Taking aquarium pics with panasonic dmc fx-100....anyone else using the same camera??

[craigybaby37]

Hi people ime pretty new to the forum so posted a geat deal as yet.

Just got a question for some of you, ime using the panasonic dmc fx-100 12.2mp camera to take me pictures with but no matter what i do the colour of the subject weather it be a fish or coral or complete tank shot is never the same as what it is in the person??

And also ime having trouble with light reflecting from rocks and corals and looking over exposed as such and effecting the pictures.

here are some examples of the pictures i have been taking and i will explain the problems in each picture.

The picture below is off my new button polyp frag but in person the green is much brighter but the camera doesnt pick it up.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v337/craigybaby37/marinetank250408104.jpg

This is part of my tank in a full shot taken in normal picture mode and knowtise how the plate coral has got a glare to it where the light is reflecting from it. And also the colours dont match to what there are in person.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v337/craigybaby37/marinetank250408088.jpg

Here is a picture of my favia brain coral. The colour of it in the picture doesnt show the true florecent colour of it in person.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v337/craigybaby37/marinetank250408098.jpg

Any help would be much appreciated, ive tried changing exposure values, whit balance and all sorts i just cant get it right.

[craigybaby37]

anyone???

[Peculiar_Clown]

Hi don't have or know of your camera, but the issues you are having are around exposure and white balance.

The plate is due to exposure, the camera balances the amount of light for the whole scene and thus light areas can appear bleached. this can sometimes be addressed post picture using software such as photoshop, or freeware like irfanview. Or see if your camera will allow you to manually set aperture, speed and ISO, then experiment with these to get the correct exposure, you want to underexpose by a few stops, but remember this will mean dark areas get darker.

the florescence is an issue for all reef photographers, again it's a matter of playing with your settings. See if you can get hold of a copy of Clippos article in PFK about this, there maybe some tips in there for you.

Sorry PFK = Practical Fishkeeping Magazine

[lenny]

as above really and the colour is down to white balance . see if you camera allows you to take a custom white balance and follow the said instrutions for your camera. hth len

[craigybaby37]

hi there thanks for your advice and tips. I have checked and i can set the white balance again so will have a go with that. will post some pics up soon if i get it sorted.