[Entropy]

I don't, and don't want to, use flash in this setting.

Simply put, you will not be able to expose for the candle without using an external light source that can balance it out. It will be EXTREMELY difficult to balance lighting with a continuous light source, you really need to use flash.

Either the candle flame will be properly exposed and the rest of the scene will be dark, or the candle flame will be blown out if the rest of the scene is lit properly. Without anohter light source, the dynamic range is simply too high.

[Buddha Jones]

It's like taking a picture of the moon through a tree and trying to get it and the tree branches in front of it all to show up in something other than a silhouette and get detail of the moon, there just isn't enough light to make it happen. It's not impossigle, just needs more help. I hate using flashes, but sometimes you just have to to get the shot you want. Unfortunately your eyes can see a lot more than the camera can do.

[Canada_Rockies]

Set your white balance to "flash" which is a very blue light (5500 K). This should redden up your flame quite well. If it is still white, it means that the candle is overexposed. Set your camera to manual exposure and spot metering. Meter with the centre ( ) area on the flame, press the green button to set the exposure, and see what you get. If it is too dark, lower the shutter speed one notch or move the aperture to a lower number (1 step). and play with it until you get what you want.

[simplytimo]

is it possible that different fuel (wax/gas) will have different color flame also?

[k0og]

Here is one I just tried, using a Super Takumar 35mm f3.5 lens on my K100DS. The EXIF data:

Camera model : PENTAX K100D Super
Resolution : 3008 x 2000
Flash used : No
Focal length : 35.0mm
Exposure time: 0.0020 s (1/500)
Aperture : f/5.6
ISO equiv. : 800
White Bal. : Cool White Fluorescent

I tried several white balances, and Tungsten and fluorescent seemed to give the most true yellow cast to the flame. If the exposure is good (not overexposed on the flame itself) it is easy to experiment with white balance settings in Pentax Photo Lab. This exposure looked fairly close to the real thing to my eyes. By the way, I bumped up the shadow compensation in PPL to bring the background out of the darkness a little bit. I also notice that getting the flame color accurate leaves the rest of the subject matter quite warm in color.

-Joe-

[Zilla]

That's perfect, I'll try those settings.I'll try taking a shot with a lighter and a candle flame. For my application, I just need the flame so the rest of the background, including the candle, can be underexposed so I'll try everyone's suggestions to undeexpose. Thanks!!!

[Zilla]

Here's an image I took starting with the above settings. I changed teh shutter speed to 1/650 and ISO to 400 but I think that's it.

[simons-photography]

my candle flame, admitedly it was a dark room but as you can see mine is blown too, to get the yellow flame you will have to greatly underexspose to the point of making everything dark, I think you need to brightly light your scene artificially with LOTS of light to hold the surrounding area as well as get the flame, there is such a huge difference that the camera can't cope with its limited dynamic range

[simplytimo]

2 difference candle lights