56k White Balance or 85 Filter

[Tim Tyler]

Anybody know if the CCD's in the DVX (or CCD's in general) are designed to produce better results at the 3200 preset in which an 85 filter could be used for shooting in daylight?

[David Mullen ASC]

CCD's in general are balanced so that in 3200K, the levels are 0,0,0 for the red, green, and blue channels. Most have an internal filter wheel for correcting to daylight balance.

 

Don't know about the DVX100 though but I wouldn't be surprised that it uses a filter internally for daylight preset color temp.

 

Some cameras are sort of halfway balanced naturally between daylight and tungsten -- the Viper, for example; Thomson claims that no 85 filter is necessary although Geoff Boyle felt it color-corrected better with it on. Maybe an 81EF would even be closer.

[Tim Tyler]

Don't know about the DVX100 though but I wouldn't be surprised that it uses a filter internally for daylight preset color temp.

 

When the white balance is adjusted with the electronic button on the DVX, there is not an audible cue that an internal filter has been switched. The DVX?s ND?s on the other hand can be heard and seen when they?re switched in and out.

 

I wonder if Jan Crittenden has any insight here?

[Mitch Gross]

The DVX100 sets color temp. electronically, as do a number of Panasonic industrial and professional cameras such as the Varicam. You can go to a menu setting and switch the base value for the camera from tungsten to daylight balance. This is done purely by shifting the values between the CCDs and I cannot detect any difference in performance or sensitivity when switching from daylight to tungsten this way.

[Jan Crittenden]

I wonder if Jan Crittenden has any insight here?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Hi Tim,

 

Sorry for the late reply, been out of the country on a Honeymoon. ;-)

 

The answer is like Mitch suggested, it isal electronic. There are filters on the bigger cameras that help to deal with color temperature issues, but in general those are more of a light intensity aid than whitebalance, although that is how they are marked. The CCD doesn't care as long as you can control the exposure. As an example with the SDX900, I can white balance outside with the camera filter wheel in 3200K, camera does not care. If the light outside was too hot, it would and white balance would fail.

 

As far as the presets on the scene files those are set for a color temp with a little override on color for more natural colors, like the flouro setting.

 

Hope that helps,

 

Jan