Syncing Tint and not Temperature

[Stone_Swan]

Is there no way to batch adjust the tint of raw photos in ACR without affecting the temperature?  I've done a lot of searching and experimenting over the past few hours, and I just need to make sure I'm not missing something.

I have a bunch of photos that were taken with auto white balance in camera, so the color temperature varies for each one.  I'd like to keep the auto temperature, but I want to make the tint for each photo zero.  It appears there's no way to do that to all photos at once - each one has to be manually edited to zero tint.  If I select all of the photos on the side bar and set tint to zero, all photos will also adopt the color temperature of whatever photo is being displayed.  If I try to sync settings with a single photo edited to zero tint, there's only an option to sync "white balance" as a whole, which includes both temperature and tint.  But I just want to sync the tint.

[gary_sc]

First off temperature and tint are inter-intwined so the fact that they are together is correct. You probably do not wish to change that.

Now, the big big BIG question: did you shoot raw or jpg?

If you shot raw, then correct one image by opening it up in ACR and select the environment of where the photo(s) were taken (inside, sunlight, tungsten, etc.). The close the image.

Now, in Bridge, select that one image press Option-Command(or Control)-c. Select Then select all of the other images, press Option-Command-v, click on the "Check None" then check the box for "White Balance" and click OK

If you shot JPEG, play with the temperature and tint until you are satisfied then close that image.

Now, in Bridge, select that one image press Option-Command(or Control)-c. Then select all of the other images, press Option-Command-v, click on the "Check None" then check the box for "White Balance" and click OK

If you really feel that the tint is wrong and should be brought to zero, then take an image and set it to zero and close the image.

Now, in Bridge, select that one image press Option-Command(or Control)-c. Then select all of the other images, press Option-Command-v, click on the "Check None" then check the box for "White Balance" and click OK

Let us know if this is what you want (with either one).

BTW, if you do not have Bridge installed (and why not???) then open up ALL of the images and in the filmstrip on the left in ACR select the top image, do what you want, then select all of the images (Command/Control-a) and in the very top of the the left side you can see a flyout menu, select Synchronize, select white balance, and you are done.

But when it gets right down to it, you probably do not want this: temperature and tint are tied together.

[Stone_Swan]

Hi, Gary.  Yes, I very much wish to change the tint and not the temperature.  I'm not sure why you suggested otherwise...?  As such, your suggestions do not work for me.  But for the sake of those who might need the info: I'm working with raw files, and I'm using Bridge to open up multiple images at once, and I'm familiar with the "sync settings" option within the film strip.

[gary_sc]

Hi Stone,

ok thanks for the info. Can you explain to me what happened during the photography that the tint got out of wack?

In all my years of digital photography I’ve never seen that issue. I’ve certainly seen whit balance issues but never just affectin’s the tint.

[Stone_Swan]

The tint isn't "out of whack" at all - it varies normally due to AWB in camera.  I just want all of the photos at zero tint.

Say you take a picture in one room of your house and there's no heavy green or magenta colors - the AWB will give you a tint of, say, +4.  Then in another room there's some green light coming in through the windows from the bright grass outside - the AWB will set tint to, say, +30 and give a magenta cast to everything in an effort to balance out the green light.  But it should actually be much lower (more green) to be true-to-life.  There's nothing wrong with what the camera is doing.  It just isn't smart enough to know what's being photographed.

[gary_sc]

Hi Stone,

Just got back to my computer and see your reply.

IF the colors are important (and it does seem like your desire for accurate color exists), do you ever use a gray card when taking photos in different rooms as your light conditions change? Alternatively, if you wish to fix any colorcasts in the room, AND wish to fix any mis-colored sensors in your camera, AND dual color conditions in a room (e.g., sunlight and tungsten light), I strongly consider you check out the ColorChecker Passport.

In addition I think you may wish to consider not leaving your camera on Auto-Whitebalance. That will help as well—set it for the room conditions. Fortunately since you are using raw, you can change that at any time.

Best,