Photographing with digital camera

[Rukus]

Hello all,

After an unfortunate heat spike (fate perhaps?) and loss of my SPS collection I rediscovered my passion for zoas due to the fact they were the only real survivors (along with all sorts of pesty algae >.<).

I feel that I have some beautiful specimens and am currently dedicating my time to a zoa dominated tank. I would love to document the recovery with some snazzy pics similar to those I see posted all over this board.

I currently own a poor quality digital camera, KODAK CX7300 3.2 megapixel. I simply can not get the wonderful shots these zoas deserve. So I was curious as to what makes a better digital camera? Brand? Do those letters and numbers mean anything? The megapixels? Should I leave you alone and just ask a camera guy

Any experience or knowledge you can share with digital cameras would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[gflat65]

The megapixels will have an effect on the pciture quality. If I had my way, I'd have a Canon SLR digital, as you can manually focus and get some inredible pictures. I own an HP 850. It has 4.1 mp and 57X zoom (8X optical zoom and 7X digital zoom-digital zoom is after it pans in and starts to show the box around whatever you are photgraphing). I think the biggest trick is figuring out how to make your camera do what you want it to.

Some tips I've figured out along the way with mine...

Always use the macro function for close ups or semi close ups. Full tank shots may need to be taken without the macro function. The macro function on mine looks like a tulip bloom.

Back up and zoom in rather than get close and try zooming in. It works against common phtotography practices, but for digital without a manual focus, it has worked well for me. I get the pic framed and clear (press the button down half way until the image box turns green around what I am taking a pic of). If it turns green and looks clear, I'll move in a tad and do the same. Once I am as close to the object I'm photoing as I can and still get the green box without going into digital zoom (saying the camera will allow me to take the picture, otherwise it is red and will not snap for me), I zoom in using the digital zoom and usually end up with some good shots. Now don't think that most of us can just sit down and get some good shots. I probably delete more than I keep, as the camera tends to focus behind or infront of the object I'm trying to capture. I usually don't know this is the case until I see them on the computer screen.

An issue I have with mine is that the camera wants to figure out how to 'see; the lighting scheme. Under 250W DE's in a very yellow color, the tank is usually too bright for the camera to process for full tank shots. Everything bleaches and blends together in the picture...

HTH... Find something and play with taking pics of until it works. When you start taking pics of the tank, don't rush yourself. Give yourself plenty of time, as it can be frustrating. If you rush yourself, you likely won't get the shot you want. Take a Zen approach.

 

[jessiesgrrl]

Turn off the water flow before you take the pic... It's the only way I can get a good pic regardless of the camera I use...

Laurie

 

[Chris2222000]

Try using a magnifying glass in front of the coral.....Trust me it helps!

 

[jonbar1]

Don't use an overly complicated camera! I have a Canon Rebel, and I'd swear the book is the size of my college Biochemical Engineering book. There are way too many options, and I'm way to busy with all my other hobbies to figure the thing out.

My main problem is the photos coming out dark, even when through the lens it looks perfect. Maybe I can find a website to dumb it down for me...

Jon

 

[Shultz]

Don't use an overly complicated camera! I have a Canon Rebel, and I'd swear the book is the size of my college Biochemical Engineering book. There are way too many options, and I'm way to busy with all my other hobbies to figure the thing out.

My main problem is the photos coming out dark, even when through the lens it looks perfect. Maybe I can find a website to dumb it down for me...

Jon

Thats the metering, its picking up on the brightness of the tank rather than the coral, thats why the manual is so thick to explain it all :lol: :lol: :lol:

Cheers Shelton.

 

[Rukus]

Must... have... macro... mode... *reaches to the sky*

Turns out my camera doesn't have a macro mode. Through your suggestions I'm pretty sure I can get some great shots, now all I need is a decent camera. And macro mode is DEFINATELY where all the cool kids hang out, was at a friends house and used his to take pics of "polyp sized things" and it was an incredible difference. His camera was pretty much the same (age/megapixels/features) except with macro mode and the results weren't even comparable, sooooo much more detail.

Time to blow the dust off the ol' credit card

 

[jonbar1]

Thank you Shultz! Makes looking it up MUCH easier!

Jon

 

[jessiesgrrl]

:lol:
You guys KILL me...!!

Laurie
Tim Allen *grunt grunt*

 

[Stixbaraca]

I use an Olympus C750 Ultra zoom. I think regardless of the camera...the main reason people get bad pictures is 2 reason...they don't use a tripod...and they don't keep the lens completely flush with the glass. Those 2 things will make just about any camera look good!

 

[Shultz]

Agree with the above.... Here's what I do....

I wait until early evening before taking shots as my tank is in my front room & you get loads of reflections otherwise, turn off the room lights & TV as well...

I turn off all pumps/flow & give it 5mins to settle....

Whilst the above is happening I set my camera up on the tripod with release cable....

Line camera up as close to glass as lens will focus on coral (making sure its parallel with glass) & take 3 or 4 shots of each coral roughly checking the LCD as I go...

Remember to turn pumps/flow back on (LOL!)

Download shots to PC & pray you have some keepers!

Cheers Shelton.