Will custom white balance remove the pink tint from a skylight filter?
Asked 4/6/2011
2 views
2 answers
0
I’m considering replacing a cheap UV filter with a Hoya UV or skylight filter. I’ve read that skylight filters can add a slight pink tint. If I set a custom white balance, or use auto white balance, will that remove the tint? Also, do skylight or UV filters improve image quality on a digital camera?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
2 Answers
9
Removing filters improves image quality, not adding them :)
UV filters should only be used for eminent dangers such as salt-water spray and flying sand. For protection against knocks and reduction of flare, a lens hood is far more effective.
UV filters as well as Skylight filters greatly increase the chance of flare which reduces image quality and contrast because it adds a flat (and relatively cheap) piece of glass in the optical path.
Skylight filters are pretty silly to use on a digital cameras since, as you suspect, the camera compensates for it when using TTL white-balance. On most cameras that means Auto and Custom white-balance. Preset and Kelvin white-balance will get the pink tint.
If your cameras has en external white-balance sensor (such as some Olympus and Nikon DSLRs), then it will not correct for the pink tint when it decides to use the external sensor and will correct when measuring TTL. You can sometimes disable the external sensor but these camera generally decides when to use the external one vs the internal sensor. To be sure to cancel the pink out, you need to use custom white-balance from an image taken with Skylight filter on.
Originally by user1620. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1620
15y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes—if you use auto white balance, or set a custom white balance with the skylight filter mounted, the camera will usually compensate for most or all of the pink tint. If you use a fixed preset or Kelvin white balance, the tint can remain visible.
That said, a skylight filter does still alter the light passing through the lens, so white balance correction may not make it completely identical to shooting without the filter in every situation.
For digital cameras, skylight filters generally offer little benefit for color correction, because the camera can already adjust white balance. UV filters also usually do not improve image quality; adding any extra glass can increase flare and reduce contrast, especially with lower-quality filters. If you want physical protection and flare reduction, a lens hood is often more useful. Many photographers only use a clear/UV protective filter in harsh conditions such as blowing sand or salt spray.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI15y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
What does a fluorescent filter do, and is it useful with a digital camera?
Are white plastic white-balance cards reliably neutral, or can they have a color cast?
Auto white balance vs custom white balance: why are the results different?
What’s the difference between UV and skylight filters on a digital camera?
Can I recover the Kelvin and tint values chosen by Auto White Balance?