Wildly varying colour temperature ( white balance) with iPhone

[wulbert]

As much as I like my new iPhone 12 and as pretty as the pictures are, I have noticed that the apparent colour temperature or white balance varies by a crazy amount for the same scene. I also noticed this effect to a lesser extent with my iPhone 5SE. Is there a way to minimise this?

For example, in the scene below, taken at the same time, the tree trunks appear with very different colours.

 

[Tony Lockhart]

I’ve never noticed it with my 12 Pro. Not to say it isn’t happening though.

However, that’s a three year old phone and over the years it may have picked up all sorts of damage.

I had the battery replaced a couple of weeks ago, and the shop highlighted that the audio had issues, and wireless charging wasn’t working anymore. It’s on borrowed time now, but at least the battery is at 100% health!

 

[martin clark]

Modern phones get their bright results more from software you don't see or control, than the actual camera sensor.
That means a bit of a bias to super-luminosity / colour-punched 'instagrammable' outputs with unrealistic/uneven gamuts, contrast etc - because that is the shineh.

It's exactly like a House -curve EQ, or 'Loudness' buttons... and you do not have much control.

Tho - one thing I've long-exploited - the yellow iOs pick-box is more use as an exposure control, than to set focus point. The actual lens focal length is so very.bloody.short than unless you are trying a macro - the shot will always be in focus. So use it to play with exposure instead.

Have fun.

 

[ron]

Sorry not much help but with my camera I usually use manual WB if there’s a lot of surrounding trees . If using auto the fast changes from tree cover to small area of sky etc can throw things off . You get kelvin variations going from blue to yellow .

 

[wulbert]

Sorry not much help but with my camera I usually use manual WB if there’s a lot of surrounding trees . If using auto the fast changes from tree cover to small area of sky etc can throw things off . You get kelvin variations going from blue to yellow .

Thanks. Yes, I see this effect slightly with my Fuji XT 2 when it's on auto white balance with a tricky subject. It doesn't look like this is something I can change on an iPhone. I guess I'll just need to accept it and see it as part of the convenience and fun. Move the phone around until it looks "nice" on the screen, then take the pic.
It's not life-like but it can look impressive at times.

 

[ron]

Thanks. Yes, I see this effect slightly with my Fuji XT 2 when it's on auto white balance with a tricky subject. It doesn't look like this is something I can change on an iPhone. I guess I'll just need to accept it and see it as part of the convenience and fun. Move the phone around until it looks "nice" on the screen, then take the pic.
It's not life-like but it can look impressive at times.

I've installed pro camera on my old iPhone XS max , that allows to change WB etc , ive not used it much yet though tbh

 

[wulbert]

I've installed pro camera on my old iPhone XS max , that allows to change WB etc , ive not used it much yet though tbh

Interesting. Thanks. I'll have a look at that.