With fall colors I've started shooting 14 bit NEF's and I'm looking for a way to adjust white balance in Capture NX2. How do I go about doing this? I usually shoot jpg's but want to learn more about NEF and see what I can do with them compared to the vivid jpg setting I usually use. The camera is a D2x and D300s. Thanks in advance for your sugguestion!
#1. "RE: How do I adjust white balance in NX2?" In response to Reply # 0 Tue 23-Oct-12 02:09 PM by mklass
Tacoma, US
To adjust the White Balance in a NEF, just open the Camera Adjustments subsection under the Develop Section at the top of the Edit List on the right side of your screen (Unless you've changed the layout or are using a different workspace. If so go to Window | Workspaces | Edit).
There you will see "New WB" with 2 drop-downs under it. The top once changes the White Balance to one of several presets or custom ones that you have made, the other provides some fine tuning options for individual presets, and under that are some sliders for further fine tuning.
You can also use the very first drop-down in that list to change from Set Color Temperature to Set Gray Point, of your prefer to set your white balance that way.
If you shoot jpg, the white balance is baked into the image and not directly adjustable in CNX. The entire Camera Adjustments sub-section of the Develop Section is not displayed in CNX when editing a jpg. (Also notice that in the Quick Fix sub section, you cannot adjust Exposure Compensation, either.)
You can still make adjustments using the Light and Color controls under the Adjust menu to find a more pleasing tone. Some of the filters may help , especially if you have Color Efex Pro for CNX.
You've just discovered one advantage of shooting raw and editing a NEF.
#2. "RE: How do I adjust white balance in NX2?" In response to Reply # 0
Pietermaritzburg, ZA
Hi Mark, I notice your profile lists ViewNX2 as your browser. In either ViewNX2 or CaptureNX2 white balance adjustment is the same except that CNX2 gives more powerful options.
When you have a raw NEF image opened and you click on WB adjustment the default is "As Taken" and this is not adjustable. From there you can chose the WB setting you require.
Normally it is just a small tweak required and I select "automatic" and then tweak using the sliders. If there is a white or grey object anywhere in the image "Set Grey Point" is the most efficient way by just clicking on the white object.
In CaptureNX2 you can also set Red and Blue points but I have seldom needed that - in fact if you nail the exposure the camera's Auto WB is generally very close :>)
Regards, Clive Liddell Pietermaritzburg South Africa
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