please critique this photo

[sprite]

taken with a fujifilm a805...i did levels,cropped and sharpened it

 

[sphelps]

It's over exposed and out of focus with limited depth of field. Try decreasing the aperture, lowering the ISO and either using a tripod or faster shutter speed.

A little more information about your settings would be helpful.

 

[TitusvileSurfer]

I don't know what crop factor you have, and am not sure about shutter speed that technically should or should not have been used. I would generally think 1/110 @ 8mm to be acceptable on a point and shoot. It was certainly overexposed so you could have used more. Of course as Shelps mentioned, the coral stretches beyond the depth of field because of the wide aperture, so that could be lower as well. Clarity just isn't there. Perhaps the you shot through the glass at a weird angel? DPreview has strangely never reviewed this camera. I peeked in on both the A800 and A820, but they seem so similar I can't see how an "A805" could possibly fit in the middle. Did you buy the camera at Wal-Mart? (Just curious)

# Camera Make = FUJIFILM
# Camera Model = FinePix A805
# Picture Orientation = normal (1)
# X-Resolution = 720000/10000 = 72
# Y-Resolution = 720000/10000 = 72
# X/Y-Resolution Unit = inch (2)
# Software/Firmware Version = Adobe Photoshop CS3 Windows
# Last Modified Date/Time = 2008:12:08 09:32:19
# Y/Cb/Cr Positioning (Subsampling) = co-sited / datum point (2)
# Copyright Owner =
# Exposure Time (1 / Shutter Speed) = 10/1100 second = 1/110 second = 0.00909 second
# Lens F-Number/F-Stop = 280/100 = F2.8
# Exposure Program = normal program (2)
# ISO Speed Ratings = 400
# Exif Version = 0220
# Original Date/Time = 2008:12:07 23:02:36
# Digitization Date/Time = 2008:12:07 23:02:36
# Components Configuration = 0x01,0x02,0x03,0x00 / YCbCr
# Compressed Bits per Pixel = 40/10 = 4
# Shutter Speed Value (APEX) = 686/100
Shutter Speed (Exposure Time) = 1/116.16 second
# Aperture Value (APEX) = 300/100
Aperture = F2.83
# Brightness (APEX) = 249/100
Brightness = 5.62 foot-lambert
# Exposure Bias (EV) = 0/100 = 0
# Max Aperture Value (APEX) = 300/100 = 3
Max Aperture = F2.83
# Metering Mode = pattern / multi-segment (5)
# Light Source / White Balance = unknown (0)
# Flash = Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode
# Focal Length = 800/100 mm = 8 mm
# FlashPix Version = 0100
# Colour Space = sRGB (1)
# Image Width = 800 pixels
# Image Height = 694 pixels
# Focal Plane X-Resolution = 4236/1 = 4236
# Focal Plane Y-Resolution = 4236/1 = 4236
# Focal Plane X/Y-Resolution Unit = centimeter (3)
# Image Sensing Method = one-chip color area sensor (2)
# Image Source = digital still camera (DSC)
# Scene Type = directly photographed image
# Custom Rendered = normal process (0)
# Exposure Mode = auto exposure (0)
# White Balance = auto (0)
# Scene Capture Type = standard (0)
# Sharpness = normal (0)
# Subject Distance Range = unknown (0)
Compression = JPEG compression (6)

 

[sprite]

how is the exposure now? i did some work in photoshop...the pic was taken through a bowfront tank so thats why it looks like it was taken from a weird angle

 

[sphelps]

a little better but still over exposed, what are your settings?

 

[sprite]

well i took a look at my camera and just realized it was taken with iso on auto and quality 8mf . i wasnt even in manual mode

 

[sphelps]

With the compact style camera you'll want to keep your iso as low as possible, the image sensors aren't big enough to handle the higher isos.

 

[TitusvileSurfer]

Ah a bowfront, that makes a lot of sense. I originally wrote bow front but re-wrote it as "weird angle". I don't think having a bowfront is a good choice for a photo-conscious reefer. This is the same image, just reprocessed. The overexposure is beyond anything curves or color adjusting can fix. You will need a new photo with correct exposure, or manually redraw the polyps yourself.

 

[sprite]

new image with manual settings:iso- 200,quality-8mf, exposure -0, white balance-flourescent light 1

did the same in ps but this time adjusted the exposure? not enough still?

 

[sprite]

iso 200
quality same as b4
exp comp. -2/3
white balance same as b4

 

[sprite]

hmm the tips always come out whiter here than photoshop

 

[TitusvileSurfer]

Yeah they are completely white. Try ISO 100, which ideally you should always use with this camera anyway. You want to adjust the exposure with the camera itself. Photoshop can't really adjust the exposure, it just imitates doing so. If exposure compensation is all you have, try turning it to -1 1/2 in a "sports mode"

 

[sprite]

same photo but with brightness and contrast fixes

 

[TitusvileSurfer]

Its looking better, but unless the coral is bleached at the top, your still overexposed.

 

[sprite]

with iso 100

 

[sprite]

i think it got growth tips ...they are bright on the tips after i looked after the last shot

 

[TitusvileSurfer]

Alright, I think that is the best yet. The tips are still highlights but perhaps they are just brand new growth that hasn't gotten its color yet. Without a higher dynamic range, I don't think you can pull out much more contrast.

 

[sprite]

that what i was thinking...thanks for all the help!!

 

[TitusvileSurfer]

Next I would recommend focusing on one of the branches to the far left or far right. Your depth of field will show 1/3 between you and the focus point sharp. It will show 2/3 behind the focus point sharp. I think that should get your top branch in better focus, which is where my eyes keep wandering.

 

[sphelps]

The ISO 100 is good you just need a higher F-stop (lower aperture) and more stable hand or use a tripod.

Can you manually adjust your aperture and shutter speed with that camera?