# Latest Pics, Input Appreciated



## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Well, I'm considering that there's something wrong with my camera, Nikon D3100, about 6 months old give or take. Sometimes it takes decent pics, but never anything really sharp or exactly in focus. I can take 100 pictures to end up with 2 or 3 that look decent, but as I said, nothing that I'd call clear. Frustrating to say the least. I'm going to take it in somewhere and get it checked. I'm still not ruling out operator error however. :roll: 
Imgur Album


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## RayQ (Sep 26, 2007)

How does it work on non aquarium subjects, there are a lot of things that can mess with the focus and detail in aquarium photography. One of the biggest things is the lens, another is distortion in the glass, especially in old tanks.


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## jnick (Aug 17, 2011)

You could always run some focus tests on either still life on say your dining room table with full lighting or you could always run a white-paper focus test :thumb:

http://focustestchart.com/focus21.pdf


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

I'll try that test tomorrow (later today). Maybe I'm asking too much from the 18-55 lens...


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## RayQ (Sep 26, 2007)

I think that my 18-55mm is pretty excellent. . . some practice and fooling around with the settings may get you there. Light is a really important factor as well, have you used flash much?


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

As far as I know, I've tried everything under the sun, plenty of flash, different aperture settings, ISO, shutter, tripod, RAW format, various camera settings, manual vs auto focus, metering, etc.
I've quite literally spent hours in front of the aquarium trying to get clear pictures, taken hundreds of pictures at a time and have gone through them on the PC to get 1 or 2 that still don't look as good as I think they should look.
I've spent the last few days researching macro lenses, trying to decide between 85mm, 105mm, new, used, Nikon, Tokina. I'll probably pick one up in the next few days and see what's what.


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## RayQ (Sep 26, 2007)

I use a Nikkor 60mm f2.8 D micro, the older style one, super sharp, I would get the 105, depending on space and the size of fish you are trying to shoot, again, look for a used "D" lens, it's sharper :thumb:


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## brijar (Oct 16, 2011)

GTZ said:


> I'll try that test tomorrow (later today). Maybe I'm asking too much from the 18-55 lens...


That is actually not a very good lens if you're trying to get in close. You need to be almost a foot away from your subject. When completely opened up at 55 when shooting up close you are actually at a fairly wide angle, you'd want a 90 or 100mm to replicate the 1:1 size that your eye sees. Out further, say landscape the 50 replicates the quite well.

Try backing away from the tank a bit to see if you get a good focus lock. If it's still out of focus remove and replace the lens to ensure a proper connection to the camera, if it's still out of focus try another lens to see if it's the camera or the glass. If the other lens is also out of focus, you may have something on the CMOS sensor. If the other lens is sharp, your 18-55 may have a defect or is dirty. Outside of that you may need to take it into service.


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## RayQ (Sep 26, 2007)

Just for the sake of it, I clicked a couple quick ones with my Nikon 18-55mm, I shot it at 55mm, no crop, about a foot away from the tank, the dimerus female is about 3.5" and the brasiliensis juvie is about 1.5". While it is true that it's not as sharp as one of the macro (micro as Nikon calls it) lenses, it is really quite good for one of the cheapest nikon lenses on the market. Juge for yourself, please remember that I haven't cleaned glass or messed with anything in photoshop, just made the whole image smaller so it will upload to photobucket quicker.


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Thanks for the pics, comparison helps a lot.
Just did the same thing, lights are off in the tank so had to use flash on each one.
Sized to 800x??? similar to yours. f/5.6, 1/125, 55mm, about a foot away.
Ocellatus is around an inch.


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## brijar (Oct 16, 2011)

If you want to get much closer you'll need either a telephoto or Macro. I prefer Macro myself


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## RayQ (Sep 26, 2007)

Ocellatus are REALLY hard to shoot in my experience. . . I had a fantastic large pair that I took hundreds of shots of and never really got any that I was particularly happy with. I have done ok with some other shellies, but, not ocellatus. By the way, a lot of them seem to have the fish in focus :thumb:


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

They don't look half bad when the picture has been resized, it's the full size, cropped or not cropped image that I'm not happy with. It just seems like I shouldn't have to resize a picture to make it look good, if you know what I mean.
Is it the norm to resize and crop as opposed to just cropping?


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## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)

I have decent results with my 18-55mm, and I'm usually under a foot away from my subjects.... But I can't wait to get a macro...


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## RayQ (Sep 26, 2007)

I am not sure I understand what you mean? I only resize images that I am going to post on the web, so they upload quicker and that way the image isn't as good, so, less likely to be used without me knowing :lol:

If you are going to shoot smaller fish, under 2" mostly, then I would really sugest the 105 is your best bet, if you want to push your photography that is. I am happy with 60, but, i shoot a lot more fish in the 3" and up range.


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## des (Mar 30, 2011)

The problem is you're using a Nikon when you should be using a Canon! :lol: I'm just joking.

I usually shoot in Tv mode and have the shutter speed between 1/160 to 1/250 range. ISO forced at 400 or 800 if good lighting is around. Try to get as much light above the tank as possible. I never use direct flash from the body of the camera. If you have an external flash try to aim and bounce the light off the wall or ceiling.

I'm no expert, just like you I've taken 100s of photos to experiment and finally found something that works for me. I think I'm close to burning out the shutter and time for a new body. 

I picked up a 100mm F2.8L USM Macro IS for a self xmas gift and it's been attached to my camera body since.

This shot was taken with a crop camera (1.6x) with a 100mm at 1/200, ISO3200 (rather high as it was hard to get enough light), f2.8 - no flash. It's a photo of a fry about 1 week after egg sac was gone. It gets down to the gritty.


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Nice shot! Looks like my macro dreams will have to wait, my video card is on it's way out and I'm an avid gamer. Priorities... :wink:


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## des (Mar 30, 2011)

GTZ said:


> Nice shot! Looks like my macro dreams will have to wait, my video card is on it's way out and I'm an avid gamer. Priorities... :wink:


Thanks. My endless hours of gaming days were over two years ago. With a 2 year old, I barely have time to keep up with the fish hobby and photography.


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