One-Touch White Balance with OM System TG-7 and Olympus TG-6, TG-5 [VIDEO]

Featuring Jean Rydberg

If you’re not happy with the results from the underwater white balance presets, the OM System TG-7 and Olympus TG-6 cameras provide a One-touch white balance feature that may provide more accurate color results in certain situations. Here’s how to use that feature.
 

  

How to Set One-Touch White Balance

Go into the camera's Live Control Menu and select one of the four One-Touch White Balance settings. Once you're in that mode press the Info button to open the white balance capture screen. Now take a photo of a white object, it could be a dive slate, your buddy's scuba tank, or maybe even the palm of your hand. Now press OK to say yes and use that as a custom white balance reference.

Now, you'll want to re-white balance any time you have a major change in lighting. So, if you're changing depth or if the clouds move over the sun you'll want to capture a new white balance for accurate color.

When underwater, you can use a dive slate, your buddy's scuba tank, white sand, or even your palm as a custom white balance reference.

 

One-Touch White Balance for Video Recording

For some reason the One-Touch White Balance capture is disabled in the cameras Video mode. So I recommend staying in Program mode and using the Record Start/Stop button on the back of the camera to shoot video.

If you do move to the Movie mode, it will inherit your custom white balance from the Program mode.

 

Limitations of One-Touch White Balance

One-Touch White Balance does have its limits. If you’re shooting in low light situations below about 50 feet (15.24 meters), or in caverns or overhangs, or on a very dark day, then you won’t have enough light to capture an accurate reading. In these situations you’ll want to add a strobe or video light for the best color and clarity. When you’re shooting with artificial light, I recommend switching back to auto white balance.

In low light situations, like diving in cenotes or caverns, One-Touch White Balance will be limited, in these scenarios we recommend using external lighting to capture accurate colors. 

 

Additional Viewing

The Secret to Underwater Photography with Olympus and Panasonic Cameras [VIDEO]

Manual White Balance for Underwater Still Photography

5 Situations Where You Need a Strobe Underwater [VIDEO] 

OM System TG-7 Underwater Housing // Setting it Up with TTL Strobe [VIDEO]

Wide Angle Fisheye to Macro on the Same Dive with the Olympus Tough TG-6

Underwater Macro and Wide Angle with Compact DS51 II Strobes

  

Jean Rydberg is the President & CEO of Ikelite. She has lived her whole life in landlocked Indianapolis, Indiana, but is no stranger to the water as a daughter of Ikelite’s founder Ike Brigham. She has traveled around the world shooting and testing gear and enjoys new challenges in both photography and diving. Jean loves to learn about the creative ways photographers achieve their visions. More than anything she wants to show aspiring underwater photographers that excellence is attainable with any system. When she's not working she's spending time with her husband and two daughters.