# White Balance is Broken

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WADuXiMZxq4
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/WADuXiMZxq4
Generated: 2025-08-28T10:31:43.653+00:00

---
## Quick Overview

White balance in digital cameras and video settings is not a linear scale; rather, the perceived color shift from equal Kelvin increments changes dramatically depending on the temperature range, with smaller Kelvin changes having a more significant impact on color at lower temperatures (bluer end) and larger changes needed for similar shifts at higher temperatures (yellower end).

**Key Points:**
- Digital cameras and video devices do not adjust white balance linearly with Kelvin temperature increments.
- Small Kelvin changes significantly alter perceived color at lower temperatures (e.g., 2000K to 3000K).
- Larger Kelvin increments are needed to achieve similar color shifts at higher temperatures (e.g., 9000K to 10000K).
- The relationship between Kelvin temperature and perceived color shift is inverse, following a 1/x curve.
- While cameras often allow Kelvin adjustments in 100K increments, the actual color impact of these steps varies.
- The 'mired' scale, representing micro reciprocal degrees, offers a more linear perception of color change but is less commonly used in modern cameras.
- Understanding this non-linear relationship is crucial for accurately setting white balance and achieving desired color temperatures in footage.

![Screenshot at 01:14: A graphic illustrating the non-linear color shift from Kelvin increments, showing that equal Kelvin changes produce more noticeable color shifts at lower temperatures \(blue end\) than at higher temperatures \(yellow end\).](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/WADuXiMZxq4/00-01-14.png)

**Context:** The video explains the concept of white balance in photography and videography, focusing on how color temperature is measured in Kelvin (K). It highlights that while cameras often allow adjustments in uniform Kelvin increments, the human eye perceives these changes differently depending on the temperature. This discrepancy is due to the non-linear relationship between Kelvin and the resulting color shift, which is further illustrated with visual examples and graphs.

## Detailed Analysis

The video "White Balance is Broken" explains a fundamental concept in digital photography and videography: the non-linear relationship between color temperature measured in Kelvin (K) and the perceived color shift in an image. While cameras often offer white balance adjustments in fixed Kelvin increments (e.g., 100K steps), these increments do not produce equal perceptual changes in color. The video demonstrates through various examples and graphs that smaller Kelvin changes have a much more pronounced effect on the image's color at the cooler, bluer end of the spectrum (lower Kelvin values), while larger Kelvin increments are needed to achieve a similar visual shift towards warmer, yellower tones at the hotter end (higher Kelvin values). This inverse relationship, akin to a 1/x curve, means that simply doubling the Kelvin value does not necessarily double the perceived color change. The video contrasts this with exposure, which often follows a more linear or logarithmic scale. It also briefly touches upon the 'mired' scale, which aims to provide a more perceptually linear measurement of color temperature change, though Kelvin remains the standard in most camera settings. The key takeaway is that understanding this non-linear response is vital for achieving accurate white balance and consistent color in video and photography.

### Understanding Kelvin

- Color temperature is measured in Kelvin (K), with lower values representing cooler, bluer light and higher values representing warmer, yellower light.

### The Non-Linearity Problem

- Camera white balance settings often use uniform Kelvin increments (e.g., 100K steps), but these increments do not result in perceptually equal color shifts.

### Impact at Low Kelvin

- Smaller Kelvin adjustments (e.g., 2000K to 3000K) cause significant perceived color changes.

### Impact at High Kelvin

- Larger Kelvin adjustments (e.g., 9000K to 10000K) are required for similar perceived color shifts.

### The Inverse Relationship

- The relationship between Kelvin increments and perceived color change is non-linear, resembling a 1/x curve.

### Comparison to Exposure

- Exposure adjustments (like shutter speed, aperture, ISO) often have a more linear or logarithmic relationship with their impact on brightness.

### The Mired Scale

- An alternative 'mired' scale (micro reciprocal degrees) offers a more perceptually linear measurement but is less common in current camera technology.

### Practical Implications

- Awareness of this non-linearity is crucial for accurate white balance settings and consistent color grading in post-production.

![Screenshot at 00:04: A stick figure with a camera points to a temperature reading of 2800K, illustrating a specific Kelvin setting.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/WADuXiMZxq4/00-00-04.png)
![Screenshot at 01:14: A graphic showing a scale of Kelvin temperatures with corresponding color swatches, visually demonstrating how color shifts are more pronounced at lower Kelvin values.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/WADuXiMZxq4/00-01-14.png)
![Screenshot at 01:22: A series of color swatches representing different Kelvin temperatures \(2000K to 15000K\), illustrating the progression from blue to yellow.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/WADuXiMZxq4/00-01-22.png)
![Screenshot at 01:33: A side-by-side comparison showing the effect of changing white balance from 2000K \(blue cast\) to 3000K \(warmer cast\) on a flower arrangement.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/WADuXiMZxq4/00-01-33.png)
![Screenshot at 01:42: A comparison showing the effect of changing white balance from 9000K to 10000K, demonstrating a less dramatic color shift than at lower Kelvin values.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/WADuXiMZxq4/00-01-42.png)
![Screenshot at 02:49: A close-up of a camera's menu showing the option to select between 'Mired' and 'Kelvin' for color temperature increment settings.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/WADuXiMZxq4/00-02-49.png)
![Screenshot at 03:36: A series of images showing the effect of different aperture settings \(f/2, f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8\) on depth of field and overall exposure.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/WADuXiMZxq4/00-03-36.png)
![Screenshot at 04:56: A diagram illustrating the 'mired' scale, showing its non-linear relationship with Kelvin temperature and how it aims for a more perceptually uniform color change.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/WADuXiMZxq4/00-04-56.png)
![Screenshot at 06:28: A smartphone app interface for controlling LED lights, showing options for CTB \(Color Temperature Blue\) gels and their fractional values \(1/2 CTB, 1/4 CTB, etc.\).](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/WADuXiMZxq4/00-06-28.png)
![Screenshot at 07:27: A comparison of two images of a plant, one set to 3200K \(warm\) and the other to 7000K \(cool\), highlighting the dramatic impact of white balance settings.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/WADuXiMZxq4/00-07-27.png)