The verdict on custom white balance?

[Timaphillips]

I just saw a video on Youtube with a guy telling everyone to only use custom white balance instead of the auto white balance. He placed a white card, even though some say to use an 18% grey card, in front of the camera and then set it as the custom white balance for the time of day. Question though...doesn't this become a bit of a hassle for everyday shooting? I mean, I'm all for doing better BEFORE post processing, but this seems like a hassle.

I noticed that after today's snow shots I took, I ended up bumping the contrast a bit almost every time to bring out the shadows and depth. I'm using a rebel xt...although I must admit all I used was the 50mm..even for landscapes.

[PhotosGuy]

I shoot RAW & usually use custom or a pre-set. some people like AWB, auto white balance, out side. I'd ran some tests & would never use it inside. Notice that the very last exposure in the 2nd group of tests was of a gray card, & it's way off.
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=54281

[JeffreyG]

I shoot RAW and I just don't bother with setting anything other than AWB. If I think the lighting is going to be really strange (like mercury vapor lamps or compact flourescent bulbs) then I will take a picture of a piece of paper that I keep in my bag.

In post I can eye dropper the paper to white and then apply the same color temperature to every single shot in one step.

[cdifoto]

I just saw a video on Youtube with a guy telling everyone to only use custom white balance instead of the auto white balance. He placed a white card, even though some say to use an 18% grey card, in front of the camera and then set it as the custom white balance for the time of day. Question though...doesn't this become a bit of a hassle for everyday shooting? I mean, I'm all for doing better BEFORE post processing, but this seems like a hassle.

I noticed that after today's snow shots I took, I ended up bumping the contrast a bit almost every time to bring out the shadows and depth. I'm using a rebel xt...although I must admit all I used was the 50mm..even for landscapes.
Yes.

That's why I shoot RAW and import to LR as 5200K. Most stuff I do is either daylight, daylight balanced flash, or tungsten. I can use the preset for tungsten and adjust the exceptions manually. 5200K is a consistent import setting that I like for daylight.

[chauncey]

I have used a WhiBal card in the past and rarely now.
In my case, I found that the more expensive the body, the better the AWB functioned,
from the a xti to 5D to Ds2 and finally a Ds3 which may move that Kelvin scale 200 degrees in ACR if that much.

Just my experience, don't know why.