topic Re: Auto white balance in DPP4? in Camera Software

Auto white balance in DPP4?

stevet1 — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 03:55:32 GMT

Does anyone know off the top of their head?

If I set my camera to Auto White Balance, when I pull the photo up in DPP4, is the White Balance expressed in terms of a Kelvin number, or does it just say Auto?

Steve Thomas

Re: Auto white balance in DPP4?

stevet1 — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:08:23 GMT

I just did a little test.

If you take a picture in Auto White Balance, in DPP4, it will just say Auto.

If you do have a Kelvin temperature set in you camera, and you click on Color temperature, it will tell you what that temperature is. You can, of course, adjust that temperature if you want.

Steve Thomas

Re: Auto white balance in DPP4?

FloridaDrafter — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 04:19:03 GMT

Steve, If you haven't already, try the eye dropper and pick something you know to be white. I've had really good results with it. You can also pick a gray patch, but white works best for me. Of course, this is for certain lighting conditions so it's not something I need to do a lot.

I know... A bit off topic, just a tip 🙂

Newton

Re: Auto white balance in DPP4?

ebiggs1 — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:31:54 GMT

"A bit off topic, just a tip" #2

Another tip, always shoot raw. You have way more latitude to adjust not just WB but everything else.

Re: Auto white balance in DPP4?

stevet1 — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 16:45:37 GMT

Newton,

Thanks. I'll give that a try.

Hey! That's pretty slick! I tried it our a couple of times and the colors really got enhanced. Thanks!

Steve

Re: Auto white balance in DPP4?

wq9nsc — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 16:57:11 GMT

Steve,

I always shoot in RAW and will use either Auto: white priority or Auto: ambience priority in DPP. Typically white priority works better in difficult situations at least as a starting point.

It doesn't show the color temperature in Kelvin but as Florida Drafter suggested the eyedropper can be a lifesaver. And if you shot several photos under the same conditions, once you use the eyedropper to correct for one then you can register that as a setting and easily apply it to other photos.

I often have to deal with really bizarre color temperature issues shooting sports and the eyedropper has made life much easier. NOW if DPP would put the cropping tool as part of the exposure tools tab, it would save an incredible amount of time in post because even with a fast dual CPU workstation there is a delay in switching between the exposure and cropping tool tabs with CR3 data files.

Rodger

Re: Auto white balance in DPP4?

stevet1 — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 04:36:12 GMT

Roger,

When I first started out, I was shooting in jpg and using Auto White Balance, but I always thought my pictures were a little washed out.

Then I learned about the Kelvin scale, and after toying with it, the majority of time now, I shoot with a Kelvin temperature of around 5300 - slightly above the Daylight preset. For sunrises and sunsets, I'll kick the temperatures up to bring out the reds and oranges.

Then I moved to RAW and learned that in DPP4 you can adjust the color temperature at will. Now that I've learned about the eyedropper, I may try the AWB again for a while and see how it goes.

I use the C-RAW for space saving reasons. Honestly, I can't see any appreciable difference in picture quality between RAW and C -RAW.

Steve Thomas