White Balance HELP???

[nadeemo]

Hello all,
I know how to use WB to mentain proper color balance through different methods (A,Custom,K and preset) but my wondering is HOW WB WORKS?

Suppose i set "K", say 3000 to adjust asubject's WB under tungesten
light source,OK.IN THAT CASE:
1-DO I TELL THE CAMERA THAT KELVIN COLOR TEMPERATURE OF THE
TUNGSTEN LIGHT IS 3000? then the camera will compensate by adding
blue cast (Higher color temperature) for correct WB?

OR

2-I SET KELVIN TO 3000 WHICH ALREADY IS "THE COMPENSATION
VALUE" of the tungesten light for correct WB?

THANKS ALL AND UR ANSWERS R HIGHLY APPRECIATED,
NADEEMO

[prinothcat]

as I unerstand it if you're using the K setting there is a way to set an individual temperature for the specific type of lighting you are going to use. once the camera knows what the lighting temp is it should doteh color correction for youwith out any further input. So technically I believe 1 and 2 are both basically correct.

[nadeemo]

as I unerstand it if you're using the K setting there is a way to set an individual temperature for the specific type of lighting you are going to use. once the camera knows what the lighting temp is it should doteh color correction for youwith out any further input. So technically I believe 1 and 2 are both basically correct.

Thank you for reply.

[gilp]

K= color temp... you are basically telling you camera that the "white" point will be at a certain color temp relevant to the ambiant light...

for example flashes (depending on the quality) will fire at 5600K, daylight flurescents are around 5050K, MSR lamps (used in displays like car shows) are 6300K, theatre lighting is 3200K and so on...

The idea of setting the camera to match the light source is a basic requirement for good color rendition BUT unless you are working in studio or very controlled environements... there will frequently be situations where multiple light sources are present.... it then becomes a question of either adjusting to the most powerfull of the lightsources, correcting the lightsources to match one and other (correction filters) or using flash and faster shutter speeds to "mask out" other light sources.