Need camera advice!!

michelle9491 · 01-13-2009, 12:54 PM

My camera takes decent pics of everything except my tank. The colors are never the same. Just a normal tank shot looks bad or at least doesnt look like the same tank. Actinic shots are impossible w/o flash too dark, w/flash too bright might as well not have actinics on. The camera is a (dont laugh) Fugi Finepix A825, 4x8.8 - 35.2mm 1:2.9 - 6.3, 8.3 megapixels, 4x optical zoom. Some settings you can use are 3x digital zoom, macro. I know the simple solution would be to get a new camera, but thats not an option right now. Does anyone have any tips or suggestions? Yes I've read the manual. I just dont know anything about cameras. Help!!!

ReefLady · 01-13-2009, 01:00 PM

I don't think that's such a bad camera. Tank lights wreak havoc with a camera's white balance. Do you have the ability to adjust the white balance to "manual" or "preset" mode? If you do, follow the manual's instructions, and use a piece of white pvc inside the tank, or a piece of white paper place right in front of the tank to use as a "preset". That will get your colors a bit more accurate. As far as lighting, it's pretty tough to take decent actinic photos without low shutter speeds - which will require either a tripod or *very* stable surface.

You can also play around with the brightness of the picture by adjusting the exposure (EV adjustment). Also the ISO - the higher you go, the "brighter" the pic will appear, just be cautious, anything over 400 tends to look a bit "grainy".

CAVINCA · 01-13-2009, 01:12 PM

From what i can find about your camera you should be able to pick an iso level of 100, 800, 400, 200, or auto.

You have these white balance presets: Fine, incandescent, shade, fluorescent light (cool white), fluorescent light (daylight), fluorescent light (warm white)

and you can shoot in Program automatic and manual Exposure mode.

If i could figure out where to FIND these settings id help you more. Youll have to look through your manual or menus.

See if you can mix and match your settings by using sports mode, white balance(shady), and iso numbers(sensitivity to light).

Typically you want a fast exposure to stop motion (swimming fish). BUT because you speed up your exposure your photos will get darker. So youll have to adjust your ISO speed via menu to like 400. This will get you lighter stop motion pics.

You can go higher on iso but as reeflady said your pics tend to get grainy. You can sort of remede this by adding a VERY SMALL amount ov blur to your photo in somethin like photoshop. I know it sounds dumb because you went through all the trouble to get NON blurry photos BUT a little blur is better than a hand shaken camera blur.

michelle9491 · 01-13-2009, 01:24 PM

Wow thanks for the fast replies Teri & Carl!! At least I understand it much better now. The manual tells you what it can do, but doesnt tell me much when I had know idea what I needed to do. Guess I will be playing with my camera all afternoon, lol!

ReefLady · 01-13-2009, 01:33 PM

That's the great thing about digital cameras - it doesn't cost to play. :-)

Do yourself a favor, and play with one setting at a time. Take a picture with the EV set at -.7 then the same pic at -.3, then 0, then +.3, etc. Look at the difference. Do the same with white balance, then ISO, etc.

A lot of photographers refer to this as "bracketing".
YW!

ReeferMadness08 · 01-13-2009, 03:09 PM

Another Tip would be to focus the camera on an object roughly the same depth as the target in the tank, this will allow you to get a better focused picture with the camera. Also make sure no lights are on around the tank and wear darker colored clothing while shooting.

michelle9491 · 01-13-2009, 04:49 PM

Well I'm still playing with it & it's getting better & better. Now maybe I can start my chronicle

was too embarrassed with the pics I was taking, lol. My tank doesnt look that great, but the pics were just hidious! Almost looked made it look like a freshwater tank with a clown in it. Just didnt look right!

Thank you everyone for all your help!!!!!! Just out of curiosity ReeferMadness08, what does wearing darker colored clothes do?

ReeferMadness08 · 01-13-2009, 05:15 PM

The darker clothes dont reflect in the glass as much as lighter colored clothes do. Think of a backdrop for a portait...it mutes the light

BigAl07 · 01-13-2009, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReeferMadness08

The darker clothes dont reflect in the glass as much as lighter colored clothes do. Think of a backdrop for a portait...it mutes the light

That's what I've started doing too! Makes a HUGE difference in "ghosting" in the glass

01-13-2009, 12:54 PM	#1 (permalink)
michelle9491 Neon dottyback Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Asheville, NC Posts: 697 View Gallery Karma Komment	Need camera advice!! My camera takes decent pics of everything except my tank. The colors are never the same. Just a normal tank shot looks bad or at least doesnt look like the same tank. Actinic shots are impossible w/o flash too dark, w/flash too bright might as well not have actinics on. The camera is a (dont laugh) Fugi Finepix A825, 4x8.8 - 35.2mm 1:2.9 - 6.3, 8.3 megapixels, 4x optical zoom. Some settings you can use are 3x digital zoom, macro. I know the simple solution would be to get a new camera, but thats not an option right now. Does anyone have any tips or suggestions? Yes I've read the manual. I just dont know anything about cameras. Help!!! __________________ Michelle

