If you are concerned with a series of images having the same color settings so that they look similar and require no extra postprocessing, it is best to actually adjust the white balance to one of the preset or measured values. Then, each image taken will have the same color balance.

If I’m at a party, shooting images of friends for small snapshot prints, I’ll often put my camera in Auto White Balance and Program “P” exposure mode. Then, I’ll just take lots of pictures without worrying about a thing. However, if I’m shooting for commercial reasons, or am concerned with maximum image quality, I use a gray or white card and balance my camera to the available light. I only rebalance if the light source changes. Use Auto for when you are not overly concerned about absolutely correct white balance. It’ll be close enough for normal use.

Should I Worry About White Balance if I Shoot in RAW Mode?

The quick answer is no, but maybe not the best answer. When you take a picture using RAW mode (creating .nef files) the sensor image data has no white balance, sharpening, or color saturation information applied to the image. Instead, the information about your camera settings is stored as “markers” along with the raw black & white sensor data. Color information is only applied permanently to the image when you postprocess and save the image in another format, like JPG, TIF, or EPS.

When you open the image in Nikon Capture, or other raw conversion programs, the camera settings are applied to the sensor data in a temporary way so that you can view the image on your computer screen. If you don’t like the color balance or any other setting you used in-camera, you simply change it in the conversion software, and the image looks as if you used the new settings originally when you took the picture.

Does that mean I am not concerned about my white balance settings, since I shoot raw most of the time? No. Remember how the human brain can immediately adjust to an image’s colors and perceive them as normal, even when they are not? That is one of the dangers of not using correct white balance. Since an unbalanced image on-screen is not compared to another correctly balanced image side-by-side, there is a danger that your brain may accept the slightly incorrect camera settings as normal, and your image will be saved with a color cast.

Use your white balance correctly at all times and you’ll make better images for it. You’ll do less post camera work if the white balance is correct in the first place. As RAW shooters, we already have a lot of postprocessing work to do on our images. Why add white balance corrections to the work flow? It's just more work, if you ask me!

Additionally, you might decide to switch to JPEG mode in the middle of a shoot, and if you are not accustomed to using your white balance controls, you will be in trouble. When you shoot JPEGs or TIFFs, your camera will apply the white balance information directly to the image, and save it on your card...permanently. Be safe…always use good white balance technique!

Conclusion

Pages 35-44 of your D200 manual have extensive white balance information. With the simple tips above, and a little study of the manual, you can become a white balance expert with your D200. Learn to use the color temperature settings above to make superior images.

You’ll be able to capture very accurate colors with your camera, or make pictures with color casts reflecting how you feel about the image. Practice a bit, and you'll find it easy to remember how to set your white balance in the field.

Keep on capturing time…