# Anyone know why my camera does this color change?



## ZXIIIT (May 6, 2022)

My camera will sometimes noticeably change the saturation? when recording, I'm not sure what setting this is causing this, as I have everything set to manual settings, it's rather random.

Camera is a Fujifilm X-A7, does anyone have any tips?


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## ZXIIIT (May 7, 2022)

Not sure what happened to the gif, but this is the video in question, noticeable at :29


Not trying to spam my stuff, sorry.


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## spudmunkey (May 7, 2022)

Is there any chance that it's actually the light's brightness changing in a way that's too subtle for your eyes, but getting picked up by the camera?


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## ZXIIIT (May 7, 2022)

spudmunkey said:


> Is there any chance that it's actually the light's brightness changing in a way that's too subtle for your eyes, but getting picked up by the camera?


As in the backlighting is changing? I haven't noticed it doing that, I did another video tonight and had no issues, I'm thinking it has something to do with the auto ISO, white balance or color, as I set everything to manual and it was fine, which is what I thought I did before, odd.

Thanks for the help though!


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## ThePhilosopher (May 7, 2022)

This is looks to be caused by Auto-ISO as it looks like the brightness increases which can cause the appearance of changes of saturation.


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## ZXIIIT (May 7, 2022)

ThePhilosopher said:


> This is looks to be caused by Auto-ISO as it looks like the brightness increases which can cause the appearance of changes of saturation.


Thank you, I'll double check the Auto-ISO every time now!


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## Werecow (May 7, 2022)

I'd guess at auto-iso as well, but i've also seen changes like that with auto white balance being thrown out by the extreme (as far as most photography goes) lighting. Fluorescent & LED lighting really asks a lot of any automatic system to look right and stay consistent.
Sometimes it can also be light sources that flicker/pulse at a certain interval that is invisible to the human eye, but reveals itself at certain shutter speeds in the camera (when they sync up in certain ways). The shutter speed of the camera could be getting out of sync with the speed of the lighting every few seconds.


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## ZXIIIT (May 8, 2022)

Werecow said:


> I'd guess at auto-iso as well, but i've also seen changes like that with auto white balance being thrown out by the extreme (as far as most photography goes) lighting. Fluorescent & LED lighting really asks a lot of any automatic system to look right and stay consistent.
> Sometimes it can also be light sources that flicker/pulse at a certain interval that is invisible to the human eye, but reveals itself at certain shutter speeds in the camera (when they sync up in certain ways). The shutter speed of the camera could be getting out of sync with the speed of the lighting every few seconds.


'll make sure to check the Auto ISO, seems to reset itself after being off for a bit or not having a battery. I did notice the LED flicker from my ceiling lights but these LED light bars have been great.

Was considering getting a whole new camera but I'll keep at it with with this, thanks everyone!


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## LostTheTone (May 9, 2022)

One of the basic things you need for getting nice video is to turn off as many automatic gizmos as possible. 

As others have said, the camera is adjusting itself and trying to give you the "best" results from moment to moment, but what you actually want is results that look as similar as possible throughout the whole video. 

Also, the cameras decision to change it's settings is hidden from you. Your first set up was probably borderline between two ISO levels, and then some little reflection was enough to cause an adjustment. Which makes some kind of sense, but you never know how close you are to triggering those changes and the camera might well switch back again sometimes.

Point being - Turn all this crap off if you can. Once you are practised it's not a vast amount of work to set up your focus, white balance, ISO etc. And doing it manually means you will not just avoid these annoying changes, but you will also ensure that other kinds of oddness are consistent across edits. Graining form high ISO, or odd coloured shadows from weird white balance will at least all be the same so they look like they go together.


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## LostTheTone (May 9, 2022)

ZXIIIT said:


> 'll make sure to check the Auto ISO, seems to reset itself after being off for a bit or not having a battery. I did notice the LED flicker from my ceiling lights but these LED light bars have been great.
> 
> Was considering getting a whole new camera but I'll keep at it with with this, thanks everyone!



Worth noting that some settings are tied to physical stuff - If you want to do stellar photography you sometimes have to modify your camera to cool the sensor better, because heat creates noise. They don't tell you this stuff because it's less of a problem than it used to be, but yeah it's a real thing. High ISO also creates noise, so it wouldn't shock me that you camera won't automatically choose settings if it believes it'll create noise.


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## ZXIIIT (May 9, 2022)

LostTheTone said:


> Worth noting that some settings are tied to physical stuff - If you want to do stellar photography you sometimes have to modify your camera to cool the sensor better, because heat creates noise. They don't tell you this stuff because it's less of a problem than it used to be, but yeah it's a real thing. High ISO also creates noise, so it wouldn't shock me that you camera won't automatically choose settings if it believes it'll create noise.


I think I've taken 2 photos with this camera, not really a photo guy, doing just video, looks like the issue is with the settings not saving and reverting back to auto everything once I leave it off for a bit, should be good for now knowing that my settings will revert ever so often, thanks though!


