White balance.

In digital photography, calibration of the white point.

As noted in the section on colour temperature, the assumed white point can vary depending on the light conditions - the concept of “white” is not an absolute thing.

Most decent digital cameras let you specify whatever white point you want, usually by pointing the camera at a white object illuminated by the current light. Some cameras also can detect the ambient light and determine the white point from that - automatic white balance.

cf. colour temperature, AWB.

Entry last updated 2002-04-05. Term 1306 of 1487.

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