Sony A6300 Custom WB Error

[adamroberts]

Hi all.

 

I've been a forum reader for some time but this is my first post....

 

I've been a long time Sony mirrorless camera user. Started out with the original NEX5 then got the NEX5n, A6000, A7, A7s and now I have the A6300. I've also shot on many of the others in the range (A7s II, A7r, A7rII). I've owned an FS100, shot on FS700, FS5, F5 and even the F55. So over the years I've got used to the odd Sony quirks.

 

I'm having an issue setting custom white balance. Here are the steps I'm taking and the results I'm getting:

 

I'm in manual mode (as I can't set custom white balance in Movie mode, which I think is a really odd and annoying quirk... but that's a separate issue). I has have a Picture Profile enables (in this case it's the standard PP7 preset with S-Log2).

I press the "Fn" button, select "White Balance" and then scroll down to "Custom Setup".

I then point the camera to a grey card (I get the same result if I point the camera to a white wall) and I fill the frame with the grey card. 

I then press the centre button on the function wheel and the camera shutter fires.

What I'm then presented with is a green image. The camera reports a "Custom WB Error" with the following values: 

3700K A-B: 0 G-M: G7

 

If I turn Picture Profiles off and I repeat the steps above I get a correct WB reading:

6500K A-B: 0 G-M: M2

 

If I then go back through all the standard Picture Profiles I find that PP1-PP6 all work fine. I can get a correct WB reading. If I select PP7-PP9 I get and error. It seems that any Profile that is using an S-Log2 or S-Log3Gamma  produces the error. So I testing this by changing the Gamma of PP1 to S-Log2. Repeated the steps above and I get the same error.

 

So there appears to be a bug in the current firmware (My camera is reporting Ver. 1.00) that causes a Custom WB Error when using S-Log2 or S-Log3 Gamma.

 

Can anyone else replicate this issue? I don't recall ever having this issue with the A7s.

 

Thanks

Adam

[Johann]

So glad I came across this post! Tried custom white balancing today using a white, then a grey card, and just got this weird green screen! I thought I was going nuts, then immediately suspected the S-Log...  So hopefully will be fixed in firmware. Also, yeah, be nice to be able to not have to leave movie mode!... I'm going to use the X-Rite video checker card to match to my FS700 when I need to.

 

I almost feel bad pointing out faults in this little camera, its such an amazing camera for filmmaking... The image is insane, the colour science awesome, the lowlight capabilities are a new realm to me... I'm really stoked! I can't believe how well the images coming out of this tiny little thing compares to what I'm getting out of the FS700/Odyssey combo... This really is the best B Camera I could of hoped for... Its really, really exiting times... 

[Logia]

Yep, same here!

 

Using firmware version 1.10. Custom WB behaves exacly as adamroberts stated above. Hope this can be fixed soon. Also why Custom WB in video mode is disabled??

I share Johann's  excitement for this camera btw. It just offers so much for its price. 

[Logia]

I found an explanation for the error message by a moderator in the sony community:

 

The message [Custom WB Error] indicates that the value is higher than the expected range when the flash is used on a subject with too bright colors in the frame.

 

If you register this value, the indicator turns yellow on the recording information display. You can shoot at this point, but it is recommended that you set the white balance again to get a more accurate white balance value.

 

But neither i am using a flash nor colors are too bright. Just trying to set a Custom WB with a color cheker passport on the grey side with "proper" exposure in video mode.

[albula]

Hi guys,

 

i'm having the same problem with my a6300. I have downloaded the latest firmware update version 1.1 (I had not tried the custom white balance function when using version 1). 

 

I have turned off all picture profiles and in the manual setting on the camera - try to perform custom balance - but the screen is green coloured and shows 3700K. 

 

Have you guys managed to work out how to fix this yet?

 

Cheers,

[Kochumvk]

I have this issue on my A6500.
I tried turning off Picture profile and it temporarily fixed it. However with picture profile off, this Green screen issue returned.

My ISO was 1600(which I think is high). I have lowered it to 100 and tried. This fixed the issue for me.

 

Will report back if I see this issue again.

[Stokestack]

Still having this problem at the end of 2018.  GJ, Sony.

[SvenD]

Is there a solution to this problem? I have the same problem with my a6400

Edited March 31, 2020 by SvenD

[David Cadogan]

I have exactly the same issue with my sony a58?