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## LostTheTone (May 9, 2022)

ZXIIIT said:


> I think I've taken 2 photos with this camera, not really a photo guy, doing just video, looks like the issue is with the settings not saving and reverting back to auto everything once I leave it off for a bit, should be good for now knowing that my settings will revert ever so often, thanks though!



I can't speak for your camera specifically, but there is a good chance that whenever you change mode (top right rotary dial) it'll reset anything that doesn't have it's own button to default mode. 

You should have a little lever for automatic (possibly just for focus?) which should persist but everything else may well throw you into default mode. 

Make sure that you're always using the same mode, and ideally be using whatever mode gives you manual control of everything.


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## wheresthefbomb (May 9, 2022)

did you try taking your truss rod cover off


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## ZXIIIT (May 9, 2022)

LostTheTone said:


> I can't speak for your camera specifically, but there is a good chance that whenever you change mode (top right rotary dial) it'll reset anything that doesn't have it's own button to default mode.
> 
> You should have a little lever for automatic (possibly just for focus?) which should persist but everything else may well throw you into default mode.
> 
> Make sure that you're always using the same mode, and ideally be using whatever mode gives you manual control of everything.


It's on M (manual) all the time, the issue I did notice recently is that when I changed to a direct power supply, the settings no longer save which is causing the ISO freak out during my normal shoots, now that it's for sure the auto ISO within the settings reverting back to Auto, it's something I'll have to check every time I power it up on direct power.


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## bostjan (May 10, 2022)

wheresthefbomb said:


> did you try taking your truss rod cover off




All of these auto-focus, auto-ISO, etc. gadgets never work right, whether it's on a camera or a car or whatever.

I can't guarantee that's what it is, since I'm far from a photography expert, but that'd be my first guess.

It could also be the lighting, since lights like LEDs use a rectifier and actually flicker 60 times a second. You'd never notice with the naked eye. But if you are using a light with a battery, it shouldn't be the issue.


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## ZXIIIT (May 10, 2022)

bostjan said:


> All of these auto-focus, auto-ISO, etc. gadgets never work right, whether it's on a camera or a car or whatever.
> 
> I can't guarantee that's what it is, since I'm far from a photography expert, but that'd be my first guess.
> 
> It could also be the lighting, since lights like LEDs use a rectifier and actually flicker 60 times a second. You'd never notice with the naked eye. But if you are using a light with a battery, it shouldn't be the issue.


It's not the LED lightning, they don't conflict with the camera. I've been shooting a few more videos after this last one and have triple checked all settings to make sure they are on manual, all auto settings within the sub menus are off, and so far, no random ISO drops.

I wasn't sure that was the issue since I've had this camera for a while and just recently switched to a direct power supply instead of batteries, which looks like the direct power supply affects the long term saving of settings, oddly.

Was going to throw out my truss rod cover!


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## neurosis (May 12, 2022)

ZXIIIT said:


> It's not the LED lightning, they don't conflict with the camera. I've been shooting a few more videos after this last one and have triple checked all settings to make sure they are on manual, all auto settings within the sub menus are off, and so far, no random ISO drops.
> 
> I wasn't sure that was the issue since I've had this camera for a while and just recently switched to a direct power supply instead of batteries, which looks like the direct power supply affects the long term saving of settings, oddly.
> 
> Was going to throw out my truss rod cover!


It's odd but there's a bug with some Fuji cameras. When I don't use my XT3 for a while and the battery is depleted all of my settings disappear. It really sucks but it doesn't happen frequently so I kind of roll with it. I't not less annoying when I finally need to shoot and have to configure this thing on the fly.

Apparently the camera has an additional internal battery that needs to stay charged to remember the settings so if that isn't being fed current consistently the settings go away. I never figured out if this was a common thing or that the battery in my copy was defective.

Whatever you do, don't update the camera firmware without an actually charged battery inside. They recommend it for a reason. WOuldn't be the first time a Fuji bricks on an update. I love the quality of the hardware and absolutely prefer their colors to any other cameras on the market but they are quirky machines.

Not sure this applies to the AX7 but Fuji has a software called acquire that allows you to save the settings from he camera to your laptop. If you keep losing your settings at least this would eb a way to save and transfer them back if needed.


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## ZXIIIT (May 12, 2022)

neurosis said:


> It's odd but there's a bug with some Fuji cameras. When I don't use my XT3 for a while and the battery is depleted all of my settings disappear. It really sucks but it doesn't happen frequently so I kind of roll with it. I't not less annoying when I finally need to shoot and have to configure this thing on the fly.
> 
> Apparently the camera has an additional internal battery that needs to stay charged to remember the settings so if that isn't being fed current consistently the settings go away. I never figured out if this was a common thing or that the battery in my copy was defective.
> 
> ...


Sounds like it happens to the (now discontinued) X-A7 as well, which is a huge bummer since I don't like using batteries when I have a direct power supply, thanks for the tip!


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