Uni White Balance information sources?

[mikeya]

This tool seems to hold the promise of improving the accuracy of the in-camera histogram when shooting RAW. When I google "uni white balance", uniwb or "iliah borg" the hits are mostly from blogs and forums and reading many of those hasn't helped much at all.

Do any of you have good sources of information to help me understand this tool and apply it? Thanks for your help in advance.

Mike

[Derrel]

Here are a few URLs. This topic is discussed mostly on forums and in blogs. http://photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00MR7u

http://photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00SRCN

http://luminous-landscape.com/forum/...c=10532&st=140

http://photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00NMQG

see also www.libraw.org

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/re...0&changemode=1

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/re...9&changemode=1

[MaxxumBob]

Mike already noted that all available information seems to be in blogs and forums. There's enough stuff there to confuse anybody, but not enough to clarify anything. What's missing is a definition of the term and how to implement it. What is available suggests that it might have something to do with the fact that there are twice as many green sensor sites as there are red or blue; that it could be a zone system for digital; that it veers dangerously close to ETTR. Then there's Near UniWB since, apparently, some values don't take kindly to being set at unity. The only thing clear, to me at least, is that I have no idea what I'm talking about.

Where's Paul when we need him?

[Derrel]

Mike,
Do a Google search using the string "how to determine Uni-WB" and pay particularly close attention to the following three threads.

If you happen to have a Nikon D200,D70,D300,or D3, you can probably find already-photographed JPEG images which others have shot as Uni-WB images for the avrious camera models, which you can load onto a CF card and use those individual cameras' ability to base a Custom White Balance setting on a JPEG image from a CF card installed in the camera. Nikon Capture, before the NX versions, allowed uploading of Custom White Balance settings,so D2x Unbi WB's are also out there.

Keep in mind that a Uni-WB image will look quite greenish when reviewed on the camera's LCD monitor.

The subject of a Uni-WB or the Near Uni-WB is of very little interest to most people here.


http://www.naturescapes.net/phpBB3/v...p?f=2&t=132285

http://luminous-landscape.com/forum/...pic=22250&st=0

http://photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00L6KP

[BobF]

Derrel, I don't know that it's a matter of the subject being of little interest. I think, perhaps, it's more a matter that there isn't any really solid information available on it. There doesn't seem to be any objective testing of it, at least not that's really evident. It appears, as well, that it may only work with Nikon DSLRs which limits the audience somewhat. I've seen some information about it maybe working on Canon cameras but nothing definitive. And I haven't seen anything about it working with Pentax or Olympus models.

Without an objective evaluation of its benefits, I think people probably wonder if it's worth the trouble to download all the necessary applications and jump through the hoops necessary. That's not saying it doesn't work or isn't beneficial, it may well be; I'd just like to actually see Michael or Rodney or Schewe or someone like them do a test of it.

[Derrel]

BobF,
Well,my intgerpretation is that it is of little interest...perhaps more people would use a Uni-WB if the process to create the settings were more clearly described. I know that the Uni-White Balance is usable on any camera that allows a custom white balance to be set and stored. I've seen one YouTube video done by a Canon D40 owner showing his Uni WB compared with the camera's built-in pre-set WB settings and I did a post on it two weeks or so ago.

I know the method is also workable on the Sony A900. As far as readlily-accessible proof that it works,one of the problems Illiah Borg has is that his writings are cryptic and brief,and he seems to take great delight in challenging his readers to perform their own tests of all equipment. He is also not a native English speaker,and at times his writing is a bit difficult to decipher.

There are no application software items to download. Rodney or Schewe or Michael are at about the same level as Borg is; apparently you're not familiar with Borg's reputation or his status as a RAW development guru. The "proof" is already well-established in my mind,and has been since 2007. If anybody cares to follow the above links I provided, they can set their own Uni-WB without downloading a single thing. I really have very little interest to continue with this thread,but I will say that the proof of concept has been established years ago,and it's really garnered very little interest among those who are not commercial shooters or very fastidious workers of the type often denigrated as pixel-peepers.

A pretty simple addition to the Uni-WB is the use of a CC30 to CC40 magenta filter over the lens at the time of taking,at least wirth certain Nikon models. I have to leave for the rest of the day right now.

