I am in the market for a good camera, ours is old and doesn’t seem to focus right anymore. Anyone know of an easy to use camera that can capture the color of corals under actinic lighting? Don’t want to spend a lot but also don’t wanna spend less and not be happy. Its either a good one or nothing, i guess
I have a Canon S95 I bought new 6 months ago for $399.99, one of the best point and shoot models, I want to upgrade to a big DSLR so I can capture better pictures at the race track. I would maybe work out a nice deal for you. Page Not Found
yeah looks like a good camera does it take good pics under actinic light only with no day bulbs on?
Jon, gordo might be selling the one he used to take the in-tank video of Houndsbaymans tank, after the Dr. Mac trip. that works pretty good. i was thinking about it or one like it. Olypus waterproof. i forget what model .
http://www.youtube.com/user/TerraReefAquariums?feature=mhsn#p/u/0/JK7aNETK6NQ
Nice tank. worth the replay. Give him a shout.
How much do you want to spend? used or new? (some good deals on craigslist) and how much time, reading, practicing,… etc are you willing to put into it?
A decent DSLR is the way to go for great pics and lens upgrading and versatility. Shoot in RAW and have a good editing program like photoshop, and the sky’s the limit. Its not too bad, but its learning another hobby. There’s a ton of good point n shoot cameras, and “semi dslrs” that get some good quality pics also. But if you want to get into nice macro stuff ( i know theres a $1000 lens I’ll never i cant wait to get) “quality” can only be captured with a DSLR IMO.
I use a Canon T1i, there’s a 2, and a 3 now. And i have a couple diff lenses. And basically, its all about the lens once you hit a certain level with dslr’s.
Well no pro setup for me. So maybe 400-500 max. But just want to take clear true color pics. That’s all
Thats where it can get a little tricky, the “true color” part. Not always easy with reef lighting and color contrasts. But look for something that has a custom white balance, and better yet custom color curving, best of all is RAW mode, but thats not a cure all for images, and its time consuming doing a lot of post editing.
I’ve been using an slr/dslr for 20 some years now, so i’m a little biased.
I hope some others give some input as well, a couple people have some new cameras around here maybe they can give their :TWOCENTS about how easy/difficult they are to use. I def don’t want to steer you towards something that will be a “pain in the Arse” to use :
: But most of the dslr’s have “point and shoot” built in, my wife uses my camera often for kids, birds etc… just turn it on, and put in on “green” fully auto, just point and click. For tank shots… i have to spend a minute or two, tweaking settings and snapping a couple pics to fine tune the color, and depth of field… And i’m always tweaking something here and there from coral to coral, color, diff lighting areas of the tank and so on.
I would say to definitely try one out first, whichever kind you buy. Ideal would be to try it out on your tank. Its not a small chunk of change, just make sure your gonna get the results you want. There’s a ton of crap cameras out there, and asking them to capture good images under artificial reef lighting is just too much to ask. When in doubt, purchase from a retailer that has a no questions asked “i just didn’t like it” return policy.
I’m not busting on Paul’s camera here, just an example, but he’s got a nicer point and shoot, with a bunch of “adjustment” settings on it, anyway, i tried to get it taking an “accurate color” pic for 30 mins, changing every adjustment it had… still couldn’t get it tuned in for good “on camera” display results, or even really see much diff going through the scale of certain settings (basically, adjustable…but not that much to compensate for a reef environment). Paul gets some nice results though, just depends how picky/ perfect you want to get. now you got me rambling on… reefs, cameras… i’ll never shut up now :think)
Good I need this info to help make a decision I have a canon now and was looking either canon or nikon. I was leaning toward the type between point and shoot and the dslr or whatever. My parents have a dslr I’ll have to borrow it to try to get good pics. And if there’s a big difference I’ll start really researching cameras. I figured you guys would have great info on this. I really never tried to take good pics. Just oh look what that’s doing “snap” lol
john’s abso right about my older nikon. fantastic pics under regular light, fine macro, but crap with actinics. i have tried hundreds of shots in actinic and maybe 1 or 2 have been decent, not great, just decent. try looking at some other reef sites that have photo forums. maybe u cn get some hints there.
I have a Canon Powershot S5IS which used to be a $750 camera about 3 years ago and for tank shots I am not impressed at all. Rosti has a much older Canon EOS-20D and he gets great pictures using the RAW file feature. Rosti I think has the same lighting system as me 2x mh and 4x actinics. I know you can pick them up fairly cheap on Ebay. I was thinking about upgrading camera’s but that is not in the budget atm. The RAW files seem to be where its at. I wish mine could take RAW files.
Saltcreep great info man! Like stated photography is another hobby which you will get into just to get those pictures the way you want them.
Whats the best way to get the white balance right on the custom setting? On my camera I set it by taking a picture but it just does not get the pictures right. I have gotten somewhat close to true color but just not there yet.
I would love to hear a review here by someone with the newer T2i or T3i. I was looking at them online.
I love my T1i, i bet the 2,3 have gotta be sweet also. I think they still have the same image processor, but with higher # of pixels, and way better video recording features. Mine will take a nice HD video, but theres not much adjustability, and its basically manual focus in video mode. But it still works good for me, especially at times when you don’t want to lug a video, and a camera. I haven’t touched my camcorder since i got the t1i.
