Newbie needs help with some settings.

Vamp75 · Dec 12, 2005

I have a Canon 20D with the 100mm Macro lens. I'm trying to take pictures of some live coral in my fish tank. The lighting on the tank is 20k which produces a lot of blue. I have tried setting the custom white balance but the colors all look washed out and over exposed. They don't due the actual corals any justice. Please help.

These were the settings:

Aperture Value f/7.1
Color Space sRGB
Exposure Bias Value 0.33 EV
Exposure Program Aperture Priority
Flash No Flash
Focal Length 100.00 mm
ISO 200
Metering Mode Multi-Segment
Shutter Speed Value 1/5 sec

Rob · Dec 12, 2005

When you say that you tried the WB, what did you actually try? If you want to get the colours right, then the best thing to do is bracket your shots. Start with underexposing it and move through the stops until you get to overexposed. Tweak the WB and repeat.

Rob

Vamp75 · Dec 12, 2005

I put a piece of white PVC and took a picture of that to set the white balance.

Rob · Dec 12, 2005

Unless you immerse the card in the tank (or put it behind it) and take a reading from it, then it won't set it accurately as the lighting on the tank, the tank glass and the water itself will alter the light properties.

I'd say go with the preset WB settings and adjust the exposure to alter the image properties.

Rob