white balance correction

[fishypets]

Someone please help. I have a Rebel XT and for the life of me I can't correct the W.B. with my new 12K reeflux bulbs. I am about to toss the camera in the tank and start growing acros on it if I can't get it right soon. Thanks in advance.

Clint

[TheOtherGuy]

If u are gonna throw it in the trash I will send you a self addressed box and u can send it to me! Sweet! Thx in Advance. LOL.

So lets see. There are a number of approaches to correct.

1) In camera - Set it to Highest temp it can go. In Nikon land that would be Cloudy -3. I think Canon uses color temp so that is a little easier.
2) In camera - Use custom WB. Not sure procedure for Canon but get something that is translucent white like a coffee can lid. Set Camera to custom WB. Take a shot and camera should give u some feedback if custom WB is set. Just Google for how to do for Rebel.
3) Take pics in RAW mode - RAW mode gives you lot more flexibility for changing WB in post process
4) Use a RAW Editor to correct WB - CS2, RawShooter, Canon's Photo Program (I do not know this proggie though)

Can u post a pic of what u are getting so far?

[fishypets]

Here is the best I can get. Maybe someone with photoshop can correct it for me.


http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f330/fishypets/IMG_5754.jpg

[Louie3]

I dont think it looks any different after correcting it
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h310/HardRockerLouie/IMG_5754.jpg

[TheOtherGuy]

Hi Clint.

First WB issues or not you have a really nice tank! Looks great to me.

Now on to the WB stuff.

It looks to me like you have the WB pretty good. One of the hardest things to do is take a really good pic of an entire tank. This is IMO because the lights are very bright at the surface and then not so bright near the bottom. So camera does not enough dynamic range to handle the entire tank all at once. If you expose for the top then bottom will be too dark and if you expose for the bottom of the tank then the top will be overexposed. I do think you have done a good job in getting the exposure and white balance in your pic.

One thing you can try (and I have not done this myself) is to take 2 or 3 pics using a tripod and exposing for the top, middle and bottom in each shot. And then using PSP or Photoshop and combining all shots and a mask for each shot on a layer. The idea here is to get each level of the tank exposed correctly. Of course, the one problem with this method is that your fish may appear one or more times in the final picture. Anyway, below are my two attempts at your posted picture. One is from Paint Shop Pro and another is from Nikon Capture.

PSP Version
http://static.flickr.com/70/156894506_f9529eaff8_o.jpg

Nikon Capture
http://static.flickr.com/67/156894655_f00f6b96b9_o.jpg

[cpreefguy]

if anything, you need to frag a bunch of stuff, Ill take the frags off your hands.
Just the kinda guy I am :lol

[hammondegge]

clint, i dont know much about the white balance, but to get a good starting exposure in a full shot like that with varying light values you can pick an area of the tank that you consider to be the medium value (the area that you want perfect exposure on). keep in mind that you may have to purposely chose to underexpose or blow out some areas. (underexposed areas work best in this situation imo). set the camera to manual and pinpoint meter the chosen area - get close to the area to meter and use the center spot metering function. set the camera for this setting and set it back on the tripod and expose 5 frames at the chosen exposure and at -1 and-2 stops and at + 1 and +2 stops. once you find the value that you like then it should always be the same as you have a controled lighting situation.

[Someone]

i shoot in raw alllllllllllllllllllllllll the time now. its so much easier to change stuff like white balance and all later on the computer. btw i have a rebel xt too! nice pics!

[fishypets]

O.K. someone photoshop this. Taken in XL RAW format.

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f330/fishypets/IMG_5869.jpg

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f330/fishypets/IMG_5845.jpg

[aquadoc]

HERE IS ONE. http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i173/Aquadok/fishyfrag3.jpg

[aquadoc]

Another one for you:
(Purple Bonsai)

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i173/Aquadok/fishyfrag2.jpg

[TheOtherGuy]

I came up with this?

http://static.flickr.com/77/160067959_e3b3f28266_o.jpg

[Ross]

Thats a really nice tank.....

I know, im captain obvious, just felt like giving someone a compliment :-)