dan_kraft Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>With my 30d, many times when I take indoor general photos they have a tint of brown to them and come out rather dark. I have a 24-105mm L series lens f/4 and 50mm f/1.8 lens. I shoot in manual and have adjusted the custom white balance. Doesn't matter if I use external flash or not, majority just don't look right. Any suggestions? What am I doing wrong or just not doing? Any help would be great. This site has been awesome in the previous questions I've put up! Thanks dk</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobatkins Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>Probably you're using mixed lighting (tungsten + flash). If you balance for flash, the bits with more tunsten light mixed in will look yellow/brown.</p><p>If you don't use flash, you should be able to get a decent white balance in uniform indoor light (i.e. not tungsten and fluorescent mixed) using custom white balance.</p><p>If all else fails, shoot RAW and adjust in DPP</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryantan Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>To add to Bob's answer...dark probably because you're nuking the ambient with your flash.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnMWright Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>I second what Bob said about the lighting/white balance.</p> <p>Regarding dark images and manual mode... are you checking the meter-recommended settings compared to your settings in use?</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_kraft Posted January 9, 2009 Author Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>Guys, If I don't use the flash, everything for sure is dark. I have even gone to ISO 1600 with an aperture ranging from 1.8 to 4.0. If I don't use some flash the pics are really, really bad.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stwrtertbsratbs5 Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>You can gel your flash to match ambient. Then one white balance adjustment will bring everything in properly.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_kraft Posted January 9, 2009 Author Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>I am a newbie. What does gel your flash mean?</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryantan Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>Color correction gels: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/44198-REG/Rosco_RS340711__3407_Filter_RoscoSun.html<br> You put it on your flash to match the color temperature of the ambient sources.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracy_king1 Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>it's a colored piece of stuff like plastic you put in front of your flash to change the color of light it puts out to match that of ambient.</p> <p>look up roscoe gell packs I believe it is. B&H photo or adorama usually sells them for like a buck or something plus shipping.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobatkins Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 <blockquote> <p>Guys, If I don't use the flash, everything for sure is dark. I have even gone to ISO 1600 with an aperture ranging from 1.8 to 4.0</p> </blockquote> <p>The images still shouldn't be dark. They may be blurred from long exposure, but the exposure should be OK. If the image is dark, dial in some exposure compensation and try again.</p> <p>Your other alternative is to set your shutter speed to 1/250s which will record the flash but not the ambient light.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hjoseph7 Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>Read pages 65-69 of your user manual.<br>Page 65 starts with the Custom White Balance function.<br>Page 66 Setting the Color Temperature.<br>Page 67 White Balance Correction(This is the one I recomend for the issues you are having)<br>Page 68-69 White Balance Auto bracketing<br>If you don't have the manual you can download/view it here:<br><a href="http://www.starbatteries.com/caeos30ddica.html">http://www.starbatteries.com/caeos30ddica.html</a> <br>If you are using Flash set the AWB to flash. That's the little lighting bolt on the LCD.<br>If you are using available light and there are tungsten lights in the background change the AWB to Tungsten. <br>If you are using available light and there is a brownish tint to the pictures, bite-the-bullet and use flash, just don't forget to change the AWB to flash. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christopher hartt dallas Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>What is your exposure compensation (EC) set at? First or second curtain?</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arie_vandervelden1 Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 <p>Gelling the flash and shooting tungsten wb is a good idea. However with tungsten wb I've never got colors as clean and crisp compared to more white light (flash, daylight). The tungsten wb correction is very substantial and stongly affects your gamut.</p> <p>The other way around this is to use the flash as your main light source - try 100 iso and bouncing the flash.</p> <p><br /> edit to add - shooting mixed light and using custom wb does not work very well (except for flat objects maybe). The foreground will have more flash and will be cooler, and the background will have progressively less flash and will be warmer (more brown). Trying to fix this in PS is tedious - I've messed with it. No thanks.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarah_fox Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 <p>You can still have color mismatches, even if you don't use flash. For instance, you might be shooting something that is illuminated in window light, in front of a background that is illuminated more by incandescent (tungsten) light. That would make the background "brown."</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joewoo Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Post a sample image... And your settings... Then people will be able to help more... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_kraft Posted January 12, 2009 Author Share Posted January 12, 2009 <p>Thanks for your suggestions. I will try and post a picture soon. Thanks</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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