Zoo pictures

[Chemguy85]

Here are some of my new zoos. After about 50 pictures with a POS camera i finally got a few pictures that i like. I also have some full tank pictures on the zoo dominated tank thread that really shows the extent of my collection. The camera pictures of the indivduals just didn't come out right. Hope that you enjoy them and feel free to make comments about them. Ben

 

[Zoalander]

Still a bit blurry, I bet the last ones are killer.

 

[Chemguy85]

yeah they are still a little blurry. And you are correct the last ones are admazing

 

[CoralNutz]

What kind of camera do you have? I have a POS $100 fuji finepix A330 and can get some pretty good shots. Maybe it's not the camera but the techniques your using? It took me a while to be able to get good pictures.... Let us know maybe we can help.

 

[Chemguy85]

Another try

Another try

Here goes another try at taking some pictures. The camera that i was using last night only had a digital zoom and no optical zoom so that i what i blame the poor quality on. The pictures i am posting now are only optical. I think they look a little better. ben

 

[tangey]

nice zoos

 

[CoralNutz]

First off you should be shooting in Macro mode... if you are on a point and shoot that should disable the zoom... You don't need to zoom in... another tip is to take the largest possible picture (best resolution) and then crop and size it afterwords...

Here are some tips....

1. Turn off all pumps for picture time. (some people don't and get great pics but I choose to turn them off, particles in the water colum zooming around causes blur)

2. Use a tripod and a timer. You can get a tripod for like $15 at target or some other discount store, doesn't have to be fancy, just to hold the camera. Always use the timer when taking macro shots along with the tripod. That way you won't get any camera shake.

3. Take top down pics if possible. Make sure the water surface is calm and smooth. If you need to take them through the glass, try to move the coral to within 3 inches of the gass.... If you can't move it, you can't move it, not much you can do about that....

4. Probably the biggest problem I see with people taking reef pics, they try to get too close to the coral they are shooting. If your camera isn't autofocusing correctly, you are too close. If you take a hi res picture you don't need to be real close and then you can crop the pic and size it later.

5. Like I mentioned above, USE MACRO mode.... it should be a little picture of a flower on your camera... when you turn this on most cameras it will disable the zoom.... If you aren't in macro and need to zoom.... NEVER USER DIGITAL ZOOM.... use your photo app to do the zooming for you.

 

[Chemguy85]

Thanks coralnutz. I am going to do that. I have a tripod. And i am gulity of not doing everything that you said. I have to go to work in a little bit but once i get home i will try what you recomended.

 

[MarvinsReef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6575754#post6575754 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CoralNutz
First off you should be shooting in Macro mode... if you are on a point and shoot that should disable the zoom... You don't need to zoom in... another tip is to take the largest possible picture (best resolution) and then crop and size it afterwords...

Here are some tips....

1. Turn off all pumps for picture time. (some people don't and get great pics but I choose to turn them off, particles in the water colum zooming around causes blur)

2. Use a tripod and a timer. You can get a tripod for like $15 at target or some other discount store, doesn't have to be fancy, just to hold the camera. Always use the timer when taking macro shots along with the tripod. That way you won't get any camera shake.

3. Take top down pics if possible. Make sure the water surface is calm and smooth. If you need to take them through the glass, try to move the coral to within 3 inches of the gass.... If you can't move it, you can't move it, not much you can do about that....

4. Probably the biggest problem I see with people taking reef pics, they try to get too close to the coral they are shooting. If your camera isn't autofocusing correctly, you are too close. If you take a hi res picture you don't need to be real close and then you can crop the pic and size it later.

5. Like I mentioned above, USE MACRO mode.... it should be a little picture of a flower on your camera... when you turn this on most cameras it will disable the zoom.... If you aren't in macro and need to zoom.... NEVER USER DIGITAL ZOOM.... use your photo app to do the zooming for you.

great tips..


Marvin

 

[Chemguy85]

Here we go again.

 

[CoralNutz]

Getting better :thumbsup:

 

[surfnvb7]

nice pics ben, i know you have some amazing zoas in there...just gota figure out a better way to get clearer pictures!

no one has mentioned this yet, but i've seen some people make a box (just like an overflow box, bottom with 4 sides and open top) out of clear acrylic (like 1/4"), that floats on the surface of the water, then you just aim the camera through the bottom and you got a clear picture without the glare from the surface of the water

of course, this is harder to do if your tank is on the small size or your depending on how your canopy and lights are set up on top of the tank.

 

[Steve Seymour]

Awesome zoos Ben. Pics look good

 

[AIMFish]

There's another shot of the piece I commented on in the other thread!! I love those orange ones, if you need any gas money let me know

 

[falcon41176]

very nice