# New Camera! Pentax K-r with pics



## stoogie (May 22, 2011)

After a Loooong long time reading reviews, comparing stats, and a few trips to the local camera shop, I finally decided on a Pentax K-r. I've had the camera for about a week, and I've been very impressed with it, especially with the low light performance, and the 6 frames per second continuous shooting mode. Here's a few shots that I've managed to take so far.

(As I'm sure many of you can tell, I'm a dslr novice, so if anybody has any tips, tricks, suggestions, criticism, advice, etc. please let me know!!!)


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Very nice!!!


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## cturner (Mar 21, 2006)

I never had a DSLR but they look awesome to me! I don't know if you can increase the lighting some how to make the fish a little brighter but that's all I would try to change.


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## Sub-Mariner (Dec 7, 2011)

Those look pretty darn good to me. :thumb: I just bought a D80 last week with 3 lenses and its my first DSLR too. I love it, the pictures are so much better than my point and shoot!

Keep the pictures coming. 

opcorn:


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## Falco16 (Jan 22, 2012)

Look Great! One tip on composition; give them a little lead so it looks like they have room to swim in the picture. Otherwise it will appear they will swim into a wall. It appears your photo hosting website stripped the EXIF so I can't see what your camera settings were. Would you mind providing those?


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## ChoxRox (Sep 8, 2011)

I really like these pics! However, I feel that the first three seem a little bit too contrast-y. That's just my opinion though. Looks good otherwise :thumb:


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## cichlid4life2012 (Feb 17, 2012)

Good job!


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## stoogie (May 22, 2011)

All but the second to last were shot with a flash, iso 200, f5.6, I'm not 100% sure on the shutter speed, but probably somewhere around 1/500. The second to last was no flash, iso 1600, 1/60th, if I remember correctly. Thanks for the tip on the composition, too, now that you mention it they do look kind of confined in their pictures. I'll try take some and leave them room to swim 

As for the first three pictures, I had some kind of weird setting on my camera that was bumping up the contrast, but I've turned it down now.


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## stoogie (May 22, 2011)

Some new pictures!



















Both were taken without flash,
18mm
1/60
f/3.5
ISO 1600

I suspended a lamp over the tank shining down to try for a spotlit effect. The first one is unfortunately out of focus, but I think I hit pretty close to the mark on the second


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## stoogie (May 22, 2011)

You can see my hand a bit in this one, but I'm not good enough with photoshop to try and take it out.

I kind of feel like I'm neglecting to photograph my other fish, but the colours on this guy are just too cool (In my opinion). I think I'm falling in love with peacocks!


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## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

Great images! I don't blame you for taking so many shots of the peacock. That's a beautiful fish.

How about a full tank shot?

A lot of people get Photoshop when all they really need is something like Adobe Lightroom. It's much easier to learn how to use and has all the features most photographers will ever use.


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## ChoxRox (Sep 8, 2011)

stoogie said:


> Some new pictures!


I love this one the most


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## mvenza24 (Oct 21, 2011)

ChoxRox said:


> stoogie said:
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> 
> > Some new pictures!
> ...


X2


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## Steffano2 (Jan 11, 2007)

*Stoogie* If I may ask what is your avatar Mbuna?

You are doing great with your photos, just keep clicking and take lots of captures. Are you using a tripod, makes a world of difference? Also, if I'm not mistaken aren't your captures of a Hap, looks to be a Red Empress? Regardless of the species, stunning fish and you should be proud to own such a great looking male to photograph!


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## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

Steffano2 said:


> Also, if I'm not mistaken aren't your captures of a Hap, looks to be a Red Empress?


I believe you're right. Here's the link to the species profile:

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/p_taeniolatus.php


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## stoogie (May 22, 2011)

You're right, he is a red empress, for some reason I was forgetting they're haps.  
I've been more of a mbuna guy since I started with Africans, but from what I hear peacocks are the logical next step 

My avatar is my old sub dominant male Pseudotropheus Saulosi. He was usually just a very pale blue with very little black, but for a couple days he was having a go at king of the tank, so he was all flared up and stripey. Needless to say the dominant male didn't like that, so my pale saulosi got re-homed shortly thereafter.

I've not tried shooting with a tripod yet, my thinking being that if I'm shooting with quick shutter speeds to reduce motion blur, that should also take care of camera shake. My camera also has image stabilization built in, so that helps a bit too. Is my reasoning valid, or am I missing out not using a tripod?


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## RayQ (Sep 26, 2007)

Good looking fish and photos, I can't imagine using a tripod to shoot fish, they are way to active to have to deal with a cumbersome tripod IMHO. Lots of light and fast shutter speed are the best answer :thumb:


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## Alowishus (Sep 4, 2010)

mvenza24 said:


> ChoxRox said:
> 
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> > stoogie said:
> ...


Agreed. This one is very nice!


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## stoogie (May 22, 2011)

That one is one of my favorites as well. I like how the rusties look like they're fleeing in terror, lol.


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## stoogie (May 22, 2011)

Here's a few more. The combination of new camera and constant rain means that I've taken more fish shots in the past week than probably the rest of my life put together 

My sub dominant male saulosi chasing each other









My dominant male saulosi









My Red Empress staring at you


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

That red empress shot is terrifying :lol:


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## al7601 (May 10, 2011)

great shots! love the empress too. looks like you've managed to create the background blur effect created with a large aperture opening or small f/stop, great job especially for a novice.


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## stoogie (May 22, 2011)

Thanks  It took a while to get used to focusing with a shallow depth of field, I kept getting the fish half in focus, and usually the part that was in focus was the side and maybe a fin if I was lucky  I've been taking lots of pictures of birds lately as well, so after the joys of trying to sneak up on a bird in the field, or trying to track and focus on, and properly expose a flying bird against a bright sky, taking pictures of my aquarium is kind of like shooting fish in a barrel


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## stoogie (May 22, 2011)

Full tank shot, as requested  Sadly, almost everyone is hiding in it.


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## brijar (Oct 16, 2011)

Nice pictures especially for your first time out.  The best way to eliminate the reflections is to use a remote flash (remote triggers). You can buy pretty cheap ones for about $20.00/$30.00 US that should work fine.


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## des (Mar 30, 2011)

Great shots. Having beautiful fish really helps doesn't it! Good work. Rule of thirds rule!


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