First try with canon 30D macro

[t5Nitro]

Just got the 30D today and these were taken with the canon 100mm f/2.8 lens. I don't know how to adjust any settings to make them better and I wouldn't know what to adjust them to anyway. Here are the pics, anything to make them better pictures? *These were only few of many that came out good, usually others are blurry looking*


http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n189/t5Nitro/IMG_0002.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n189/t5Nitro/IMG_0051.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n189/t5Nitro/IMG_0018.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n189/t5Nitro/IMG_0060.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n189/t5Nitro/IMG_0074.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n189/t5Nitro/IMG_0077.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n189/t5Nitro/IMG_0096.jpg

:D

[edwing206]

Shots are very nice.

[mischief_ek]

what settings did u use?

[t5Nitro]

I just shot them, I don't know how to set any settings lol. I know how to set aperture since blazer helped me there, I think I put it at 2.8, but it probably was 2.8 to begin with since the lens is 2.8?

[GuOD]

Awesome shots for your first day! You're going to become a great photographer!

Is that first fish a magnificient foxface?? I really wantone of those!

[nmywrx]

Another great tool to get awesome pics is Photoshop. You can do things like make some of the bright colors really pop. You can also adjust exposure levels with ease. It is very powerful and can do a lot for your pics. It can make you look like a better photographer than you really are IMO.

[GTR]

But if the picture is not in focus post editing is fruitless. A lot can be done with cropping that will add to the effect even if the majority of the picture is not in crisp focus.

Nice shots BTW for a first session. I don't know if the colors are accurate but that do look real.

SteveU

[t5Nitro]

I do have photoshop. I just use the auto button and it fixes it :lol: They basically look the same, just it fixes the colors.

Yes, the first fish is a magnificent foxface. He is a big boat :D

I have a hard time getting good pics of the 2 tangs because they swim too fast.

[t5Nitro]

How do you take a picture of tangs or other moving fish? It focuses up real nice, then you take the pic and it's out of focus a lot.

[Blazer88]

There are a few tips that help when shooting fish. I use AI servo for the focus, it will automatically adjust as the subject moves when the shutter is pressed down halfway. If you use the typical "one-shot", the fish could move after the focus is set and before the shutter goes off. Another issue on focus is the IQ of the lens. The 100mm should be fine there. You also need a fast shutter speed (shoot in shutter priority) to freeze the action of the fish. I generally use 1/160 or faster with tangs and down to 1/5 for a blenny or something that doesn't move much. Trail and error is your best friend here.

[t5Nitro]

I don't see an AI mode on the dial? I will look for the shutter speed settings now.

[t5Nitro]

Ok, I found the AI Servo mode, under hte AF-WB and then I found the shutter speed one (M). Mine goes up to 8000, what would you use that for? You said for a tang use 160. Oh, also, they told me you couldn't turn the flash off on the 30D, so when you hold the button half way when the flash pops up, push it down, and then take the picture. I have been doing that, but today after messing with settines, I must have turned the flash off and I can't get it back on. Must be some off setting, because even under my MH lights the pics come out dark.

[AJtheReefer]

Nitro,
Amazing pictures. thanks for sharing

[t5Nitro]

Here are some more:

Any tips to make them better?

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n189/t5Nitro/IMG_0175.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n189/t5Nitro/IMG_0210.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n189/t5Nitro/IMG_0201.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n189/t5Nitro/IMG_0194.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n189/t5Nitro/IMG_0183.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n189/t5Nitro/IMG_0182.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n189/t5Nitro/IMG_0158.jpg

:D

[t5Nitro]

The yellow tang picture is blacked out in the background because there was some algae on the glass. The only good pic of a fish that I can take a pic of is the foxface. I can't get the two tangs sharp pictured yet.

