Picture Tip: Use Your Whites, Turn down/off the Blues When Posting a Need Help Thread

[NS Mike D]

I used to make the mistake and seldom a day goes by when someone post a picture seeking help, but the details are washed out by the heavy use of blue lights in our reef tanks.

Our eye can make the adjustment, but without special filters (or software), the picture will look nothing like what you see.

Here is my tank under my normal settings, followed by turning down the RBG to 25% and the whites at 100%. Both scenarios looked fine in real life, but the pictures are vastly different (ignore the window reflection, that was camera angle).


Normal Settings

Whites full with RGB turned down to 25%

As you can see, the detail is more clear and defined in the second picture. This is helpful when trying to identify strains of algae, hitchhikers, etc.


My lights like many LEDs have a manual override feature so I can change the settings for a specific period of time, like 15 minutes so I can a picture, after which will default back to the programmed setting so I don't have to remember my settings and reprogram.


I hope this helps. Thank you for taking the the to read, and please add comments

 

[X-37B]

I run T5's. 4b+4c+.
I get a more natural look by using the flash on my phone. Although the tank is really not that blue looking to the eye. It looks blue in pics.
With the flash it looks like it does in person.
First is no flash second is flash.

 

[El_Guapo13]

If you have a cell phone, which I assume most do, if the camera app has a "Pro" mode, use that to take pictures instead of the standard camera setting.

My tank isn't at the bluest setting at the moment, so the two screenshots below won't show as big a difference as they would if I had taken the screenshots/pics when it was more blue.
Standard setting

Pro setting at 10k

 

[X-37B]

If you have a cell phone, which I assume most do, if the camera app has a "Pro" mode, use that to take pictures instead of the standard camera setting.

My tank isn't at the bluest setting at the moment, so the two screenshots below won't show as big a difference as they would if I had taken the screenshots/pics when it was more blue.
Standard setting

Pro setting at 10k

Ill give that a shot when I get home from work. Thanks

 

[NS Mike D]

If you have a cell phone, which I assume most do, if the camera app has a "Pro" mode, use that to take pictures instead of the standard camera setting.

My tank isn't at the bluest setting at the moment, so the two screenshots below won't show as big a difference as they would if I had taken the screenshots/pics when it was more blue.
Standard setting

Pro setting at 10k

Thanks for the tip. Can you post a pic with normal camera setting using the whites in your tank so we can compare to the app? I've tried apps recommended for reef tanks and found they don't deliver as promised.

 

[El_Guapo13]

Here you go. Standard camera setting. Light setting: white 100% intensity 100%

Btw, under Pro canera settings, at 10k it gives an orange hue, but if you move it to about 5500k, it looks soft white.
White lights, pro camera 10k

White lights, pro camera 5.5k