The Macro Photography Thread
- Thread starter AK77
- Start date
Grate tread and brilliant timing on the bump... 
rdp50734
hates poor electrics :-(
Hi john,o, did you free hand the camera or use a tripod? Also what ISO were you using? Also did you use it on a preset setting or a manual mode?
That was one of my first shots with the camara right out of the box and it was taken free hand,
and for the life of me I cannot recall the settings 
{sorry},rdp50734
hates poor electrics :-(
LOL nevermind I thought it was a new one! 
dannywrc
Fish Crazy
some very nice pics there.
i want a DSLR so bad but it was either get one or go marine. i chose go marine. have to make to with the macro shot on my digital camera. the shutter is way too slow, if what your shooting isnt moving you can sometimes get a good pic.. thats if the autofocus will stop where you want it. PITA.
this pretty much as good as my camera gets
i want a DSLR so bad but it was either get one or go marine. i chose go marine
. have to make to with the macro shot on my digital camera. the shutter is way too slow, if what your shooting isnt moving you can sometimes get a good pic.. thats if the autofocus will stop where you want it. PITA. this pretty much as good as my camera gets
seffieuk
I used to be indecisive but now I'm not so sure!
Thought you might all want to add something.........., just look at the lovely photos or even gen up on the camera/photo guide AK wrote 
demasonisrule
Fishaholic
Here's an acro I have when it had red bugs...I'm going to get a few more pics today.
HappyGeorge
Fish Herder
Well it reminds me to do a photo guide, some good stuff there by AK77 without wanting to contradict the original poster (who has produced some great photos) I think things could be simplified with removal of jargon and technical references. I have taken a few snippets out that I have to challenge a little.
If you fancy a laugh, I read the comment on the best camera being a Canon and would suggest if you want to see a good camera at a silly price look up Hasselblad.
I would also add early on that the kit I use is pretty basic, although I have a Nikon D2 (about £3000 new, now about £1000 2nd hand) I use a D100 for my tank work, I use a very cheap Tamron lens that is a 70-300mm with switchable macro mode and the built in pop up flash, you could buy a D100 and the lens for about £250 on ebay. This is less than ideal but it goes to show that you can get results with technique rather than kit.
I say this not to criticize the OP as he is not using stupidly expensive stuff and is getting great results but rather so as not to put people off getting into the hobby wothout shelling out huge amounts of cash.
I will make an analogy of it being a bit like driving or riding a motorbike, if you know what you're doing, understand road conditions and your vehicle and spend your time learning and exploring the limits of your skill, then you can out drive average man in his £30K BMW in anything from a Skoda Fabia Estate to a Peugeot Van, on anything that isn't a straight road. Plenty of all the gears and no ideas out there in every hobby and I'm sure my analogy applies to many hobbies, golfers with expensive clubs that can't play for toffee, or even our own hobby where people buy expensive fish and see them as disposable items because they can afford to keep replacing them. In photography you are better to start simple and build up your kit as an when you identify what you need.
"Sorry to all the compact camera users! Unfortunately most compacts aren't really up to the task of macro photography. The optics in these general purpose "point and shoot" cameras are mostly geared towards portrait or landscape set ups. Virtually all have a "macro function" but its pretty much a gimmick and more of just a close up photograph than a macro one"
Just not true, although the post is old, I had a Nikon Coolpix 5 years ago that had a very competent macro setting and having helped with some macro pointers to my LFS owner, his Fuji takes superb macro images. I shall try and borrow a cheap compact and get some shots to prove this to you all.
"The flash, although adding light, really works against you when photographing your tank. The light reflects off of the glass and bounces back into the lens, causing light spots. It also discolours the subject and makes things look really stark. It can also cause over exposure with light coloured sand so in general avoid the flash at all costs."
Again really not true as long as you aren't square on to the glass i.e point your camera at an angle. Flash gives you the ability to use a faster shutter speed and a higher f number (smaller aperture, bigger depth of field) and therefore eliminate blur from fish movement and from your wobbly old arms, and get all of the fish in focus using a flash you should be able to get a decent photo at 1/200th to 1/500th of a second with an Aperture or F number of 12.
The issue tends to be the White Balance setting on most cameras there are Automatic, sunny day, fluorescent and cloudy settings. On most cameras I have used the cloudy day setting works best with a flash in a fish tank.
Don't believe me? Well these were taken with flash on cloudy setting, the freckle face in a tank lit with aquaray blue lights he was an inch from the glass, the Vampire in a tank lit with tropical bulbs he was 18 inches from the front glass.
