Picture Taking

R

Reef18Keeper

New member
Hello I would like to start taking good quality pictuers of my fish and coral. I don't really know where to start. Most of my friends have the Canon Rebel ( I don't know what type) There are different ones K2, T2, Xi... ect.. I am a student with a low budget, not to mention this hobby is aready expensive enough. I have been looking on my local craigslist. But I really want everyone's thought. I know everyone thinks different but it will give me my own start. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.... PEASE REPLY. (price range is $0-300)
 
Yep, Photography is an equally, if not more expensive hobby for some. You might try the photography forum here
 
A good D series from 100, 60 70 (70s is what I have) in the nikon stuff with their lense just like a polorizer or UV filter on the end of the lense and what is called a "close up set" will mount on the standard 67mm (the regular range lenses 18-to 70 or 55 to 200 ) and will suffice for our needs to get you what is called macro shots.

Opteka is a nice cheap set for grins and giggles on half dirty and scratched tank glass to still get those oooh's and aaahhh's from the fellow reefers that view your posted photos. ;)

In the nikon stuff I can offer you non-pro advice rather than just punt you to another forum. HTH.
 
lol I realized after I posted that there was a photography fourm. Hopefully GEO will move me. But I posted in here because there are so many people in this fourm that take amazing shots, so why are they going to go to the photography fourm?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15116116#post15116116 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mpoletti
Because thats where we go ;) Its the happening place for photo tips :)
Click to expand...

ok is there any way I can move this thread or just start over?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15116193#post15116193 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Reef18Keeper
ok is there any way I can move this thread or just start over?
Click to expand...

I have already asked for you ;)
 
I really liked my old olympus 770sw for around $300. It allowed me take udewater pics and produced a decent photo for the price. The majority of the photos we see on RC are taking with a DSLR though.
 
Well does anyone know anything about Nikon Cool pix P90? OR the Canon Powershot SX10 IS? I know they are not DSLR but they are a good price and good start.
 
The P90 and SX10 are fairly poor reef tank cameras. A Canon G-10 or a Panasonic LX3 would suit you much better.

I would forget about a DSLR with your budget...that just isn't practical. The G-10 costs about $400, which I realize is over your budget. You could pay $300 for an SX10 only to wish you spent an extra $100 for a G-10 down the road though.
 
Add $500 for a macro lens and your looking at about an $800 camera. In theory (I am not up to date on Fujifilm DSLRs), you should get a great camera for your corals but not much else. Also add ~$300 for a decant tripod that can support a macro DSLR.

You're up to about $1,100 for a tank camera that isn't good at much else. Some might argue, "you don't need a real macro lens to take half-way decent pictures". I'll rebut right back with, "why would you buy a DSLR and not get a real lens for it?".
 
SLR (single lens reflex)= film camera with changeable lenses and a mirror/crystal system to look through the lens itself (the big hump on the top is the crystal)
DSLR (digital single lens reflex)= Digital version of a SLR

Basically with an SLR you will have to take your film negatives to a camera shop to turn the negative into a print and any editing you want done. If you want to display your photographs, you will need to buy a scanner to digitalize the prints. Of course you could also scan the negatives themselves. That would take a very nice scanner though. DSLRs have more or less caught up with the quality of film. Since most don't use SLRs anymore, you can probably find one at a great price. Your pictures might cost you a couple dollars each, but that is part of the reason you can buy the equipment so cheap.

SLRs and DSLRs are $2,000+ hobbies with a separate but symbiotic relation to reef keeping.
 
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Photo I took with my Nikon D70S with the 67 mm 18-70 mm nikor lense and a dollar store magnifying glass and a $20 tripod.
My close up lenses for the low occurance that I need macro are set to arrive this Friday or Monday.

DSC_0026.jpg


DSC_0079.jpg


DSC_0047.jpg


DSC_0075.jpg


DSC_0077.jpg


DSC_0081.jpg




Newegg has a Nikon D40 with an intro lense for under $400. Get the opteka macro lense kit (unless you are going for frag photographer of the year you DO NOT NEED To spend $500 plus for an entry level macro lense to get polyp detail).
It's easier with a dedicated macro and all but not a total requirement.

If you look you can find used deals on the the 70's and 70S's. You want to try to get a shutter count or cycle on used cameras though.
I like the DSLR's that have a metal body.

Good Luck in your camera quest.
 
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