent lighting.
3,000 K
Incandescent
Description
Option
Use under fl uorescent lighting.
4,200 K
Fluorescent
Use with subjects lit by direct sunlight.
5,200 K
Dir. sunlight
Use with Nikon Speedlights, including built-in
Speedlight.
5,400 K
Flash
Use in daylight under overcast skies.
6,000 K
Cloudy
Use in daylight with subjects in the shade.
8,000 K
Shade
Use gray or white object or existing photograph
as reference for white balance (
52).
—
Preset
