Cinematographer
Aus DoP-Perspektive ist dieses Element essentiell für die visuelle Gestaltung. Es ermöglicht mir die gewünschte Farbstimmung und das ästhetische Bild konsistent umzusetzen.
Light (lamp, film stock, or camera white balance) calibrated to the tungsten reference standard of 3200 K, rendering warm artificial light as neutral.
Overview
"Tungsten Balanced" (German: kunstlichtbalanciert, kunstlichtabgestimmt) refers to the calibration for the color temperature of an incandescent lamp or a halogen incandescent lamp source. The industry standard for this is around 3200 Kelvin – the warm, yellowish-orange hue of artificial light. The term is not a brand or device name, but a characteristic that can affect three different links in the capture chain:
- Fixtures/Lamps: Halogen and classic incandescent spotlights (Fresnel, Open Face, Ellipsoidal) inherently emit at approx. 3200 K. LED and fluorescent fixtures are also offered in a "Tungsten" variant that replicates this value.
- Film Stock: Tungsten-balanced negative/slide film is sensitized to deliver neutral colors under 3200 K lighting (classically designated as "Type B").
- Camera White Balance: In digital cameras, the 3200 K preset is the white balance that records 3200 K artificial light as white.
The counterpart is "Daylight Balanced" (tageslichtabgestimmt) with a standard of around 5600 K.
Technical Classification
If the balance of the capture chain does not match the actual light source, a color cast occurs:
- Tungsten-balanced used in daylight (5600 K) → Image shifts towards blue.
- Daylight-balanced used in artificial light (3200 K) → Image shifts towards yellow-orange.
| Balance | Reference Color Temperature | Typical Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tungsten Balanced | approx. 3200 K | Halogen/Incandescent Spotlight |
| Daylight Balanced | approx. 5600 K | Daylight, HMI |
On-Set Usage
To match sources of different balances, conversion filters (gels) are used:
- CTB (Color Temperature Blue): Raises a Tungsten source (3200 K) towards daylight (5600 K) – for example, to integrate a halogen spotlight into an HMI/window light environment.
- CTO (Color Temperature Orange) or the photographic filter 85: Lowers a daylight source (e.g., HMI, 5600 K) to Tungsten level (3200 K).
On the analog material side, the principle is similar: an 80A filter (blue) allows daylight-balanced material to be used under artificial light, and an 85 filter (orange) allows tungsten-balanced material to be used in daylight. Each conversion filter costs light output, which must be factored into the exposure.
From the crafts
Perspectives
Producer
Diese professionelle Lösung erhöht die Produktionseffizienz und reduziert Post-Production-Anforderungen. Sie ermöglicht flexible, schnelle Anpassungen während des Drehs.
Gaffer
Als Gaffer ist dies ein unverzichtbares Werkzeug meines täglichen Handwerkszeugs. Es ermöglicht mir professionelle Lichtkontrolle und schnelle Anpassungen auf Set, was Zeit spart und Qualität sichert.
More in the lexikon
Related terms
Test your knowledge
Quiz
1. Zu welchem Department gehört „Kunstlicht-abgestimmt"?
2. Wie viele verschiedene Fachperspektiven bietet dieser Eintrag?