Help for actinic shots

[H@rry]

I'm having a lot of trouble getting actinic shots that look right. They all have glaring purple places in the pics. I'm using a Coolpix 880.

I've tried using the "measure" white balance feature pointing it at the sand (the whitest place in the tank). I've also heard about the coffee filter setting but I haven't tried that yet. I'm also thinking about putting a piece of pvc pipe in and setting it with that.

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanx

 

[H@rry]

I just tried setting WB with the "measure" function on a piece of pipe. This is what I got.

<img src="http://stock4today.com/frags/actinic.jpg" border="0" alt"" title = "Actinic"><br /><br />

 

[drparker]

The problem with auto white balance or using a white card to set a custom balance is: Your camera will trying to correct for the blue actinic by removing the blue to make your sand or pipe pure white and not the blue white it really is under that light.

Try using the white balance presets for sun, shade, cloudy, florescent etc. instead of auto. Do this, trying each one to see which looks best. I'm not familiar with the Coolpix so I don't what modes it has.

 

[TitusvileSurfer]

Try using the color temperature ratings i.e. "7000K" or so.

 

[H@rry]

I don't have the option of 7000K. My options are like auto, measure, fine, incandescent, fluorescent, cloudy, and speedlight. In addition some of those have +/- options. None came close on actinic. I've given up on that with this camera.