need help with Canon Power Shot A510

[nemofish2217]

hey guys, im having some problems getting good pics.... what are some tips you guys have for getting thsoe great, close up shots? i think this camera can get pretty good shots, but i dont know how to set it right...can anyone help?

also, i have no clue how to re-size pictures to make them fit....can someone help me in that area too?? thanks guys,
matt soule

 

[gregr]

For tutorials on image re-sizing and such check out the sticky thread at the top of the forum.
Towards the bottom of the sticky thread you'll see links to more articles with tips on aquarium photography.
Often you can get very specific help if you post a picture or two because it gives us an idea of where to start.
Greg

 

[nemofish2217]

here's what im dealing with...

any tips on how to make this better(i.e white balance, picture size, etc. would be appreciated)

i am planning on getting a tripod because i know this will help with clarity...right now i am just having a really hard time getting those close up "micro" shots.....

 

[gregr]

Color-wise those don't look bad- I think mostly what I'm seeing is softness due to either camera shake or movement of the subjects. A faster shutter speed would help with the sharpness but it will affect your depth of field. Take a look at this Reefkeeping Magazine article if you don't already understand how depth of field works and how you can control it. You may need to increase the iso to get fast enough shutter speeds. Using a large aperture [small fstop number, like f2.8] will help too (but that goes back to the depth of field issue).
A tripod will help you immensely. Another tip is to be sure you shoot straight into the tank (unless it's a bowfront) and not at any angle- shooting at an angle will greatly reduce the overall sharpness.
The pictures also look like they might be a tad overexposed- experiment with [negative] exposure compensation and see if that helps.