01-13-2009, 01:00 PM	#2 (permalink)
ReefLady Tridacna maxima Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 4,590 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Need camera advice!! I don't think that's such a bad camera. Tank lights wreak havoc with a camera's white balance. Do you have the ability to adjust the white balance to "manual" or "preset" mode? If you do, follow the manual's instructions, and use a piece of white pvc inside the tank, or a piece of white paper place right in front of the tank to use as a "preset". That will get your colors a bit more accurate. As far as lighting, it's pretty tough to take decent actinic photos without low shutter speeds - which will require either a tripod or very stable surface. You can also play around with the brightness of the picture by adjusting the exposure (EV adjustment). Also the ISO - the higher you go, the "brighter" the pic will appear, just be cautious, anything over 400 tends to look a bit "grainy". __________________ ~ Teri -------- "You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice." ~(currently tankless)~ Our 180g sps tank / DIY adventure (taken down in late 2006): Our 180g DIY Reef Project ---What's next????

01-13-2009, 01:12 PM	#3 (permalink)
CAVINCA Elegance coral Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 1,020 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Need camera advice!! From what i can find about your camera you should be able to pick an iso level of 100, 800, 400, 200, or auto. You have these white balance presets: Fine, incandescent, shade, fluorescent light (cool white), fluorescent light (daylight), fluorescent light (warm white) and you can shoot in Program automatic and manual Exposure mode. If i could figure out where to FIND these settings id help you more. Youll have to look through your manual or menus. See if you can mix and match your settings by using sports mode, white balance(shady), and iso numbers(sensitivity to light). Typically you want a fast exposure to stop motion (swimming fish). BUT because you speed up your exposure your photos will get darker. So youll have to adjust your ISO speed via menu to like 400. This will get you lighter stop motion pics. You can go higher on iso but as reeflady said your pics tend to get grainy. You can sort of remede this by adding a VERY SMALL amount ov blur to your photo in somethin like photoshop. I know it sounds dumb because you went through all the trouble to get NON blurry photos BUT a little blur is better than a hand shaken camera blur. __________________ Chronicle Marina del Filon de los Carlos (CLOSED) Carl's 55 Gallon Underwater Inn CARL

01-13-2009, 01:24 PM	#4 (permalink)
michelle9491 Neon dottyback Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Asheville, NC Posts: 697 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Need camera advice!! Wow thanks for the fast replies Teri & Carl!! At least I understand it much better now. The manual tells you what it can do, but doesnt tell me much when I had know idea what I needed to do. Guess I will be playing with my camera all afternoon, lol! __________________ Michelle

01-13-2009, 01:33 PM	#5 (permalink)
ReefLady Tridacna maxima Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 4,590 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Need camera advice!! That's the great thing about digital cameras - it doesn't cost to play. :-) Do yourself a favor, and play with one setting at a time. Take a picture with the EV set at -.7 then the same pic at -.3, then 0, then +.3, etc. Look at the difference. Do the same with white balance, then ISO, etc. A lot of photographers refer to this as "bracketing". YW! __________________ ~ Teri -------- "You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice." ~(currently tankless)~ Our 180g sps tank / DIY adventure (taken down in late 2006): Our 180g DIY Reef Project ---What's next????

01-13-2009, 03:09 PM	#6 (permalink)
ReeferMadness08 Tubeworm Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 30 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Need camera advice!! Another Tip would be to focus the camera on an object roughly the same depth as the target in the tank, this will allow you to get a better focused picture with the camera. Also make sure no lights are on around the tank and wear darker colored clothing while shooting.

01-13-2009, 04:49 PM	#7 (permalink)
michelle9491 Neon dottyback Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Asheville, NC Posts: 697 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Need camera advice!! Well I'm still playing with it & it's getting better & better. Now maybe I can start my chronicle was too embarrassed with the pics I was taking, lol. My tank doesnt look that great, but the pics were just hidious! Almost looked made it look like a freshwater tank with a clown in it. Just didnt look right! Thank you everyone for all your help!!!!!! Just out of curiosity ReeferMadness08, what does wearing darker colored clothes do? __________________ Michelle

01-13-2009, 05:15 PM	#8 (permalink)
ReeferMadness08 Tubeworm Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 30 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Need camera advice!! The darker clothes dont reflect in the glass as much as lighter colored clothes do. Think of a backdrop for a portait...it mutes the light

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