White balance and auto-levels

[mercphoto]

I know that auto-levels can be used to remove a color cast, and if your image is reasonably well behaved to start with, auto-levels can work pretty good. In fact, I use it often on images such as:

http://mercphoto.smugmug.com/photos/23348636-M.jpg

My question is, is the fact that I have to use auto-levels an indication that the white balance was wrong in the first place? Or is that not the issue? Outdoor sports, usually in good sun, and I put my 20D on Auto White Balance. Might try the "sun" white balance setting next time, see what happens.

[Mike Lane]

FWIW, I've found that my 20D does great with white balance except in tungsten lights. That said, have a wonderful collapsable grey card that I use before I shoot any shots so I know that the white balance is where it should be.

I personally don't think that if levels fixes some issues it is necessarily due to poor white balance in the image. Levels is great for contrast issues as well.

I know that auto-levels can be used to remove a color cast, and if your image is reasonably well behaved to start with, auto-levels can work pretty good. In fact, I use it often on images such as:

http://mercphoto.smugmug.com/photos/23348636-M.jpg

My question is, is the fact that I have to use auto-levels an indication that the white balance was wrong in the first place? Or is that not the issue? Outdoor sports, usually in good sun, and I put my 20D on Auto White Balance. Might try the "sun" white balance setting next time, see what happens.