first SPS pics with new toy

[mcliffy2]

Just picked up a Canon 7D and the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM. This new lens is a bit pricier than the old Canon 100mm macro, but I am very impressed by it. The focusing is super fast and accurate, and IS is very impressive -- combined with the ability to shoot pretty good quality up to 3200 ISO, I'm finding that handheld macros come out very well. Here is a sampling of the first pics I took, all handheld. I used a 10K custom WB on the camera, and did no adjusting of WB afterwards, just some contrast and sharpening with Canon's utility.

 

[mcliffy2]

And since I know the question will come soon, here is an (almost) FTS:

 

[Rodrigo_BG]

the fish seems a little heavy for the tank size, in the other hand the tank is very beatiful as well as coral & colors!

 

[mcliffy2]

the fish seems a little heavy for the tank size, in the other hand the tank is very beatiful as well as coral & colors!

The tank is 5'x3' (~240G) so the Mata Tang is ok, but at a foot long and still growing, I agree he would be happier elsewhere. (The depth of the tank can be deceptive, as the fish is about a 1.5' in front of most of those corals, he appears bigger relative to the corals, than he really is) I have already found him a new home, its just a matter of finding the time to catch him and transport him there.

 

[nikesb]

holy that tang is huge, but great pics! lol @ the size difference between him and the clown

 

[mcliffy2]

holy that tang is huge, but great pics! lol @ the size difference between him and the clown

The difference is exaggerated since the clown is over 3 ft. behind the tang (in the back corner of the tank), but yea, the diff. between a 1 ft. fish and a 3" fish is pretty big

 

[NeverlosT]

those are gorgeous shots. The first pic is a real stunner.

Your t5 lighting combo seems very effective and attractive. Ten bulbs is a serious fixture! I have 4 bulbs + halides, as far as bulb suggestions go, I figure blue plus is a given, but which of your other bulbs (fiji, super, aquablue) do you think helps round out their super-blue hue and deliver the crisper tone that your tank has?

 

[mcliffy2]

those are gorgeous shots. The first pic is a real stunner.

Your t5 lighting combo seems very effective and attractive. Ten bulbs is a serious fixture! I have 4 bulbs + halides, as far as bulb suggestions go, I figure blue plus is a given, but which of your other bulbs (fiji, super, aquablue) do you think helps round out their super-blue hue and deliver the crisper tone that your tank has?

12 bulbs I think a lot of blue plus is key (I run 7 now, replacing the UV aquasun with another blue plus). I alsp think having 1 actinic is key, as it really pops the greens and oranges, in a way the blue plus can't. My sunrise/sunset combo is 2 blue plus, 1 fiji purple, and 1 UVL super actinic -- IMO its a real showstopper of a combo, as you have a bulb that pops every color.

 

[Rodrigo_BG]

tell us more about your husbandry.. do you dose anything, carbon dose, aa, ac frequency, feeding? nice tank again!

 

[mcliffy2]

I haven't been carbon dosing as I've been having problems with cyano. I have been running NP biopellets, but am not sure they are doing much. I run phosphate remover and have a 40g fuge, along with the ATB L for nutrient export. Other than that, I just do a 30-35g weekly water change.

 

[DBSAM]

Awesome shots!!!

When you said you did "I used a 10K custom WB on the camera"..., did you shoot an image with a waterproof white source and use that image?

We have a 40D, 7D and 5D MarkII, so I was going to get a waterproof whit balance disk and shoot that at different depths to setup the WB, but it sounds like you did it more simply...

Thanks

 

[mcliffy2]

Awesome shots!!!

When you said you did "I used a 10K custom WB on the camera"..., did you shoot an image with a waterproof white source and use that image?

We have a 40D, 7D and 5D MarkII, so I was going to get a waterproof whit balance disk and shoot that at different depths to setup the WB, but it sounds like you did it more simply...

Thanks

If you shoot in manual mode, you can go into the white balance setting and there is a custom setting that is set at 6000k or something near that by default. You can just adjust it up to 10,000k and it will give you very good results. I was amazed that the pictures came out with pretty much what my eye saw, with no need for further WB adjustment during post-processing.

 

[mcliffy2]

Here is one more, although this one I think the 3200 ISO shows a bit more (i.e., its a bit grainy):

 

[29reef]

Tanks looking good! Once you get rid of that tang what's going to do your fragging?

 

[rholguin]

Awsome looking tank and corals.

 

[BradR]

Nice!

 

[SunnyX]

The tank is looking great Mike! Guys, the pictures do the tank no justice, it looks much better in person! Not that the pics are bad, but its even more inpressive in person.

 

[dvanacker]

How could it be more impressive in person.?? WOW.

 

[ziyaadb]

Fantastic

 

[Denadai]

I never saw this tang before, very nice fish

oh yeah, the tank is awesome

best regards