WB QUESTION

[fatrat]

IF i want to set manual WB and i know im going to use a flash, say in doors
when i take a pic of the white paper should i use the flash?

[PhotosGuy]

It seems like a simple question, doesn't it? Are you shooting flash on cam? Bouncing? Using it for fill only? Give us a little help here. ;-)

[cmM]

Shoot RAW! that's the best advice i can give you.

To answer your question, YES

[jimsolt]

IF i want to set manual WB and i know im going to use a flash, say in doors
when i take a pic of the white paper should i use the flash?
The custom white balance should be set using the light you are going to be shooting in. Otherwise you will be balancing for another scene. Using RAW makes a difference, but understanding custom white balance is not a bad thing.
JIM

[fatrat]

so if im using direct flash with a 580ex

i shoot the white paper with no flash or flash ( the one im gonna use as the white balance) i always use RAW anyhow

[robertwgross]

If you are using direct flash from a 580EX, then you have only a few choices:

1. Set the camera white balance to AUTO and let the camera guess.
2. Set the camera white balance to Flash.
3. Set the camera white balance to Custom. If you do this one, then you set it up using the light that you want to use, namely, the 580EX flash.
4. (depending on the camera) You can set up white balance bracketing.
5. (depending on the camera) You can set to a specific color temperature.

#2 and #3 should get about the same result.

---Bob Gross---

[Jon]

If you're going to set the CWB, photograph the paper under as close to "reality" as possible. If the flash won't be really close to the subject, try to get some separation between it and the paper. Otherwise, the balance between the flash and the existing lighting will be different from reality.

ISTR the 580 (in combination with the ETTL-2 cameras?) passes colour temperature information to the camera; this may even override CWB in those cases.