Please note that neither of these have been through any editing other than a crop to remove the lettuce clip from the freckle photo and a reduction in image size, I have not manipulated the colours and I think you will agree these are pretty close to the right colours.
If you fancy a laugh, I read the comment on the best camera being a Canon and would suggest if you want to see a good camera at a silly price look up Hasselblad.
I would also add early on that the kit I use is pretty basic, although I have a Nikon D2 (about £3000 new, now about £1000 2nd hand) I use a D100 for my tank work, I use a very cheap Tamron lens that is a 70-300mm with switchable macro mode and the built in pop up flash, you could buy a D100 and the lens for about £250 on ebay. This is less than ideal but it goes to show that you can get results with technique rather than kit.
I say this not to criticize the OP as he is not using stupidly expensive stuff and is getting great results but rather so as not to put people off getting into the hobby wothout shelling out huge amounts of cash.
I will make an analogy of it being a bit like driving or riding a motorbike, if you know what you're doing, understand road conditions and your vehicle and spend your time learning and exploring the limits of your skill, then you can out drive average man in his £30K BMW in anything from a Skoda Fabia Estate to a Peugeot Van, on anything that isn't a straight road. Plenty of all the gears and no ideas out there in every hobby and I'm sure my analogy applies to many hobbies, golfers with expensive clubs that can't play for toffee, or even our own hobby where people buy expensive fish and see them as disposable items because they can afford to keep replacing them. In photography you are better to start simple and build up your kit as an when you identify what you need.
"Sorry to all the compact camera users! Unfortunately most compacts aren't really up to the task of macro photography. The optics in these general purpose "point and shoot" cameras are mostly geared towards portrait or landscape set ups. Virtually all have a "macro function" but its pretty much a gimmick and more of just a close up photograph than a macro one"
Just not true, although the post is old, I had a Nikon Coolpix 5 years ago that had a very competent macro setting and having helped with some macro pointers to my LFS owner, his Fuji takes superb macro images. I shall try and borrow a cheap compact and get some shots to prove this to you all.
"The flash, although adding light, really works against you when photographing your tank. The light reflects off of the glass and bounces back into the lens, causing light spots. It also discolours the subject and makes things look really stark. It can also cause over exposure with light coloured sand so in general avoid the flash at all costs."
Again really not true as long as you aren't square on to the glass i.e point your camera at an angle. Flash gives you the ability to use a faster shutter speed and a higher f number (smaller aperture, bigger depth of field) and therefore eliminate blur from fish movement and from your wobbly old arms, and get all of the fish in focus using a flash you should be able to get a decent photo at 1/200th to 1/500th of a second with an Aperture or F number of 12.
The issue tends to be the White Balance setting on most cameras there are Automatic, sunny day, fluorescent and cloudy settings. On most cameras I have used the cloudy day setting works best with a flash in a fish tank.
Don't believe me? Well these were taken with flash on cloudy setting, the freckle face in a tank lit with aquaray blue lights he was an inch from the glass, the Vampire in a tank lit with tropical bulbs he was 18 inches from the front glass.
Please note that neither of these have been through any editing other than a crop to remove the lettuce clip from the freckle photo and a reduction in image size, I have not manipulated the colours and I think you will agree these are pretty close to the right colours.
seffieuk
I used to be indecisive but now I'm not so sure!
I'm glad this thread by AK has sparked such a great response, it was my hope So, HG, when does the guide start? May I make a suggestion and if you have the time, that you do a small piece each week, with maybe something for us to try and post our tries?
Seffie x
So, HG, when does the guide start? May I make a suggestion and if you have the time, that you do a small piece each week, with maybe something for us to try and post our tries?Seffie x
HappyGeorge
Fish Herder
I'm glad this thread by AK has sparked such a great response, it was my hope
Seffie x
That is not a bad idea Seffie, then maybe we can address problems as we go along rather than me post and get hit with 1001 questions, if people don't follow something they can ask clarifying questions the week that bit goes out . I should be able to make a start on this tonight will make some notes and work out what order to do it in.
I might start with kit and equipment and familiarisation, I want to make this accessible to anyone with a camera not just SLR (Single Lens Reflex) users. I also want to keep jargon to a minimum and tell you what needs to be said if anyone wants more detail we can then deal with that later.
seffieuk
I used to be indecisive but now I'm not so sure!
Fantastic, I love it when a plan comes together
dannywrc
Fish Crazy
forgot about this thread. Looking to buy a DSLR in the near future and this just answered so many questions. Thanks ak
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