# Whats your Secret?



## coldmantis (Apr 5, 2010)

I always wonder how some people can take such great photos of their reef tank and corals with a cell phone camera. I just can't do it, they always look like crap to me.

I usually use a Samsung S7 Edge which took decent at best photos of corals, then I started playing around with the lighting setting on the stock camera app and changed it to 10k temperature which looked better. Then I bought one of those clip on orange gel filters which made the coral pictures "pop" but they still didn't look great.

I recently just upgraded to an iPhone XS Max using the clip on gel filter I still think it looks like crap. Are people editing the photos after? or is there a secret?


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## notclear (Nov 5, 2011)

I just used an orange gel covering the len and it has been working OK for me.


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## coldmantis (Apr 5, 2010)

All pics were taking with a clip on aqua clip orange gel filter from ebay using an Iphone xs max, no settings changed on the camera app (filters) blue and white is both on. Maybe I'm expecting too much from a cell phone and should learn (relearn) how to use my DSLR....

FTS looks like crap









Close up of some corals









Close up of a fire fish









Probably the best looking ono of some Nuclear Green Torches with purple tips


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

I loved my Samsung S7 Edge...took amazing pics. Never tried a gel filter but then again, my old clients lighting were overly "blue".

Have the LG G7 for the past 5 months...hate this phone...should have stuck with Samsung


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## coldmantis (Apr 5, 2010)

hmm you might be on to something here, I remember when I first got my S7 Edge it took pictures fine. I'm using a Mars Aqua 32" and my blue is on 100% whites maybe at 40% when the leds on it was stock pics look fine but after I removed all the green, red, 3500k, and whites and replaced them with more blue, Violet, 20k-30k leds that's when my pics didn't look good any more.


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## Greg_o (Mar 4, 2010)

Cameras on mobile phones are pretty damn impressive these days but I'd wager the bulk of the 'good' pics you're seeing are shot with an SLR and likely have some post work work done.


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

Sensors on the phone exhibit similar "color issues" as DSLR cameras with overly blue LED lighting. You have to play with settings and gels to get as close to get a WISYWYG pic.

The different LED light diode spectrum have narrow wavelength peaks and "blend" with the other LED light spectrums. Factoring light emission to the sensor whether direct/reflected lighting and the color of the desired object, it gets wonky what the sensor perceives and registers vs "our eyes".

Tinker around with the light and camera settings and make note of them when you get the "money shot".


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## conix67 (Jul 27, 2008)

I think I finally solved this "overly blue" issue. It's always a challenge to take photos of reef tank with blue/actinic lights the way human eyes see it, because human eyes are not very sensitive to the blue light spectrum.

Similar to the "orange gel" for cellphones, I found this product for DSLR lense.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Kood-Underwater-Filter-55mm-Blue-Water-Tropical-Waters-Filter/263590856664?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

My Nikon is broken, so I use micro 3/4 Olympus camera with a Macro lense for Nikon and able to take photos like below.


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