Lighting pictures - question for photo guys

DarG · 07/15/2007, 11:48 AM

I can't seem to get an accurate picture of my lighting when the T5's are lit. My tank is a crisp white but with a good hint of actinic purplish more than blue. I can capture it pretty well with just the halides on. But when I try to take a picture with the T5's on as well, it's skewed to the blue. Even looking at it through the Cameras LCD screen it looks much bluer than it is.

I have a fairly inexpensive, 300 bucks or so, Fuji digital camera with that Real Photo technology. It's not a Digital SLR. My wifes HP digital does the same thing. Wont capture the actinic tint, skews it toward blue. Again, this is only with the flourescents, its pretty close with the halides only.

I have a few settings to play with but dont know where to start of even if it will make any difference. Any general suggestions from you photography guys to correct for the color innaccuracies?

Toddrtrex · 07/15/2007, 12:10 PM

I have the same problem with my camera - an Olympus. Hopefully your camera has an adjustable white balance. Mine only has a couple of presets for it, so I can not adjust it manually. If you don't have an adjustable WB, you are pretty much out of luck -- sorry. If you do have an adjustable WB, go over to the photo section and they should be able to help you set it up right.

I know I am sllllooooowwwwwly saving up for a DSLR, but that will be a while.

sirreal63 · 07/15/2007, 12:36 PM

Take pics of the tank with each white balance setting, record them so when you look at the pics you know which setting goes with each pic and then choose the closest one to what the eye sees. This worked the best with my Fuji S5000. I set it up so that the portrait mode retains the correct white balance for the tank and the automatic setting I let do it's own thing.

DarG · 07/15/2007, 12:37 PM

OK, thanks. It has a manual mode and can set shutter speeds sorta and has pseudo adjustments as if you were using different speed films. I'll have to check the manual. I normally just keep it in manual and push the button. I do have an old Pentax 35mm so I guess I could just take film pictures and have them developed.

Thanks for the help.

sirreal63 · 07/15/2007, 12:40 PM

Which Fuji model is it?

DarG · 07/15/2007, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sirreal63
Which Fuji model is it?

I read your post and checked the manual. It does have white balance. I've been playing with it the last few minutes and it looks like I could get pretty close. It's a S5200. My wife got it for me for Christmas because it was on sale and it has those way cool zoom buttons

That tells you how much beyond setting it to auto and pushing the button I know about using the thing.

Thanks sirreal, for the help. If you have any other input on this thing I appreciate it.

sirreal63 · 07/15/2007, 01:24 PM

The Fuji's are much better at outdoor shots and action shots. I bought mine for outdoor use and never planned on it being for the tank...my mistake...I use it almost exclusively for the tank. lol

You will get used to taking lots and lots of pics, and the macro setting is not that great but it will take good pics. The really sad part of my photography world is I have sitting in the closet an old Nikon F with about 15 lenses and I haven't pulled it out in about 10 years. I invested about 8 grand in that thing in the early 80's and shot thousands of pics...now I can't stand the thought of getting film developed. lol Go figure.

Your Fuji is a good camera...don't give up on it, learn how to use it and you will be happy with it for general picture taking. When you are ready for more macro shots is when you will want a better camera.

DarG · 07/15/2007, 01:37 PM

Thanks again. I'm not really into photography, I tried a couple times to get into it but it's just not my thing. The Fuji takes good enough pictures for me. Even got some nice close ups in the tank messing around in the past. It was just last night that I noticed that I couldnt get a good representative picture between two DE bulbs when the T5's were on. I have alot to learn about this thing. It's got alot of different settings compared to what I am used to.

Thanks again for the help.

flyyyguy · 07/15/2007, 03:18 PM

If using blueish bulbs and a camera without a custom white balance option......its pretty tough, if not impossible to get even close to accurate color representations in your photos.

