Canon EOS Rebel T2i / 550D For Dummies
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If none of the preset white balance options on your Rebel t5i produces the right amount of color correction, you can create your own, custom setting. To use this technique, you need a piece of card stock that’s either neutral gray or absolute white — not eggshell white, sand white, or any other close-but-not-perfect white. (You can buy reference cards made just for this purpose in camera stores for under $20.)

Position the reference card so that it receives the same lighting you'll use for your photo. Then follow these steps:

  1. Set the camera to the P, Tv, Av, or M exposure mode.

    You can’t create a custom setting in any of the fully automatic modes.

  2. Set the White Balance setting to Auto (AWB).

  3. Set the lens to manual focusing.

    This step helps because the camera may have a hard time autofocusing on the card stock.

  4. Frame the shot so that your reference card fills the center area of the viewfinder.

    Make sure that at least the center autofocus point and the six surrounding points fall over the reference card.

  5. Set focus and make sure that the exposure settings are correct.

    Just press the shutter button halfway to check exposure. If necessary, adjust ISO, aperture, or shutter speed to get a proper exposure.

  6. Take the picture of your reference card.

    The camera will use this picture to establish your custom White Balance setting.

  7. Display Shooting Menu 2 and choose Custom White Balance.

    Shooting Menu and Custom White Balance setting screens from a Canon digital camera.

    The image you just captured should appear in the display, along with a message that tells you that the camera will only display that image and others that are compatible with the custom white-balancing option. If your picture doesn’t appear on the screen, press the right or left cross key to scroll to it.

  8. Tap the Set icon (or press the Set button) to select the displayed image as the basis for your custom white balance reference.

    You see a message asking you to confirm that you want the camera to use the image to create the custom White Balance setting.

    Message that appears when you create a custom white balance setting.
  9. Tap OK or highlight it and press the Set button.

    This message tells you that the White Balance setting is now stored. The little icon in the message area represents the custom setting.

  10. Tap OK (or highlight it and press Set).

Your custom White Balance setting remains stored until the next time you work your way through these steps. Anytime you’re shooting in the same lighting conditions and want to apply the same white balance correction, just select the Custom option as your White Balance setting.

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