White balance

[mmv]

Hello! Most of you will think this is a really stupid question, but I ask it anyway:

 

When working with a film camera, do you have to take the white balance like with video cameras?

[Phil Rhodes]

Hi,

 

No.

 

The film stock you put in the camera is inherently balanced to a given colour temperature, either daylight or tungsten. You can add filters to change that, but it's basically built into the stock. Obviously this isn't as accurate as having the camera exactly match a white reference you give it with video, but there's enough margin for error with film that it disappears in colour timing. This does of course mean that colour timing absolutely has to happen, increasing costs (further). Usually you do shoot a grey card at the start of the roll of film to provide a neutral colour reference to allow this to be done.

 

Phil