How important is Quality of Light Sources

[pushtoexit]

Given that most advanced cameras allow for custom WB adjustments at all ISO speeds, and Post Processing can easily change color cast, hues and saturation....How important is the Quality of a light source verse the right quantity and direction of a light source on a subject ?

It would seem to me, standard lamps and household lights can be used more effectively as a studio light sources providing you custom WB your camera, than they ever could with traditional film photography.

True or False ????

[Jon]

Custom WB is at its best when all the light sources are the same. Unfortunately, you'll find that most household lamps differ in their output depending on wattage, manufacturer, bulb type, age, . . . Lamps designed specifically for photography are more closely controlled (except for age), so will give better results. They're also designed to produce more light (higher wattage). So, yes, you could use CWB to work with household lamps in the studio with care and CWB. But the film photographer with a color meter could achieve the same results (modulo fluorescent lights) by choosing the correct filters for the colour temperature of the light.

Once you introduce mixed lighting (incandescent and daylight, fluorescent and incandescent, quartz and normal household lamps) you start introducing complications due to the different temperature light on different parts of the subject. Coping with that almost requires you to go to PhotoShop if it gets too far off.

[iwatkins]

True. With my 10D I've shot all sorts of things under fluorescent, tungsten, halogen lights etc. and can always get a good white balance afterwards.

Only problems occur when you mix lighting types (hence mixed colour temperatures) but usually you can post process around it without difficulty.

But you cannot get away from the harshness of halogen spots etc. so light modifiers still need to be used to get the effect you want.

Ian

[PhotosGuy]

There is no good answer here, except the "look" of the final pic. Pros routinely mix light sources by adding gells to SOME lights sometimes, and to all lights sometimes.
What's the 'proper' WB to use for a candle flame? ;)