Leica Q3-Odd K settings from a Grey card white balance.

[Phill H]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Having only recently aquired a Q3 can anyone help with the following question.

I have a habit of using  grey card for white balance before setting out. On opening the DNG files from a walk into town earlier there is a difference between frames in the wjhite balance K setting when opened in Camera Raw/Photoshop. Image one shows 6300K +9 magenta the next frame of the same subject taken a few seconds later indicates 8100 + 35 magenta. Exposure differed between the frames from 1/60th @ f2.8 to 1/50th @ f2.8. The colours are similar when opened  though.

Is this normal with Q3's?

[Al Brown]

.

Edited February 11 by Al Brown

[LocalHero1953]

You say "before setting out", which is odd, unless you just want a fixed WB for the day. Why not just select 'Daylight' or another setting? A grey card is intended for use at the scene, in the same light as your following image, not as a whole day or whole trip.

When you say you use a grey card, is this to fix the WB in-camera? What WB does it give you, and is it different from the one shown in your images?

Are you sure your camera has remained on a fixed WB and hasn't changed somehow to AutoWB?

AutoWB responds to the scene it sees, not the incident lighting, and tries to make the WB for the image more or less neutral. If the colours in your scene change (e.g. more blue sky, more brick wall, more grass) then AutoWB is likely to change the WB for the image.

[LesR]

If you are shooting in raw then I think the white balance setting is not recorded, as the data is from the sensor only and has not been processed yet.

[LocalHero1953]

1 minute ago, LesR said:

If you are shooting in raw then I think the white balance setting is not recorded, as the data is from the sensor only and has not been processed yet.

It still records the WB setting in raw, and Lightroom uses that setting. You can still change it in Lightroom though. (This is my normal way of working).

[jaapv]

I must echo other posts: grey card WB is meant to be used in difficult light at the scene. It is particularly useful when shooting under LED light. although the image will usually be on the cool side, easily corrected  However using it at home before setting out is not particularly useful,   Better set the camera to “ Daylight” and leave it there or indeed use AWB. 

[Phill H]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Thanks for the responses, appears importing from the card via my usual method is causing the issue. Suspect that the software being geared for quick import / caption/ transmit is not really designed for the Leica DNG files.

Regarding using a grey card if the weather is constant then I find it easier to use as a starting point. This method works when only going out for an hour or so whilst deviating from the mundane shopping tasks assigned to me.

Shooting the grey card using the AWB setting in a reasonably well controlled lit area results in the image having a blue bias rather than equal RGB values. Something to investigate

 

[LocalHero1953]

What software are you using to import your files that is causing the problem?

I don't understand your last sentence: you shouldn't be using the AWB setting to shoot a grey card - you should use the 'Grey Card' setting.

[Phill H]

11 hours ago, LocalHero1953 said:

What software are you using to import your files that is causing the problem?

I don't understand your last sentence: you shouldn't be using the AWB setting to shoot a grey card - you should use the 'Grey Card' setting.

Photomechanic for import.

I shot the grey card out of curiosity on AWB to see how the camera worked with the illumination from a fixed temperature light with a neutral colour (black base, grey card + white background) set up. Result was on the cool side, so will stick with the grey option for the time being.