Stuff you take with yo uto aqurium displays visit?

[maroun.c]

Hi,
What would you take with you for an aquaium Display visiting?
I just took my D70s with my 18-200 and SB600. Can;t say i was disappointed but I did loose lots of opportunities becausee the tanks were around 30 cm deep in the wall and there was an 30 cm electrical panel infront of the tanks explaining what there was inside so I couldn't stabilize my camera against the glass.
Does anyone use a 50mm 1.4 for fish pics and what apertures do you normally use?
To my bad luck I didint' have it with me and most of the tanks were so dark (not to mention scratched and not so clean glass).
so you take any type of flash diffusor or reflector ?
thanks for the info

 

[gregr]

I don't have anything faster than 2.8 but even with those lenses there's always big compromises, as you found out. Scratched and very thick acryllic... add low light to the mix and you have a very difficult situation. A lot of 400 and even 800 iso, which I hate to do... The lenses I use the most are a 17-40f4 and the 100mm macro although the 50 macro came in handy for the big reef tank in this slideshow. For the very few shots where a flash was used (Lionfish, Rhynopius) the twin macro flash was on the camera. As for what settings- every shot is different. You just have to judge for yourself where the best compromise between speed and depth of field is.
Greg

 

[petpoor]

Greg,
Those are some really nice shots, were they all handheld ??? I will be going to the Florida Aquarium in Tampa later this summer and I hope I can get some shots half this good. I have a couple of lenses to choose from but at the top of the list has to be my 50mm 1.8 for most of the darker tanks. But also have the 105vr 2.8 that I could possibly use. My problem being a newbie is usually I overdo the ISO and wind up with grainy shots....

Tom

 

[thor32766]

yeah great question there petpoor

 

[maroun.c]

Very nice shots indeed. I wouldn't even complain if 10% of my pics turn out half bad as yours did when i finish my post processing on them. Will post any shot that looks decent to post after your shots. Or I'd better wait till tomorrow as I will go to another aquarium in Finland this time, Maybe i'll have some better luck.
Thanks

 

[gregr]

Thanks guys- I appreciate the kind words. To answer the question- yep- they were all handheld. No tripods allowed
Petpoor- there's a rule of thumb for handheld shutter speeds: you can safely [get sharp results] handholding at a shutter speed of at least 1/lens focal length. For example- with that 105mm macro lens you can get sharp results with a shutter speed of at least 1/105th of a second. Of course that's a very general rule and if you're Mr. Steady you can probably get sharp pics with even slower shutter speeds.
The image stabilizer is supposed to buy you two stops of speed so with that new lens you should theoretically be able to get sharp pics at 1/25th of a second (assuming the subject isn't moving).
Hope this helps,
Greg

 

[thetedinator]

Awesome pictures Greg! Thanks for the show!

 

[maroun.c]

Petpoor,
Is the 105 macro VR or VR II?
A VR II will allow you 4 times slower shots without motion if your subject is stable enough.
At least that's what Nikon Claims.

 

[petpoor]

I would have to check to be sure but I am thinking it is just a VR, I didn't know that Nikon had a VRII.

Tom

 

[maroun.c]

They do Nikon 18-200 is a VR II

 

[melev]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7587559#post7587559 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gregr
I don't have anything faster than 2.8 but even with those lenses there's always big compromises, as you found out. Scratched and very thick acryllic... add low light to the mix and you have a very difficult situation. A lot of 400 and even 800 iso, which I hate to do... The lenses I use the most are a 17-40f4 and the 100mm macro although the 50 macro came in handy for the big reef tank in this slideshow. For the very few shots where a flash was used (Lionfish, Rhynopius) the twin macro flash was on the camera. As for what settings- every shot is different. You just have to judge for yourself where the best compromise between speed and depth of field is.
Greg

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We're not worthy!