[Blazer88]

It still looks like you aren't shooting perpendicular to the glass which is leading to distortion in most of the pics. Plus your shutter speed is a little too slow to really freeze the movement of the fish. Bump your ISO up to 800 (the EXIF says you are at 100 which isn't necessary), stop down the aperture to get some sort of DOF so you don't have to shoot wide open, and bump up the shutter speed to over 1/100. The tang in the third pic down was at 1/15 of a second, much to slow for a sharp picture of a moving fish.

[t5Nitro]

The pics were at 1/160 like you told me. I am perendicular to the glass too. I don't have a tripod, and after that camera set up I can't afford one either. The shutter speed will go up to 1/8000, should I try that? The ISO is 100, yes, still figuring out how to adjust that, I don't know what it does anyway.

So larger # = DOF?

[t5Nitro]

I don't know, I just got out the manual once again and it is only two steps. Push the Drive-ISO button and use the wheel to turn it.

It does nothing, stays on Auto.

[ahuxman58]

Push the drive iso button and turn the big wheel on the back side of the camera while looking down at your numbers on your lcd screen on top of the camera that changes your iso.

[t5Nitro]

Ya, that is exactly what I did. I pushed the Drive-ISO button so it showed the ISO. It shows it at 100, so I turn the big wheel and nothing happens, just stays at Auto ISO-100.

Must have some kind of setting keeping it from not changing.

[Blazer88]

This tang picture is at 1/15 and not at 1/160. You wouldn't be able to get a proper exposure at 1/160 with an ISO of 100. Are you shooting with your camera set to auto or the P? Try shutter priority (turn the dial to Tv) and set it faster than 1/100, bump the ISO to 800 and see what you get. But you will always get a blurry shot at 1/15.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v67/rparchen/Fish%20Tank/Untitled-1.jpg

[2fishy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10010007#post10010007 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by t5Nitro
I don't have a tripod, and after that camera set up I can't afford one either.

Check and see if your dad has a lazer level with a tripod. If he has a lot of tools like our house, you may be in luck! That's where I found my tripod! Now I hope that my husband doesn't go looking for his level anytime soon!:lol:

[2fishy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10010912#post10010912 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Blazer88
This tang picture is at 1/15 and not at 1/160. You wouldn't be able to get a proper exposure at 1/160 with an ISO of 100. Are you shooting with your camera set to auto or the P? Try shutter priority (turn the dial to Tv) and set it faster than 1/100, bump the ISO to 800 and see what you get. But you will always get a blurry shot at 1/15.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v67/rparchen/Fish%20Tank/Untitled-1.jpg

Blazer88, how did you get that screen to print with all of the information? I'm just wondering how I would do that to some pictures that I have taken so that I can see where everything was set when I took the picture.

[Raphael]

I'm not 100% sure about how to do it with XP since I'm running Vista (it's not that great). What I do is right click, go to properties then click on the details tab. It gives me the same information but in a different layout. Hope this helps.

[t5Nitro]

Wow, that's cool Blazer. Odd, I pushed it to 1/160, but then I forgot if I went back to auto or macro mode. I will try the Tv mode and put it to 160 again, I just need to mess around with the ISO, it won't change for me, yet.

[ahuxman58]

get away from the auto modes and try to stick to your creative modes thats where you will do your learning and get more familiar with your camera and its uses and capabilities

[t5Nitro]

Ok. I got the ISO to 800 and shutter at 1/160. Here is new fish pics with those settings. Still can do better? If so, how? Thanks :D

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n189/t5Nitro/IMG_0223.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n189/t5Nitro/IMG_0231.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n189/t5Nitro/IMG_0248.jpg


Many powder brown pics:

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n189/t5Nitro/IMG_0229.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n189/t5Nitro/IMG_0242.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n189/t5Nitro/IMG_0243.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n189/t5Nitro/IMG_0246.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n189/t5Nitro/IMG_0247.jpg

[avitang]

:eek2:

[2fishy]

Question. Do you use the flash when you are taking pictures of your fish, regardless of what setting you are using?

[t5Nitro]

No. I have MH lighting.