[BobF]

No, I've never heard of Iliah Borg. But you know what, neither have a lot of other people I'd imagine. And I'm sorry but I don't just take everyone's opinion at face value. I'd like to see "objective" analysis of it from someone (or more than one) whose opinion I've grown to feel I can trust. And I'm sorry if this hurts your feelings but that group doesn't include you. Nor does it include some buffoon on YouBoob who I know nothing about.

Yes, maybe more people would use it if it were more clearly described. From what I've been able to find so far I thought you had to download Rawnalyze to do it. If that's incorrect, so be it. And I'm not prepared, at this point, to read through hundreds of forum posts on DPReview or LL in hopes of finding out what it does, why it works and how to use it.


You seem to know a great deal about this method. Why not just explain the steps? I don't think that's asking too much.

[Derrel]

Wow,BobF,what a totally inappropriate response.

Maybe you ought to do some internet research to find out who Illiah Borg really is...perhaps you're just not as well-informed as you think you are. He's quite a well-known writer and commercial photographer,as well as the developer of the Raw Magick (sic) raw conversion software. Of course, you've been shooting digitially for the past how long??? Thom Hogan considers Borg a peer....sorry if the number one independent Nikon writer,with 19 guidebooks to Nikon cameras, consider's Borg's work well-proven and actually worthy. Thom Hogan and Borg often discuss Nikon raw file and commercial photography topics on that other large forum, the one that begins with d and ends with w. Obviously if you need "proof" of something, let me ask you to feel free to disprove it; Uni-WB is a simple concept,and the free samples of it are all over the Nikon user community; are you a member of the Nikon user community?

Much of Borg's earlier work was done several years ago. He has a very well-known presence among the Nikon d-slr community. I've been shooting with Nikon d-slr's since 2001,back when the Nikon D1 was the bee's knees....my experience in digital capture is possibly much deeper than that of many people here. Why the ad hominem attack on me, personally?

Sorry if you feel a need vent because you're not familiar with Iliah Borg..I merely provided some links, and corrected some misimpressions your post created--such as the misimpression that software is needed and that Uni WB is only for Nikon cameras. If you want to lern how to set a Uni WB, follow the links I gave. Or not. As I said, the discussion is of very little interest among the general community here,in my opinion. The visits to this thread,55 in total,among three posters and the OP, SHOWS how little interest there is.

[Derrel]

Today I am working on an eight year old iBook G3 500 (the very first all-white iBook) that I bought to go inside my photo backpack back in 2001 when I was shooting the Nikon D1...and I am using it on a dial-up connection from the road...I do not have my main machine and my huge collecrtion of URL's.

I am not an expert on Uni White Balance,but I will describe one very EASY way to get a good Uni or Near Uni White Balance file: Politely,and with respect, e-mail a person involved in one of the blogs or dPreview threads on the subject and ask for a Uni White Balance file for a camera that you and that user both happen to own. Quite a stretch,eh? Politely asking an expert for a single file. Try it. I did. It'll most likely work if there is some respect and common courtesy betweeen you and the "blogger".

Here is more actual contribution,done on my time, on dial-up net access, to the Original Poster's request for Uni WB information.
Explanation iof what it is is here.
http://www.naturescapes.net/phpBB3/v...p?f=2&t=132285

http://www.guillermoluijk.com/tutorial/uniwb/index.htm
Here is an archive of Uni White Balance image files for the following cameras. EOS models 350D,450D,20D,30D,40D,5D,1Ds,1D Mark II,and Nikon D300 and Nikon D700. These Uni WB files were made available by three fairly prominent LL forum members. Download the right file,and load it to a card,and use that as the basis for your WB. The camera manual will describe the exact process on how to set a Cautom White Balance using a source image file,and it's reasonably simple.

[JeffA]

Folks may have noticed that my Mod function has reared its ugly head here again.

I have edited or deleted several posts as folks are engaging in insults and attacks, or are responding to the same.

If everyone can't get along here, please just do not respond to each other. Disagreements on techniques/methods are one thing. Attacks against someone you don't agree with are another thing, entirely, and are not welcome.

Jeff