what am I doing wrong?

[DebsSisterFlo]

I want to get a great fts, I can take macros (see little red house, see avatar!) but every time I try to take a fts it just looks like, well, like this:

Yuck! I try to take the pic in full auto, landscape, and TV, the aperture has to be 2.2 otherwise it's blinking. I use a Canon Rebel XT.
Please give me some advice on my settings. I took this pic with a tripod and a remote switch.

 

[astrogazer]

Is this tripod mounted? I would increase the ISO setting to give you a little more shutter speed and hopefully a sharper aperture than wide open. Or, if you are tripod mounted you could go the other way, using a low ISO, ie. 50 or 100 shoot a long exposure with a very small aperture, this would blur the moving objects but would otherwise give you very good detail. Overall tank shots can gain an added benefit by taking two exposures, one for the highlights and one for the shadows and then merging these images in photoshop to get the effect of a fuller tonal range. Keep trying.

 

[astrogazer]

Here's one of mine ... I cranked the ISO up to about 800 on this one as I wanted to freeze the movement of things like the xenia and star polyps

 

[gregr]

Hi Jessica- great looking tank... yours too Astro
To add to the advise you've already received- I'd suggest trying some shots in aperture priority with a medium aperture of around f8- that should give you decent depth of field. If the shots come out too bright set a little negative exposure compensation (intentionally underexpose the shot). I'd suggest focusing manually as that may be the main problem in the shot you posted- it looks like the shot isn't focused properly- autofocus may be throwing things off for you.

 

[Blazer88]

As what Greg said, raise the aperture a bit. I almost always shoot in aperture priority and have had good results. I'll see if I can dig up a FT shot that I took with my Rebel XT w/kit lens.

 

[Blazer88]

This should be specific enough for you

Exposure Program = Aperture Priority
Exposure Time = 1/40"
F Number = F5
ISO Speed Ratings = 400
Exposure Bias Value = -2/3 EV
Metering Mode = Average
Flash = Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode
Focal Length = 30mm
White Balance = Auto white balance

 

[zenya]

Which lens did you ude for your full tank shot?
Although I agree with everyone that shooting with smaller aperture helps bring out details in the shot decent shots could be had with f2.8, too. It will depend on the glass, I think.

I too like to shot in Av mode and adjust ISO and Ev as needed.
For example, this particular shot was taken at f2.8, ISO400 and no flash. Ev was adjusted at -2/3 of a stop. The lens was a cheapy Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 lens.

I use the same camera as you have, BTW. I think this shot came out OK, eventhough the lights are very bright you can still see plenty of detail.

 

[Blazer88]

DebsSisterFlo, according to the EXIF from your shot:
Exposure Time = 1/10"
F Number = F5.6
Exposure Program = Landscape mode
ISO Speed Ratings = 200
Exposure Bias Value = ±0EV
Metering Mode = Pattern
Flash = Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode
Focal Length = 35mm

I would up the ISO to 400 (for a faster shutter, acceptable noise), shot in aperture priority and raise the F-stop to around 8, try -1/3 or -2/3EV for the exposure compensation, and change your metering mode around.

Can you take a picture in RAW and e-mail it to me? BTW, which lens did you use?