Shoot Good Video

Properly setting the white balance on your digital camcorder helps your video look the best that it can. White balancing is usually also one of the easiest functions to set on your camcorder.

What is White Balance?
Digital camcorders base the rendering of colors that it records on the color white. By regularly setting your camcorder white balance, your camcorder will be able to properly record other colors accurately as well.

When Should You Set White Balance?
Whenever your lighting environment changes, you should recalibrate the white balance on your camcorder. For example, if you are videotaping a wedding, you might go from a dimly lit ceremony, to an outdoor receiving line (with lots of sun!) to an evening reception. If possible, you should white balance at the beginning of each of these scenes.

How Do I White Balance My Camcorder?
Most digital camcorders have a white balance button to make setting your white balance extremely easy. If yours does not, read through your camcorder manual to see if yours has an available white balance menu option.

Once you have located your white balance button or found the white balance menu option, find something in your room that is white — a white wall, or a white piece of paper (Hint: If you carry a white hardboard card with you, you will always have something white) — and zoom in until all you see in the viewfinder is your white object.

Then press your white balance button, and you’re done! Your video should come out with superb colors!