07/15/2007, 11:48 AM	#1
DarG Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 5,515	Lighting pictures - question for photo guys I can't seem to get an accurate picture of my lighting when the T5's are lit. My tank is a crisp white but with a good hint of actinic purplish more than blue. I can capture it pretty well with just the halides on. But when I try to take a picture with the T5's on as well, it's skewed to the blue. Even looking at it through the Cameras LCD screen it looks much bluer than it is. I have a fairly inexpensive, 300 bucks or so, Fuji digital camera with that Real Photo technology. It's not a Digital SLR. My wifes HP digital does the same thing. Wont capture the actinic tint, skews it toward blue. Again, this is only with the flourescents, its pretty close with the halides only. I have a few settings to play with but dont know where to start of even if it will make any difference. Any general suggestions from you photography guys to correct for the color innaccuracies?

07/15/2007, 12:10 PM	#2
Toddrtrex Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Carol Stream, IL Posts: 23,162	I have the same problem with my camera - an Olympus. Hopefully your camera has an adjustable white balance. Mine only has a couple of presets for it, so I can not adjust it manually. If you don't have an adjustable WB, you are pretty much out of luck -- sorry. If you do have an adjustable WB, go over to the photo section and they should be able to help you set it up right. I know I am sllllooooowwwwwly saving up for a DSLR, but that will be a while. __________________ Click my name and then "visit toddrtrex's homepage" for tank pictures Current Tank Info: 210g reef and 65g reef

07/15/2007, 12:36 PM	#3
sirreal63 Go Spurs Go!!! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Meadowlakes Texas Posts: 13,357	Take pics of the tank with each white balance setting, record them so when you look at the pics you know which setting goes with each pic and then choose the closest one to what the eye sees. This worked the best with my Fuji S5000. I set it up so that the portrait mode retains the correct white balance for the tank and the automatic setting I let do it's own thing. __________________ Jack No One has ever been seriously injured by using the search function. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store, not a government agency. Current Tank Info: Reefing the Pentagon.

07/15/2007, 12:40 PM	#5
sirreal63 Go Spurs Go!!! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Meadowlakes Texas Posts: 13,357	Which Fuji model is it? __________________ Jack No One has ever been seriously injured by using the search function. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store, not a government agency. Current Tank Info: Reefing the Pentagon.

07/15/2007, 01:24 PM	#7
sirreal63 Go Spurs Go!!! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Meadowlakes Texas Posts: 13,357	The Fuji's are much better at outdoor shots and action shots. I bought mine for outdoor use and never planned on it being for the tank...my mistake...I use it almost exclusively for the tank. lol You will get used to taking lots and lots of pics, and the macro setting is not that great but it will take good pics. The really sad part of my photography world is I have sitting in the closet an old Nikon F with about 15 lenses and I haven't pulled it out in about 10 years. I invested about 8 grand in that thing in the early 80's and shot thousands of pics...now I can't stand the thought of getting film developed. lol Go figure. Your Fuji is a good camera...don't give up on it, learn how to use it and you will be happy with it for general picture taking. When you are ready for more macro shots is when you will want a better camera. __________________ Jack No One has ever been seriously injured by using the search function. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store, not a government agency. Current Tank Info: Reefing the Pentagon.

07/15/2007, 12:37 PM	#4
DarG Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 5,515	OK, thanks. It has a manual mode and can set shutter speeds sorta and has pseudo adjustments as if you were using different speed films. I'll have to check the manual. I normally just keep it in manual and push the button. I do have an old Pentax 35mm so I guess I could just take film pictures and have them developed. Thanks for the help.

07/15/2007, 01:37 PM	#8
DarG Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 5,515	Thanks again. I'm not really into photography, I tried a couple times to get into it but it's just not my thing. The Fuji takes good enough pictures for me. Even got some nice close ups in the tank messing around in the past. It was just last night that I noticed that I couldnt get a good representative picture between two DE bulbs when the T5's were on. I have alot to learn about this thing. It's got alot of different settings compared to what I am used to. Thanks again for the help.

07/15/2007, 03:18 PM	#9
flyyyguy King of the white corals Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,239	If using blueish bulbs and a camera without a custom white balance option......its pretty tough, if not impossible to get even close to accurate color representations in your photos. __________________ I like holding hands, snuggling, and long walks on the beach