Photographing Coral

[Liquid360]

I have a DSLR I haven't used in a long time. My iPhone 7 Plus has an awesome camera, but is inadequate for macro shots. I tried to find info on this forum about this topic, but found only vague advice. What I wanted was someone who'd say buy X lens, but no luck.
And so, I have a Canon t5i. This is the lens I bought and it's exactly what was needed. I still need to clean my aquariums glass and learn the lens, but here's a couple shots. I literally received this lens a few minutes ago so these are just test shots as I learn.

 

[Liquid360]

This first shot, looks like this Acro is made up tiny hearts [emoji813]️

 

[smokin'reefer]

Not bad for your first shots. I'm still trying learn mine, macro is a whole different ballgame.
I have the Canon t6i,. Probably the only difference that I know of is there are some features on mine that I will never figure out.
A couple of things that I have figured out that has helped my pictures.
One is to use manual focus. Another is to use aperture priority and try and shut the lens down to about F9. That gives a larger focal plane and allows some room for error.
I am in no way an expert, but have learned from quite a few here on Reef 2 Reef
I'm still struggling with post-production but I'm getting better at taking the pictures so very little post is needed.

 

[Liquid360]

I used to be very much into astrophotography, but shooting nebula is a lot different than shooting inches from the lens. Having to majorly readjust my thinking [emoji4]

 

[smokin'reefer]

Now that's a Lens! Is it motorized to keep up with the Earth's rotation?
I played around with weddings and taking pictures of babies. One of my many failed business ventures. Lol
I will have to find some pictures when I first started shooting my tank. I think I have progress a little, but a little, but still have a little, but still have a a little, but still have a ways to a little, but still have a ways to go.
Here is a couple of my more recent shots. You might have seen the ones I took of my order from Adam.

My red planet.

BSA blueberry nasuta

JF My Miami

JKR Confetti Cake.

 

[Liquid360]

Those are exactly the type of images I hope to get. Very nice, clear, sharp tight images. Those are very nice!!
Yes, the mount is entirely computerized/motorized and the imager is as well, a CCD camera. On the computer you have a map of millions of objects visible from your specific GPS location. You click on an object and the mount locks on and follows it, keeping it perfectly centered in the eyepiece as it tracks across the sky. It takes MANY hours over multiple nights to grab enough photons to put together a nice image and then putting all together in post production. I'm on disability and desperately needed a hobby and it served that purpose quite well... right up until I needed a Porsche and sold it to pay for the car lol

Now that's a Lens! Is it motorized to keep up with the Earth's rotation?
I played around with weddings and taking pictures of babies. One of my many failed business ventures. Lol
I will have to find some pictures when I first started shooting my tank. I think I have progress a little, but a little, but still have a little, but still have a a little, but still have a ways to a little, but still have a ways to go.
Here is a couple of my more recent shots. You might have seen the ones I took of my order from Adam.

 

[Cherub]

use a tripod, and with a macro it helps to set a 2 second timer so you're not pressing the shutter and moving the camera. It helped me anyway. using a remote control helps a ton too.

 

[Liquid360]

That's a good idea. Thanks!

use a tripod, and with a macro it helps to set a 2 second timer so you're not pressing the shutter and moving the camera. It helped me anyway. using a remote control helps a ton

 

[Liquid360]

Photographing a FAST moving fish with a fixed lens in manual focus is HARD!!!

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Photographing a FAST moving fish with a fixed lens in manual focus is HARD!!!

We do it, because it is hard.


And you nailed it anyway.

 

[Adam113]

I used to do some pretty crazy macro stuff... these are after Facebook image processing has destroyed them

 

[BoomCorals]

You can use autofocus with a nice lens.

 

[Liquid360]

You can use autofocus with a nice lens.

Are you saying that this isn't a nice lens or that I can use its autofocus? [emoji6]
This was the least expensive macro I found on Amazon. They quickly jump from $400 to $750 with nothing in the middle and I wasn't willing to spent $750 just for an incompetent jack as to take close ups of his reef aquarium [emoji4]

 

[Pandy]

My advice for using a macro lens for tank photography:

Fit the lens hood, and hold that against the glass so you know you are absolutely parallel to the tank glass (anything other than parallel will cause distortion and massively reduce the quality of the image).

Use a fast enough shutter speed to avert any movement, or alternatively turn flow pumps off.

I prefer to manual focus, but my camera also notifies me when it's in focus with a green indicator even when on manual focus.

Try a series of f stops to see how much depth of field you want to achieve. Using your lens at f2.8 will give you a shallow depth of field, but hands you a faster shutter speed and lower ISO.

I use a Sigma 105mm lens and I use it for everything bar FTS - amazing bit of kit!

New camera body by Andy, on Flickr

Pink Hyacinthus Macro 11-1-17 by Andy, on Flickr

Ice Fire 1-4-15 by Andy, on Flickr

Blue Mille 1-4-15 by Andy, on Flickr

FFM 1-4-15 by Andy, on Flickr

Cirrhilabrus Exquisitus 5-1-17 by Andy, on Flickr

Pygoplites Diacanthus 26-2-17 by Andy, on Flickr

Paracheilinus mccoskeri by Andy, on Flickr

 

[Liquid360]

Wish you could've seen the look on my face just now... "a lens hood....A LENS HOOD!!!... wow am I dense...."
Someone also should've told me or I should've known, shooting through the EP is totally different from using the screen. World of diff with autofocusing!!!! I still have a lot to play with and I seriously appreciate the advice!!
In astrophotography, this is called a dew shield [emoji6]

 

[tvu]

Some pics below with the same canon lens. No lens hood used.

 

[BoomCorals]

Are you saying that this isn't a nice lens or that I can use its autofocus? [emoji6]
This was the least expensive macro I found on Amazon. They quickly jump from $400 to $750 with nothing in the middle and I wasn't willing to spent $750 just for an incompetent jack as to take close ups of his reef aquarium [emoji4]

It depends to be honest. I just upgraded to the canon L series 100mm macro lense and there is a tremendous difference in the auto focus. It is always super crisp and dead on. I struggled with my previous lens combo which was a non L series 60mm. I don't recall the exact model. That one was like 10 years old but it wasn't originally used for coral pics. There is definitely a picture quality difference too.

 

[smokin'reefer]

It depends to be honest. I just upgraded to the canon L series 100mm macro lense and there is a tremendous difference in the auto focus. It is always super crisp and dead on. I struggled with my previous lens combo which was a non L series 60mm. I don't recall the exact model. That one was like 10 years old but it wasn't originally used for coral pics. There is definitely a picture quality difference too.

That's the same lens that I have. What camera are you using and what autofocus settings are you on if I may ask? I have just found, for me, that manual focus is where I get my better pics.

 

[brett_schn]

Now that's a Lens! Is it motorized to keep up with the Earth's rotation?
I played around with weddings and taking pictures of babies. One of my many failed business ventures. Lol
I will have to find some pictures when I first started shooting my tank. I think I have progress a little, but a little, but still have a little, but still have a a little, but still have a ways to a little, but still have a ways to go.
Here is a couple of my more recent shots. You might have seen the ones I took of my order from Adam.

My red planet.

BSA blueberry nasuta

JF My Miami

JKR Confetti Cake.

How do u get those top down shots?

 

[smokin'reefer]

I used the Avast Marine porthole.
http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/avast-marine-works-porthole