another white balance question

Joined: 18 Dec 2006 Posts: 62

does using different white balance settings affect the picture even if the flash isn't used?

Joined: 18 Nov 2006 Posts: 288

Yes, but you could haved determined that by simply making some exposures and looking at the results. Explore the camera. You may find all kinds of things out about it.

Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2007 3:47 pm

White balance is a post-process step taken to attempt to 'neutralize' any color cast in the light present that has anything to do with your exposure. For example if you were to put a clear yellow filter on a light and shine it at a white piece of paper you could set a white balance that would process the image to make the paper look white. Now when you shoot JPG this post process gets used to produce the file. When you shoot RAW it processes the preview thumbnail, but the RAW file is still the RAW data so you can use software to change the white balance to be whatever you want after the fact without any ill effects to the image/data. So whether you use flash or not you can white balance the best you can to neutralize the color cast if any is present. Unless that is there are two or more different light sources with different color casts.