Canon T3i photography under Actinic Reef Brites

[Kurkis493]

Been trying to get something all night and I am struggling hard.

I'm trying to use an 85 filter (orange) to get some decent pics under the heavy blue light.

How should do handle getting white balance right? I have a gray card - Should I shoot that with the 85 filter on and set that or take a picture without the filter and use it to set the white balance then shoot with the filter on?

I'm trying pics with ISO at 100 w/ F5.6 or such.

Any tips? On best way to get the white balance working here with the 85 filter on?

 

[urbaneks]

I would shoot without the filters and correct your WB after the shot is taken. I correct WB in photoshop.

Unless you have a bunch of light, I'm guessing you will need to be at more like ISO 200-400 other wise you shutter speed will be way to slow to hand hold the camera. One of the easiest ways to shoot is set your camera on aperature priority mode, dial the aperature you want and meter your shot. If the shutter speed is to slow, then increase your iso. Continue this until you can get a good exposure.


Here are a couple shots along with the values they were shot at - Note that all were ISO 200 or higher

1/50th sec at f3.5 with ISO 400


1/20th sec at f11 with ISO200


1/5th sec at f5.6 with ISO 250

 

[McMullen]

WOW!!

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

You should pretend the 85 is not there. Keep it on and use the auto. Should be fine.
Bump your Iso up as high as it goes before it gets grainy. Prob 4 to 800. Try shutter priority. 1/100 and the apature should close down.
For Wb try shade and go from there. Up to 1000 manually.
Post up you best pic not edited. I can usually see what the problem is.

 

[revhtree]

Nice photos!

 

[Kurkis493]

I took a few shots with auto WB / ISO 400 and 800 and shutter at 1/100.

This shot here is probably closet thing I have to what I actually see when I look at the tank. Shot is taken under 2 Reefbrite actinics. I try to take a full tank shot however.... The entire image is so dark you can barely see anything.

 

[urbaneks]

That's a nice shot. That's a good looking coral.

As for the FTS with pure actinic, it's going to need a long exposure. I'd recommend a tripod.

 

[Kurkis493]

Ok - I went back and did a custom white balance and left my camera on "P" and got more light which seems alot better because the polyps on the original coral are definately red and that cannot be seen in the other picture. Full tank shots don't look good at all still but these images here are pretty accurate to what I see under the reef brites. Didn't do any kind of editting after the fact on these.

Disney Jr I got from the last CC live sale.

My oldest piece - A wild caught branching montipora.

Walt Disney frag I've had for a couple weeks.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I took a few shots with auto WB / ISO 400 and 800 and shutter at 1/100.

This shot here is probably closet thing I have to what I actually see when I look at the tank. Shot is taken under 2 Reefbrite actinics. I try to take a full tank shot however.... The entire image is so dark you can barely see anything.

Sweet pic.!! drop the shutter speed. Slowly and experiment. at 1/30th you'll get camera shake and want a tripod. You didn't mention what f stop you were at. you can open it up.
opening the f stop or slowing down the shutter will give you a brighter exposure.

On a wider shots dont be surprised id you have areas of perfect exposure and complete blackness.(your eye and a camera eye are very different)
Youll have to fix some of that in post.

Also you dont seem to have much grain in the picture. I like to keep one f stop and shutter speed and bump the iso up slowly.(and stop down) once you see grain you know thats as high as it goes.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

The last pic is my favorite.

 

[Kurkis493]

I think the Fstop and shutter speed is wear I am screwing up.

I had the shutter at like 1/100 and F5 or something I think. I'll try to take more pics tonight but my question is the lower the number on the shutter the more light it takes in before the shot correct? And if I am working with low shutter speed do I want a higher F-stop?

I do have a tripod but this sounds like something I definately cannot do with top down shots and a porthole.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I think the Fstop and shutter speed is wear I am screwing up.

Your not screwing up. You pics are great.

my question is the lower the number on the shutter the more light it takes in

yes

And if I am working with low shutter speed do I want a higher F-stop?

yes, it balances out. most will opt for the higher shutter because it reduces the camera shake & blur.

I do have a tripod but this sounds like something I definately cannot do with top down shots and a porthole.

Your on the very edge of finding the correct balance to shoot by hand.
Again if the wide is too dark, keep the same fstop and shutter(is less than 1/60th), increase the iso.

this sounds like something I definately cannot do with top down shots and a porthole.

The pics you have are very well exposed. If you did a top down right now hand held it would also be well exposed.
Assuming 800iso @f5 @1/100th is what you shot those at. then changing the angle will change very little.
BTW @less than 1/30th I get camera shake so I have to control my breathing and use something to prop my hand on. Thats why most sorry many prefer to sacrifice stop for shutterspeed.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

If this all has not been too much yet. Heres a thing to try. Fing the highest iso in the camera. I assume it is 800 to 1600.
Put the camera on a tripod with a black paper.
set for aperture priority.
Take a picture. it should be well exopsed.
increase iso.
repeat until you see grain. rember that number. its too high.
Set the iso to the best high iso.
set shutter to 1/100 and shutter prioroty. (100th as its the easiest handheld imo)
and if the iso is higher than 800 like what you shot above,
you will now have to use a higher f stop and have increased depth of field. (f8 or F11)

 

[Kurkis493]

Thank you very much for taking the time with me on this. I didn't have alot of time to play with stuff this evening, but tomorrow I will go through everything and see if I can dial it all in. I've been doing all my tank down shots by hand leaning the port hole on the edge of the bracing. Here is one I haven't actually tried to photograph before. Turned out to be fairly accurate.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Yea...you can stop asking for advice now.

frekin sweet pic.

Now get the blue on and see how ya do.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

And Id like to see how that canon stacks up against the nikon 3300 under the blue

 

[Kurkis493]

Really, it was good advice thank you. I really was just struggling on where settings should be on the camera. I also want stuff to be as accurate as possible. I can photoshop stuff all day but to be able to snap pics and not fiddle with things inside photoshop is more preferable to me.

Didn't have the macro lens on for this one, wish I did. Maybe I photograph it again tomorrow.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

When you get a second, what lens are you using?

 

[Kurkis493]

The lens is whatever came stock with the camera. Then I had some polaroid macro lens attachments I bought and an 85 filter to offset the blue.

I also have a macro lens but it never focuses in on the tank so I stopped trying.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

And your still using the macro lens attachment?