How to get the perfect white balance for my DC?

[ervine]

Hi guys,

I'm using a Fuji S602Z and I've been trying to get a proper white balance but I can't seem to get it.

I've tried using the inbuilt ones but those all end up looking too blue, I've tried the customised WB with a white card against the blue light from my 20K MH but the pictures then turn out too vibrant.

Either way it's not an accurate representation of what I see... anyone knows what's the best solution for this?

Thanks

[nleong]

ervine,

Why don't you post a couple of pictures with the details like f-stops, shutter, WB setting and ISO especially etc ? Then maybe we can start from there.

And you mentiond you are using 20kk MH. Are you trygin to take picture under that light ?

Also, post a full tank picture if possible and indicate what are you trying to photograph.

[ervine]

Okay from the left,

Left most image

Shutter speed - 1/25s

F/stop - 2.8

ISO - 400

WB - custom (blue light from MH against white card)

Middle image

same settings, WB changed to daylight

Right most image

Photoshopped to make it look like what it's supposed to look (although not as purple)

Yups.. so how?

[nleong]

ervine,

It looks perfectly fine to me on the WB and I would say its quite accurate judging from the Custom WB you have.

I probably left out in my first reply, You can't get a perfect WB even with a professional DSLR. There will be time that you need to tweak abit to get the correct color.

Unless of cos, a flash is being used. which then you still need to do some adjustment on the contrast and brightness.

What I can suggest you to do, is try using an overhead flash and set to Auto WB. Believe these days even with a consumer DC, the WB program is very accurate, you just need some white light to balance out the excessive blue from the 20kk bulb.

Hoep that helpe

[ervine]

Hm.. perhaps I'm too picky but seriously, everything in the middle pic looks as homogeneous, so much so that everything becomes muddled together into one... actually even film cameras are not perfectly white balanced (if there is even such a term for film)

I'll try out your flash idea see how it goes.. just frustrated that I can't get more true to life images... maybe it's a hint to upgrade my cam.. hehehe

[nleong]

ervine,

you can try to do this if you don't have an option for external flash for your camera.

1. Level the camera on a tripod. make sure its at eye level according to the tank height.

2. do not put too near, maybe abt 1m away.

3. Get a tissue paper and cover across the on camera flash. This will diffuse the flash and do not pose the problem of reflection from the tank. But do not fold the tissue to several fold, just 1 piece. (Don't cover u pthe lens hor )

4. Play with your setting. But i suggest Auto WB and ISO 200 and flash set it to Auto.

5. Focus and fire away.

6. If result not to your desire, try out other setting. You can also try out the exposure compensation setting toget the desired result.

Have fun

[ervine]

Okie I go check it out.. thanks for the suggestion!

Oh one more thing, won't the light from the flash bounce back off the glass??

[nleong]

Thats where the tissue paper comes in handy