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MFDB White Balance and Polarizers

MikeHlop

Member
Most if not all DB are lacking any automatic WB settings. We have 2 options - use presets or shoot a grey card. Recently I had a photo session, using Lee square linear polarizing filter and all shots come up with quite a greenish cast though I took a capture of grey card before, to set a custom white balance

So, the question is, what custom WB technique do you use when shooting with filters? Would it be a right way to setup polarizer and then take a custom WB shot?
 

dougpeterson

Workshop Member
So, the question is, what custom WB technique do you use when shooting with filters? Would it be a right way to setup polarizer and then take a custom WB shot?
Yes, WB should be taken/made with any filters you'll be using for the final shot.
 

goesbang

Member
If you are doing anything colour-critical, you should be shooting a grey target for a custom balance. It's just good work practice.
Every polarizer I have ever measured with a transmission densitometer (pretty much all the major brands) have a measurable cast. Most have a green cast, but I have measured a couple with slight red and also magenta casts. In most cases, the cast is very slight, but quite distinct in some cases. Price does not seem to be a factor as some of the dearest are the worst.
If you shoot a grey target through the filter you are using and set your grey balance from that, then none of this matters.
 
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