Nikon
D200 -
Understanding
White Balance
by Digital Darrell
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a friend about this Nikon D200 & White Balance Review
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Method
2. Measuring Actual Ambient Light and Using “PRE” (PrE)
This
is the method most will use to set white balance. It is not
hard to learn and is very accurate since it’s an actual measurement
of the Kelvin temperature of the source light. (See page 40
of the D200 manual) You’ll need a white or gray card to accomplish
this measurement.
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Nikon
D200 back view
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How
to select the PrE white balance measurement method:
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Press
and hold the WB button.
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Rotate
the rear command-dial until PrE shows in the lower right
of the Control Panel LCD. You’ll also see d-0 in the top
left corner next to the Mode letter (A, S, M, P)
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Release
the WB Button.
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Press
and hold the WB button again until the PrE starts flashing.
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Point
the camera at a white or neutral gray card in the light
source in which you will be taking pictures. It does not
have to focus on the card, just be pointed at it so that
it fills the frame.
-
Press
the shutter release fully as if you were photographing the
white card. It will fire the shutter, but nothing will appear
on the main image viewing LCD.
-
Check
the control panel LCD on top and see if GOOD is flashing.
If you see “No Gd” flashing, instead of “GOOD,” then the
operation was NOT successful.
The
PrE measurement is very sensitive, since it is using the light
coming through the lens to set the white balance. Unless you
are measuring in very low light it will virtually always be
successful.
Please
remember that the flashing GOOD means a successful white balance
reading was taken, and your camera is now color balanced for
that light source. If you do NOT see a flashing “GOOD,” but
instead see a flashing “No Gd” then the operation was unsuccessful
and the light may not be bright enough to take an accurate white
balance reading.
In
step two above I mention “d-0” in the top left corner of the
Control Panel LCD during a WB measurement. You can also see
it in Figure 3’s first screen shot. This d-0 is one of five
nameable memory locations that you can use to store white balance
values. Later you can switch between them, or change them, with
the WB Button and the two command dials.
You
can see these visually in Menu Method # 3, and we’ll discuss
them further in the White Balance Tips & Tricks section
later.
Here
are the screens you’ll see for a successful WB measurement.
FIGURE
3 – Measured PrE, d-0, Good, and No Gd Screens.
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