[Digikam-users] How to set a correct white balance in RAW import mode?

[Jonas Norlander]

On 3 February 2010 12:13, Etienne Imguimbert <eimguimbert at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello digikam users !
>
> I'm new to the list, and especially newbie in image processing. So
> please excuse me if my questions seem a bit simple.
>
> I'm actually trying to import correctly the raw pictures produced by
> my new Panasonic G1 camera, and it seems a bit tricky.
>
> I've read on the Internet that it is much better to set the white
> balance before converting the raw to tiff or jpeg. However I can not
> find a reliable method for performing this simple task, that would be
> applicable within digikam. I think particularly on the method exposed
> in the following Gimp/Ufraw tutorial (excuse me, it is in french
> language): http://www.gimpfr.org/document/document_22/
> To summarize this tutorial: the user selects an area of the picture
> that should be white and homogeneous (by example an eye of the model),
> and ufraw calculates the mean values of R, G and B of this area. The
> white balance is well performed when these mean values of the selected
> area get the same value of R, G & B, by playing with the temperature
> and green cursors.
>
> As far as I know, 2 tools are available to white balance the pic into
> digikam: in raw processing mode and in image editing mode. But
> depending on the current mode, the tool sets are not identical ! I
> think particularly to the pipette that does not appear in raw import
> mode and that should help greatly to set the white balance.
> Furthermore I did not find a way to measure the mean values of colors
> of an area selected by the user. Is it possible in digikam?
>
> So my questions are:
> - Is the method explained above a reliable method to get a correct
> white balance?
> - Is it possible to apply this method in digikam, especially in raw import mode?
>
> I use Digikam in Kubuntu Karmic 9.10 (I think it is the 1.0-beta5
> version), amd64 platform
>

You should enable the backports repository wich contains Digikam 1.0.0.

/ Jonas