Nikon D80 Users --- HELP PLEASE

[cartman5579]

I'm trying to shoot some close ups of my acros. I'm using a Sigma DG 105mm Macro lens. What settings can i try to use to get the best color and pics. I am using a tripod.

The few shots i've taken so far (thousands) are terrible as far as representing the true color of the corals. My tanks is using a 400W Radium 20k. Plus besides the color issue i can't seem to get my DOF right? I always have more out of focus than in focus. I've tried to set the W/B manually but everytime i do the pics of inside the tank end up to yellow or green. So usually i use the Kelvin setting on 9999. Seems pretty close.

Anything will help?

 

[Phyl]

Manual white balance, preferably on the gray area of the rock. As for the DOF, try a F16 on aperture priority and move up and down from there based on what you see when you're done. You may need to do some exposure compensation as well to fine tune the brightness/color.

 

[cartman5579]

Thanks for the info Phyl! I'll give it a shot

 

[ianiwane]

Make sure you use a remote as well. Just the action of pressing the shutter button can blur the image when taking macros with slow shutter speeds. Also if you shoot in RAW mode it will give you better options in dealing with white balance in post processing. I use nikon capture for processing my RAW images.

 

[dapettit]

I found this on Nikonians. See Custom Setting Tab. It has helped to improve my tank shots as well as the use of a tripod. I shot my tanks shots in "P" mode and sometimes use manual focus. However the more you shoot the better you get!

Hope this helps.

 

[juniormc8704]

use your DOF preview button! it works pretty darn good. Also, drop an extra endcap or something else white in your tank and shoot a close shot of it. then in whitebalace, go to custom, use photograph, and select that photo. that will help alot. also, like earlier stated, use your timer, or better yet a remote.

 

[Phyl]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11714249#post11714249 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by juniormc8704
or something else white in your tank

Nikon endcaps are black

Also, your camera is comparing the object dominating the frame with 18% grey, not white. A truly white object will skew the balance a bit (though it is commonly used it isn't quite right). That's why I suggested a gray section of rock for white balance.

 

[ReefingBuddha]

I always use the timer as I don't have a remote, really wish I did. I go to manual settings and then tweak the exposure until I get a decent picture. Don't worry about going to dark in the original image as you can play with that later on the computer and bring up a lot of detail and color just by lighting up the picture. This way you can also get the fastest shutter speed to minimize blur. I almost always shoot darker then I want the final picture to get it as sharp as possible.

I take most of my pictures this way and your welcome to check out a handful (I have thousands more somewhere else) on my website. BTW, stick with it and in a few weeks you will have figured out plenty of tweaks to take great pictures, just takes some time playing with the camera and settings.
http://web.mac.com/thomashirschmann
Let me know if you are interested in the settings on any of the pics and I'll find them and let you know. Good luck and happy shooting

 

[einsteins]

I have had good luck with using center weighted or spot metering...
It allows me to better control exposure in my macros...

give it a try

eins

 

[hunkafish]

I just dumped my Sigma lenses After buying a Nikon macro VR105 F1.8 I will never use my Sigma for anything other than a paper weight. That being said after taking a dozen pic's hand held shots and pre-viewing them. they are all better than anything else I've ever taken. the lens was expensive but worth every penny as far as I have seen so far. I will post Pic's in next day or two after fine tuning the use of it. Go for the Nikon 60MM for about $400 or the new 105 VR for $800 the Vibration reduction is awesome. My sigma's will be going on e-bay soon, once I get anew paper weight. LOL

 

[deltaforcehall]

lmk if you would like some software for further developing your photos.. i have some good stuff.