White balance seems off, can anyone input?

Two pictures, same setup.

The first image the white balance was set to auto on the 5D mkII
The second it was set to flash.
Lighting used, 2 x Bowens Monolights + white brollies, modelling lights set to turn off with the flash firing.

The auto one looks better than the flash set one, can anyone explain why? The Iso, lens setting were the same, the aperture on one is 5, the other 5.6 (Full Exif data should be there).

Both shot at 1/160, both flash units set with a Sekonik 358.

Both images taken into lightroom and converted to jpeg, nothing has been changed.

HTTP response: NOT FOUND | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Redirected to error image by FLICKR

HTTP response: NOT FOUND | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Redirected to error image by FLICKR

i can be totally wrong.. the K for your monolight might be different for your camera flash setting.. to get the best result, you need to set on custom white balance for your monolight.

I never really bother with the white balance on camera (usually leave it on auto). I just set a custom white balance in LIghtroom/Photoshop using the white balance selector.

Have you tried that?

loydall wrote in post #9712834
I never really bother with the white balance on camera (usually leave it on auto). I just set a custom white balance in LIghtroom/Photoshop using the white balance selector.

Have you tried that?

Yep tried that.

It's not a biggie to me just something I want to understand 'why' it's happening.

I'll probably get myself an 18% grey card and put in a custom setup as Johnlo suggested.

Auto has worked well so far it kinda caught me by suprise when I did something that I thought was right only to find it gave poor results.

Nobody's picked up on the joke yet?

cdifoto wrote in post #9712867
Nobody's picked up on the joke yet?

Nope

If you are using Lightroom and shooting raw, the white balance set by the camera is only used for the initial thumbnail that is brought on-screen. The Adobe Standard is the default camera calibration. LR changes the screen image to that default which is why there is a pop with a color change when you first see the image in LR.

For studio shooting, I always use a color checker reference. The new PassPort is ideal.
It also works in the field when there are unusual lighting conditions.

There is software (Adobe DNG Profiler or the app that comes with the color checker) for making custom camera calibration profiles that Lightroom and Camera Raw use.

If you choose to use a color checker, remember that Adobe uses the second from left gray square for white balance.

In addition to white balance the color checker is a good way to fine tune exposure for the light setup.

There are pages on my tutorial site explaining how I use the color checker to calibrate the camera and fine tune exposure.

Here is an example of the reference shot:

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

Gel nothing has changed but you have selected two different white balance settings, auto and flash. if you want your white balance to remain the same you will have to set a custom white balance or pick a temperature eg. 5600 K. by using auto your letting the camera choose random settings

Righto.

Thanks for all the input, I'll set the color balance manually in future.

Sad.

I'll not comment on the WB setting first, but I will make a different observation which does affect the WB/tint...

Get your subject FARTHER from the background!!! One can see, by looking at the floor tiles, that there is significant bounce back of light contamination by the backround which is in use, you can see it for 3-4' on the floor (assuming 6" floor tiles)


Now, onto the WB question originally posted...the Auto WB setting will be influenced by what the camera perceives, and it is likely getting fooled...the Canon Auto WB is hardly something to be used as a good standard! And the Flash WB setting is not identical to Daylight WB setting, since electronic flash setting is typically cooler by 300K

White balance aside, seems pretty obvious why the first image looks better (even with the ugly edge of the floor molding showing). It's the way it's tilted of course.

What power are the strobes firing at? I know some studio strobes tend to give off a color cast at lower power.

Get yourself a digital grey kard. 18% cards are used for exposure not white balance.

cdifoto wrote in post #9712867
Nobody's picked up on the joke yet?

Well - it is obvious to me! When the "flash" setting is used, it changes the hat to a cane and also makes the white shoes look black. It also seems to have a "TV" impact (i.e., adds a few pounds).

LOL