Withe balance and focus

hello

i just have a simple question

do you have to be in focus to make a manual white balance

thank you

no

Much better if you zoom in fully, push out of focus, and make the white balance.

Much better if you zoom in fully, push out of focus, and make the white balance.

Really? Why is this? I'll have to try this out next time i'm in the water!

This procedure comes from the topside world, it gives you a nice blurry, homogen image for the white balance.

So does this mean that there is no minimum distance for the WB-sheet?

Background of my question: I intend to fix a flex arm on my housing with a white card at the end and I am currently checking the optimal length.

Regards, Sascha

The point of white balancing is to correct for proper 'whiteness' under the lighting conditions that you are shooting under whether topside or underwater. Therefore, if your slate is directly in front of the port when you WB but your lights extend beyond that and do not illuminate your slate, than your WB will not be absolutely correct. This is why I prefer to WB on my fins which is usually the length of medium shots. If I am shooting close up, then the slate gets pulled out and held at the same distance that my subject will be when shooting.

Steve

@Steve: what kind of fins are you using? White ones? Or do you fix a white chart on them?

I normally use split fins....

@Steve: what kind of fins are you using? White ones? Or do you fix a white chart on them?

I normally use split fins....

http://www.scubatoys.com/store/detail.asp?...iteAplloBioFins

Apollo BioFins come in white. And they're splitfins.

http://www.scubatoys.com/store/detail.asp?...iteAplloBioFins

I'm not a massive fan of splits, anyone know of a solid blade fin that comes in white?

I'm not a massive fan of splits, anyone know of a solid blade fin that comes in white?

White Lightning is a photographer friendly fin for getting white balance readings and is highly visible.

I'm not a massive fan of splits, anyone know of a solid blade fin that comes in white?

What ever fin you have- get some sandpaper and scuff them a bit-- paint the top of the blades white- I use a rustoleum gloss spray-- that is mostly because I am isolated and dont have a lot of choices, but it usually stays on very good. I am in the water about 4 days a week and retouch about every 3-4 months, so it lasts pretty good-- hope that helps--