Greenish color with photography in dim/low light

Question

It always happens when I do photography in low/dim light. The photo comes out greenish. The colour is slightly light green. It is taken from a dark room facing the sky coming from a roof window.

I have simple digital camera. What should I do ?

Answer 1

Light from the outside world in focused by the lens onto the surface of a digital image sensor The surface of the image sensor is covered with millions of photosites. The photosites are covered by colored filters. Three colored filters types are used. These are red, green and blue, the three light primary colors. In essence, when you press the go-button, three separate pictures are taken. The three images are presented to you by the LCD display on the back of the camera and/or on a computer monitor, if so viewed.

The color balance of the image you are observing is dependent on the proportions of the three images that are being presented. The modern digital camera contains software that is designed to adjusts these proportions so a faithful image is presented. This is not an easy task as the software is not all knowing. In other words, it is easy to confuse the software. The result is an image that is unfaithful.

We are talking about a camera logic called “white balance”. This software analyzes the vista being photographed and apples custom gain to the three unique red, green, and blue images. The idea is to present an image that is “neutral” as to it's color bias. Even the more expensive digital cameras can deliver a picture that is biased by being off color. These advanced cameras feature auto and manual “white balance”. No need to go into specifics but when imaging under feeble light your camera’s “white balance” is challenged. Your camera model may have an manual or custom setting that will mitigate, you need to read your camera’s manual to gain this information.

Additionally, all cameras are challenged when tasked to image under feeble light conditions. The photosites are receiving insufficient light energy so a weak image signal is generated. To alleviate, the camera’s software turns up the gain (amplification). This will induce what we call noise, this is like static on a radio. Under feeble light conditions, lots of things are happening that can degrade the image. You might consider buying a more expensive camera that has the bells and whistles that handles bizarre and extreme lighting conditions.