Somewhere I came across a post about adjusting white balance on a gray/white card. I can't find it. If someone is using this method could you please explain how to do it correctly. Will it be relevant for OA5?

It doesn’t work the same way on the Action cameras unfortunately. For instance on my Sony and Canon cameras, I can point at a grey card and the camera works out the colour temperature from that automatically. With the Action 5, you can only dial in a temperature while looking at the screen.

So, point the Action 5 at a grey card in auto while looking at the WB reading in the Pro menu. That gives you the colour temperature so then you can dial that in on manual and tweak it. In effect, the colour temperature is only moving from orange to blue. There's no subtlety there which exists in better cameras.

Unfortunately, I find that the same number in auto doesn’t always look the same as in manual on the Actions cams.

As an example, I have a slightly primrose yellow wall. In auto, the camera tries to reproduce it as white. Take a grey card reading and then switch the manual to the same setting and then the wall goes a slightly salmon colour. I can’t get the correct colour at any setting because it needs a ‘tint’ applied which doesn’t exist on the Actions.

The auto does a pretty good job. If it looks off, then the manual is there to tweak, but they’re not the most accurate in comparison to my Sony or Canons which give me a yellow tinted wall! Not surprising I guess given the price difference!!

Iancraig10 Posted at 3-11 08:33
It doesn’t work the same way on the Action cameras unfortunately. For instance on my Sony and Canon cameras, I can point at a grey card and the camera works out the colour temperature from that automatically. With the Action 5, you can only dial in a temperature while looking at the screen.

So, point the Action 5 at a grey card in auto while looking at the WB reading in the Pro menu. That gives you the colour temperature so then you can dial that in on manual and tweak it. In effect, the colour temperature is only moving from orange to blue. There's no subtlety there which exists in better cameras.

Hi Ian, thanks for the explanation. It makes sense to me now. By the way, have you noticed the predominance of blue color? I have to reduce the blue color a lot in post processing and then the white balance becomes more or less real.

So when i feel the need i let auto tell me what it see’s then i switch to manual and dial in the same ish result, i then place a colour chart & Grey card in the shot. I just use a small credit card sized car grey card one side, colour chart on the other its grey. Then when editing i use the WB colour picket to select the shot with the grey card.

Quadcopterer Posted at 3-11 08:44
So when i feel the need i let auto tell me what it see’s then i switch to manual and dial in the same ish result, i then place a colour chart & Grey card in the shot. I just use a small credit card sized car grey card one side, colour chart on the other its grey. Then when editing i use the WB colour picket to select the shot with the grey card.

Oh, so I didn't know. I'll give it a try. Uh, thank you

il magic drone Posted at 3-11 08:43
Hi Ian, thanks for the explanation. It makes sense to me now. By the way, have you noticed the predominance of blue color? I have to reduce the blue color a lot in post processing and then the white balance becomes more or less real.

Yes, the Action can look a bit cold. It causes me problems with my Ace cameras because they're too warm!!

Fish is right …..have a grey card in your pocket and show it to the camera before videoing. Then you can fix in post, although it is technically better to get it right first. I often dial in a bit of warmth in post.

You can try this ….

Point in audio but check the readout in pro.
Switch to manual and dial up the warmth to taste!

The WB on the Action is OK, but not as exact as my mirrorless cameras.

does the action camera have a manual white balance. no so using a card in my yes is just that

Fishycomics Posted at 3-11 09:49
does the action camera have a manual white balance. no so using a card in my yes is just that

Just a temperature adjustment Fish. It’s a bit crude really. Sorry, wrong name. I thought it was you that replied, Fish. Old age is a creep in' up on me!

It was Quadcopterer.

Iancraig10 Posted at 3-11 09:52
Just a temperature adjustment Fish. It’s a bit crude really. Sorry, wrong name. I thought it was you that replied, Fish. Old age is a creep in' up on me!

It was Quadcopterer.

I remember doing white card for adjusting for greenscreen but yeah  I am o the go person then trying to match up AWB to native/flat