panasonic DMC-FZ18

agrumpycow · #1 (**permalink**) 20-10-2008, 11:35 PM

A bit of advice wanted from you guys if I may!
I've got a panasonic DMC-FZ18 which I have only really used on 'auto' mode which is fine the majority of the time.
Occasionally however when taking pics of flower, usually purple or blue ones it can't seem to focus and the subject almost seems to glow, as in the pic below

Is there anything I can do to overcome this. I'm guessing theres a setting I could choose on the camera but I don't know which one. Can anyone point me in the right direction (in layman's terms!) Ta

zan · #2 (**permalink**) 21-10-2008, 11:51 AM

I'm not familiar with this specific camera, but I think you may have 2 problems (both easy-ish to fix). Firstly with the focussing issue, are you using your camera in macro mode? If not, there should be a button with a picture of a flower (usually looks like a tulip). If you press that, it should switch your camera to a close focussing mode that will allow you to get really close in to your subject and still focus.

The slightly harder one is re. the 'glowing'. Essentially, it looks like your camera is overexposing the flower, which is causing it to turn white and look 'blown out'. This relates to how your camera decides how light or dark the scene is that you want to photograph. In this case, it looks like it's 'seen' the dark leaves behind the flower and used a longer shutter speed to let in enough light for all the detail to show up in the dark areas. This means there is too much light to keep the detail in the light areas (like the flower) but overall, the picture is about right. To fix this, you can either set your camera to 'spot metering' and focus on the flower, which forces your camera to only look at the light in the very centre of the frame, or get close enough to the flower (with macro mode) that the flower fills most of the frame. Either way, you should get the detail back in the petals.

Hope this makes sense - exposure and metering modes are always difficult to explain properly, so if you have any questions I'll try and explain it again better!

zan

Lancashire Lad · #3 (**permalink**) 21-10-2008, 01:46 PM

Hi, agrumpycow.

If you're not conversant with manual exposure compensation it can seem a little daunting at first, but it wll only take you a few minutes to get the hang of it, and will be one of your best tools for future use.

Have a look in your camera instruction manual.
I visited Panasonic's website, and the full instruction manual for the DMCFZ18 is downloadable in case you've lost it.

This is the url for the download: -

http://service.us.panasonic.com/OPERMANPDF/DMCFZ18.pdf

(Look on pages 45 & 46 of the pdf file for manual exposure compensation).

The method used on your camera is pretty much the standard for digital SLR types, and you can use it to force the camera to either underexpose or overexpose, dependant upon what you need at the time.

If your main subject comes out too dark - set the controls to overexpose (plus)

If your main subject comes out too light - set the controls to underexpose (minus)

The degree of plus or minus will be something of a best guess until you get used to this type of thing, but if you don't get it right first time, just add or reduce your plus/minus settings and give it another go.

Then just set the controls back to zero/default when you've got a pic that looks correct. (Don't forget, or you'll be permanently under/over exposing until you do reset).

If you're still struggling, post again. I'm sure we'll be able to sort you out one way or another.

Best of luck
Mike.

agrumpycow · #4 (**permalink**) 21-10-2008, 03:23 PM

Cheers guys, some helpful advice there.

I must admit to being one of those who doesn't really read the manual, usually I find the best way it to just tinker with it, but this one was getting me!

I'll have a tinker and let you know if I've got the hand of it. Cheers again

Jim Ford · #5 (**permalink**) 21-10-2008, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by agrumpycow

I must admit to being one of those who doesn't really read the manual, usually I find the best way it to just tinker with it

Just suppose you received the above response from the pilot of the aircraft you were taking, on your way to a holiday in Spain!

Just food for thought!
;^)

Jim

Hedge Witch · #6 (**permalink**) 21-10-2008, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Ford

Just suppose you received the above response from the pilot of the aircraft you were taking, on your way to a holiday in Spain!

Just food for thought!
;^)

Jim

Funny person!

Meta menardi · #7 (**permalink**) 21-10-2008, 05:21 PM

Looking at the photo you have posted, the stalk of the Speedwell is well in focus and correctly lit. It is also the very centre of the photo. I wonder if you have spot focus and exposure selected, and it is taking the center of the phot to take the readings. Often it is possible to move the "spot " around. Just a thought.

agrumpycow · #8 (**permalink**) 21-10-2008, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Ford

Just suppose you received the above response from the pilot of the aircraft you were taking, on your way to a holiday in Spain!

Just food for thought!
;^)

Jim

You sound like my Dad

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meta menardi

I wonder if you have spot focus and exposure selected, and it is taking the center of the phot to take the readings. Often it is possible to move the "spot " around. Just a thought.

Cheers, I'll have a look at that too. Now just need to find something suitable to photograph to try out the suggestions