Grainy photos and troubles in macro
 

I have a Canon G7 and I keep getting really grainy photos, and it's not focusing very well in macro. I take 50 billion photos and only a few of them are half decent as most aren't focused. I'm also having troubles getting true colors, especially reds. Reds are coming out too bluish, but when I try to adjust white balance they turn out brown. Bleh. The colors are really bleh compared to real life.

I have been trying all sorts of settings, and change them up all the time, but if you want specifics go ahead and ask because I'm not really sure what other info to provide...I'm not camera savvy at all.

Any help?

Here's some good examples: http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/sho...&postcount=113

The pictures are grainy because you're using too low a resolution setting. The pictures are all less than around 80KB in file size. They should be much larger. Use the maximum file size and resolution on your camera.

As far as the colours are concerned, Canons generally don't have the best WB compensation characteristics. Try re-adjusting the colours with software after you take them and download them onto your computer.

+1 I
always take my pictures at the maximum resolution other than raw. Then touch up the color correection with the software that came with my camera, usually just to pull some of the blue from the photos. Then resize them yourself when you save over the corrections, and upload to photobucket at 1 megabyte file size.

Hmmm, I thought I had it set as maximum resolution. The camera is 10.0 mega pixels. I have it set on "superfine", and the biggest pixels (3648x2736) which only gives me 240 photos on a 1 GB memory card. They should be bigger than 80 KB, no?

I use Picasa to touch up color on the photos, but I still can't get it even close to the vibrancy of reality.

Thats your problem right there. Unless you export the photos picasa compresses them right down to nothing. The camera should have come with its own software. I use Olympus master, its what came with the camera, but i also think its available for free and should work with any picture type other than raw unless the camera is an olympus. Its simple and does a good job, it will actually allow you to enter any color tempurature you want to alter the white balance. For the hard core editors there is always photoshop.

you will also get grain if your ISO setting is higher then 400, set at 100 and use macro mode .
I get very good macros with canon S3is

For the less hard core, Photoshop Elements has most features the average editor needs without the Photoshop price. I have PS CS3 and Elements 6.0, and usually use Elements, it's quicker and easier.

Phhhphtt, iPhoto is where it's at. Came right on my iMac which Steve Jobs personally built and delivered to my door in between organ transplants. ;)

GiMP
 

http://www.gimp.org/

"GIMP is the GNU Image Manipulation Program. It is a freely distributed piece of software for such tasks as photo retouching, image composition and image authoring. It works on many operating systems, in many languages..."

I have been using GiMP more and more instead of Photoshop these days. If you know PS then the transition can be tough but a newbie should be able to pick it up easily.

Thanks for all the ideas! I installed the software from my camera, and it really sucks. Or maybe I didn't figure it out... :lol:

One of my problems is that no matter what settings I try on Manual Mode the pics are super super dark, so i set ISO at 800 and then it's "normal" brightness, but pixelated. I tried somemore photos and got the best ones just setting everything on auto. Of course... *rolls eyes*

I will try some of these other programs. Thanks! :)

ISO 800 is your problem.. Find some other combination that will bring the ISO down to 400 or less.

If you on manual mode make sure your "F" is wide open at say 2.7 and shutter is not slower then 1/60 if it is slower then use tripod.

Or instead of manual try aperture priority mode and just set on the lowest value i.e. widest opening, you will get nice small depth field and subject will stand out.

I actually just found this "F" adjustment, and did shift it to wide open although it doesn't say a number it is set at. I also cannot find a shutter speed...I will look through the camera manual. I have been playing with the aperture priority mode as well, and find I get some half decent pics with that setting.

This graininess is driving me nuts. From my understanding, this is a decent camera, but I got better pics with my Canon SD500 until I dropped it when I was rappelling. :(

I will try some of these new settings when the lights come on the tank in 1/2 hour. Thanks for your continued help!! :)

I have a G9 and I find it works really well. You should be shooting in aperture priority mode with the lowest number possible (your f number) and keep the ISO low. Either 100 or 200 at the most, those little compacts don't have a large enough sensor to go much higher than that. If the picture is too dark try adjusting your exposure to the plus side which will slow the shutter speed so you might need a tripod or something steady. Also check your metering, you might need to change it from spot to center average or vise verse depending on what you're shooting.

Ok, I found the shutter speed. I adjust that with a button that has an asterisk on it. I would have never known... :o

Thanks for pointing out all these new adjustments! I'm still having some troubles focussing in macro. It beeps saying it has focussed, but when I look on puter it is not focussed.

My F number range (BKT?) is 2.8-8.0, and then I can spread the numbers (AEB?) from 2-4, but I can only choose one option, either AEB or BKT.

I think I need to take a photography course! :o

Right now on aperture priority it's bleaching the pics out... :lol: now I need to figure out how to change those settings so it isn't doing that anymore...

My Panasonic Lumix FZ8 has Aperature Priority and Shutter Priority (as well as Program Auto Exposure, Manual Exposure, Intelligent ISO, and Simple), while in either of these modes you can adjust the setting that has priority and the other (either shutter speed or F-stop) adjust accordingly to give you the proper exposure (if possible). It will over or under-expose if you push the settings above or below a certain threshold, in either of these settings, but I can adjust the exposure also in all of my settings +/- 2 stops, to somewhat negate this effect.

"I'm still having some troubles focussing in macro. It beeps saying it has focussed, but when I look on puter it is not focussed."
I was having the same problem I now shoot super macro with digitial image stabilization more (or pic of shakey hand). It works good i've also read about using a cell phone holder stuck to the outside glass for stabilization. A tri pod works to just not for in tank shots. I should mention I'm using a Olympus1030

Ok, I think I'm getting better. I've been checking my photo settings of the photos that are turning out well by checking the properties from right-clicking. Cool feature. http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/sho...&postcount=145

Right-click saved my life. True story.

Photos look pretty good - much better than what I'm getting anyway - I don't have that much light in the tank and I'd imagine the flash would freak the fish out. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it :biggrin:
Taking lots and seeing what works is the best way - it's the real beauty of digital cameras, costs nothing but time and also they remember exactly what you did right when you cant!

Getting things in focus at a wide aperture can be a nightmare because the depth of field is short - at smaller aperture it is longer so easier to get the right thing in focus, but the downside is less light which means longer exposures and possible blurring from vibration (as bad as not being in focus). It's a trade off..
One thing worth knowing is that you can to some extent take a photo that's a bit underexposed and then brighten it on the computer. Even if it looks almost black, the detail from the shadows should still be there. This isn't the case for overexposing things, where once it's white there's no detail left. I run my camera routinely underexposing slightly which I can correct later, so I don't overexpose the highlights which I can't.

Rob.

Oh yes, and thanks for the guide on getting rid of hair algae - I can actually see the rocks again! :biggrin:

Ya, I've been under exposing mine too, and then editing later with a program. Seems to be working fairly well so far. Most of my photos are true to color now too, which is nice! Can be difficult since T5s always look SUPER blue if in auto modes.

Awesome!! I'm always happy to hear when my write ups have helped people out!

Are you using the flash on your camera or do you have it turned off?