White/Color Balance on A540

[jpsartre12]

I'm a newbie to digital cameras and don't seem to be able to get good color balance when shooting pictures of man-made jewelry on a white sheet.
The backgrounds some out salmon colored when using "tungsten" setting, the background comes out gray when shooting in daylight, but the jewelry's colors are always off. I followed the directions for a custom white balance reading and it makes zero sense. When I hit the "menu" button as stated in the instructions, the menu comes up, doh! Whay gives?

[Jon]

OK - the instructions are less than clear. In setting a CWB you hit the "Func. Set" button, then select the Custom WB, aim at target and press "Menu". You'll need to be in something other than full auto mode too.

You'll get a grey background if you let the camera set the exposure - at least dial in a +1 EC.

[jpsartre12]

OK - the instructions are less than clear. In setting a CWB you hit the "Func. Set" button, then select the Custom WB, aim at target and press "Menu". You'll need to be in something other than full auto mode too.

You'll get a grey background if you let the camera set the exposure - at least dial in a +1 EC.

I put it in portrait mode, selected the custom WB, aimed and then pressed "menu". What happened next is the menu popped up. Did it take the reading???? There's no feedback at that point. I assumed that it took a reading, but the shot was still off color.

[Jon]

You should have heard it take a picture (which isn't saved, but will be shown on your display) when you pressed the "Menu' button. Sequence is (on my A620, and, as best I recall, on my wife's SD600):

Func. Set
Down arrow to white balance entry
Right arrow over to the custom WB icon; screen will show "Custom" and a second line will say "[Menu] Evaluate White Bal." Do not press Func. Set at this point.
Aim at white/grey card
Press Menu and a picture will be taken; if necessary flash will be used. This will display on the screen.
Then, and only then, press "Func. Set" again (without changing the WB entry from Custom).

Where did your results deviate from the list above?

[jpsartre12]

You should have heard it take a picture (which isn't saved, but will be shown on your display) when you pressed the "Menu' button. Sequence is (on my A620, and, as best I recall, on my wife's SD600):

Func. Set
Down arrow to white balance entry
Right arrow over to the custom WB icon; screen will show "Custom" and a second line will say "[Menu] Evaluate White Bal." Do not press Func. Set at this point.
Aim at white/grey card
Press Menu and a picture will be taken; if necessary flash will be used. This will display on the screen.
Then, and only then, press "Func. Set" again (without changing the WB entry from Custom).Where did your results deviate from the list above?

Sorry for the delayed reply. I was traveling. I tried it exactly as you wrote and it worked. I can't explain why it didn't before. :???:
Thanks for the help.