Canon 5D MKll - Blue Colour Cast?

[William Walker]

Hi

I have just bought a 2nd-hand 5D Mark2 and find that the RAW files all appear to have a blue colour-cast. I am aware that it is easily rectified in Lightroom etc., but, is it normal?

I have just run a test where I took some shots using all the different white-balance settings, and all the "Picture Style" settings and I cannot tell the difference between any of them. Are these only relevant for "in-camera" JPEGS? If so, this brings me back to my original question: do 5D MK2 RAW files have a blueish colour-cast?

Thanks
William

PS. I have just done the same exercise with my Pentax K5 and the differences are obvious. Perhaps there is a setting that I am not aware of?

William

[Lost]

No, they should not have a noticeable colour cast. Check the white balance settings in the menus, as most RAW processors will honour these and this could case what you see.

The 'picture styles' should not affect the RAW data itself (and should only affect saturation, not WB). If you process with Canon's software, it will use the picture style as the default for the processing parameters - but most other RAW converters will ignore the style completely.

[marcmccalmont]

Set your white balance to daylight then open the raw file in your raw converter and tell us what it looks like
Marc

[William Walker]

Hi Marc

I have been trying out various things and I seem to have narrowed it down to overcast/shady weather - that is when there is a definite blue tinge to the picture - set to whatever WB setting you choose, in RAW and on the camera screen. Simply changing the WB in Lightroom to "Daylight" sorts it out pretty well.

This is what has puzzled me: with my Pentax K5, as I change the different WB settings there are radical noticeable differences in the picture, fluorescent makes the picture go pure blue!

With the Canon the changes are very subtle. I hooked the camera up to the computer, took a picture and scrolled through the various WB settings on the Utility program and found the changes also to be very subtle. Is that the way Canon does it?

Perhaps Canon and Pentax do this thing differently and I was expecting it to be the same as Pentax? (I am sure I read in a 5D MK2 review that there is the blue tinge in overcast weather).

Thanks for the feedback.
William

William

[marcmccalmont]

I've never seen the blue cast but I use DxO as my raw converter
Marc

[William Walker]

I will keep trying to work it out and will report back if I make any progress

Thanks again for taking the time...
William

[William Walker]

After doing further test shots today, I am convinced that there is something wrong with the White Balance of this camera. These two pictures were not taken today but the results are similar. No matter what WB setting I use the picture does not change at all.

All I did (in Lightroom)was change the WB setting from "As Shot" in Example, to Lightroom setting "Daylight" in example 2.

Note the blue channel in the Lightroom histogram.

[mr purdy]

You should go into the menu and reset the camera completely.

This happened to me once and I was stumped for a while. I think the problem was that the White Balance Shift setting had been tampered with.

This setting is on the second tab from the left in the menu.

[William Walker]

Hi mrpurdy

Thanks  - I had tried that. I have given up and am sending it in to Canon!

I'll report back once I hear what the problem is.

Thanks to all
William

[mr purdy]

William, did you do a FULL reset of the camera?

Does the camera have the latest firmware?

Have you tried processing with Digital Photo Pro? I have always found the BEST and most accurate color comes from this Canon-supplied software.

You should post one of your blue RAW files so we can have a look.

[William Walker]

Hi

Yes, I reset it numerous times, latest Firmware, tried everything.

The point is, the picture did not change at all on the camera's backscreen, when setting at different WB settings, never-mind even getting it onto the computer. I shoot only in RAW so, to change it in Lightroom is easy enough. Problem is in JPEG where the problem persists (should I ever want to use JPEG, or sell the camera to someone who does...) I like things to be right, so, if it costs a bit, then so be it. I'd rather have it working correctly.

The only WB changes that were noticeable were when setting "White Balance Correction" to the extreme.

Anyway, I have sent it in to Canon and will hear from then soon, I hope.

Thanks for your concern, I will keep you informed.

William

[William Walker]

Hi

I said I'd report back...

Three Printed Circuit Boards later they worked out that it was the "connecter" between the PCD and the sensor that was faulty - works fine now.

Thanks to all.
William