Hi guys, need your inputs ... What do you think is the best WB setting for difference situations like indoors, nature, macro, landscapes and etc. I've been using Auto WB since i got my dslr, but recently read that you could get a lot of better image if you use the WB properly. What looks good for me might not be good for other experts.

There can't be a "favorite" since you're trying to match the light at the time of the scene... If you get more technical and shoot with K rating, the more you can't have a "favorite" setting.

Ah ic .. just thought of there might be a specific WB setting use in a specific scenario.

i have always been biased towards cloudy -3/-2, but on different lighting conditions, K is the way to go for me.

In general, yes. The "daylight" setting for normal sunny days, etc etc... they're pretty descriptive, but they only give you a "typical" setting.

Using a white balance reference tool like WhiBal will allow you to use the custom WB setting for every scenario.

Of course, shooting in RAW would allow you to correct/alter WB to your preference during PP, but when shooting JPEG, the amount of adjustment is reduced.

Confused newbie here ... i'm using a Nikon D40, don't think i have the "daylight" setting here, maybe it from Canon's .. Also, what do you mean by K setting???

Confused newbie here ... i'm using a Nikon D40, don't think i have the "daylight" setting here, maybe it from Canon's .. Also, what do you mean by K setting???

daylight is the same as the sun icon on the wb setting, k setting means kelvin, you choose the wb setting using a number in kelvin degrees, unfortunately d40/d40x does not have k setting.

I just shoot in RAW and set the camera in Auto White Balance and start with 4650K with a tint of 9 which looks good to me in most situations.

BTW, it's just Kelvin not Kelvin degrees. :)

My favorite white balance setting is Shade.:)

here you go

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/white-balance.htm

Indeed, the D40 does not offer a separate option for adjustment of kelvin, but I notice that each light source in the D40 offers a + and - adjustment. Is this option equivalent to that for adjustment of kelvin?

Not really, but more of magenta/green shifts.

Hmmm..favorite. White balance setting is color correction using white as the refference..(if I understood this concept correctly.hehehe:))..get the white right and all your other colors will be correct. Playing with this setting can give you warm or cool temperature for giving moods to your photos.. I think thats what they meant when they said you can get more creative by knowling the WB settings..( like it can give you more orange, or more blues depending on your setting.) But most of the time you'd want your photos to have correct colors.

For a most of the time use, if you dont like the Auto anymore ( I find my D40s auto to be pretty accurate by the way. Whenever I cant seem to get the right balance right, I switch to auto and the results are fine.) , try the PRE setting on your white balance mode. This gives you the choice of personalizing your white for every particular lighting condition..so you can get the best white balance setting on each and every particular condition. On the Menu, click on White Balance, go to PRE, when asked to overwrite data click yes, then fill your viewfinder with anything white and click the shutter. (carry around a white paper always on your wallet, just to be sure.hehehe). It will warn "Data Acquired!" then you now have the perfect white balance for this particular lighting condition. You should change this again when you find the colors are not correct again,(if light changes...or you move to another location).

Im no expert but I Hope this helps..:)

you can check your manual. for the d40 there's a table at the end of the manual with approximations for K values for each white balance mode and the corresponding +/-

I use kelvin.