The best way i’ve found lately for “white balance” and getting accurate colors, right on the camera without raw, or any other editing is…
( and this is “if” your camera has these settings)
Use a white object, or a nice patch of clean white sand. “key” being white here (I’ve used a white tuperware lid, white pvc etc.) Put that white object into the water, as close as you can, to the subject of your photo…take a pic and follow instructions on your camera to “set” that image as the custom white balance.
This will now produce colors without much blue at all, but it will get all the other tones pretty darn close. You will notice that the white object in the pic actually looks white, and not blue as our eyes would see it in person.
Next i go into the custom white balance shift screen, and slide the scale way into the blue range, almost maxed, depending on the subject (blue clams are tough to get accurate)
Digital processors are very tricky sometimes, getting them to record colors like our eyes do, they always need a white reference in order to base all of its other color renditions from.
An example of this is trying to take a warm glowy orange picture of a sunset with digital, you need to boost the warmer tones to get it right. My wifes $100 point and shoot has a “sunset” setting in it, if you take a picture of something white while in that mode and under regular household lighting, it will look orange.
I hope i’m making some sense here for you!
It sounds like taking the long way around, but thats what you have to do… make the camera find “white” then add more of the tone your eyes see. Even if your camera doesnt have the shift feature, the custom white balance still works pretty good, just add some blue once in your processing program on the computer.
I heard to set white bal. U set it by focusing on something white a piece of pve I’ll post some links later that give some tips. Lol posted this before seeing your post
[quote=“JustSumGuy, post:10, topic:4668”]
I have a Canon Powershot S5IS which used to be a $750 camera about 3 years ago and for tank shots I am not impressed at all. Rosti has a much older Canon EOS-20D and he gets great pictures using the RAW file feature. Rosti I think has the same lighting system as me 2x mh and 4x actinics. I know you can pick them up fairly cheap on Ebay. I was thinking about upgrading camera’s but that is not in the budget atm. The RAW files seem to be where its at. I wish mine could take RAW files.[/quote]
I just sold my 9 yo Canon 20d body, funtastic camera. You must find camera that will soot in RAW mode, without it it is useless for reef tank photography, or anything actually, IMO. Look for used stuff at BH photo, the only place I trust.
I hardly ever use RAW, I’m sure i could improve my pics a bit if i did. But RAW isnt magic, its just giving you “more adjustability” without degrading the pixels as bad as say photoshop would.
I wouldn’t say its worthless without raw, just more reason to capture the image correctly the first time.
Rosti, BH… they local or online?
and here’s a couple shots, straight off my camera, no color editing and using the technique i said above. Also, no fancy lens with these, just an old “kit lens” from my last Slr before digital.
very accurate color to what it looks like “in person” IMO
dont be a RAW snob Rosti… slap-stick
:: :: :: ::
That’s what I like to see!!! Nice pics but that’s a very expensive camera I was lookin at a camera that shot in jpeg raw and 1-2 others it’s a cannon compact something. Was like $4-475 I really don’t want to pay that much but oh well. Also I laile the cameras that use regular batteries not that pos lithium ion pack that costs $100 or more. Not that it’s a bad battery it’s just expensive when it goes bad. But it seems they all use them. Rosti looks like hes calling you out now we need to see your picture skills lol. But none of this> slap-stick
RAW is uncompressed and Jpeg is very compressed a RAW image will save all the info it has where as a Jpeg will throw everything it’s not using away so you have what you set in the camera settings now, if you have a good camera and set it right then the camera can do just as good a job processing as photoshop or other post processor.
The advantages of RAW is that you don’t have to worry about white balance or color correction as you will be doing that in your software, but you still need to control the apature and focus on the camera.
If you can set your camera correctly and adjust the W/B and color curves than JPG would be a better choice as cameras are much faster and are designed for just that reason.
[quote=“dunk, post:15, topic:4668”]
Also I like the cameras that use regular batteries not that pos lithium ion pack that costs $100 or more. Not that it’s a bad battery it’s just expensive when it goes bad.
Rosti looks like hes calling you out now we need to see your picture skills lol. But none of this> slap-stick[/quote]
Mine uses a battery that costs like $10 on amazon. and i looked at the “new” t1i prices… still expensive! i thought since the new models came out it would’ve dropped in price… but nope.
people list them on craigslist for around $500 or so… bet they’d take less!
I’m not saying its the way to go, I myself wouldn’t just buy a “used” camera from anyone. You never know how it was treated.
And don’t worry about this with Rosti … slap-stick… I am friend to Russia :
: ::
[quote=“Hudzon, post:16, topic:4668”]
The advantages of RAW is that you don’t have to worry about white balance or color correction as you will be doing that in your software, but you still need to control the apature and focus on the camera.[/quote]
I agree Frank, good info… I still think RAW (IME) only gets you so far if you don’t start with an image thats “close” to accurate. Like i said, i don’t use it that much (mostly cause i erased my Bridge (Br) software accidentally) and its a pain choosing which photos to import without it! …but the times i tried using RAW to get wb correct on a blue maxima shot under actinics, it was still out of raw’s range to get it right. and the times i did a “custom white balance” then used the raw software to add “blue” it worked like a charm.
Maybe when we work on the DRC calendar you can show me a thing or two with RAW and Photoshop.
Thanks for having my back though, obviously you’ve seen Rocky IV and know who to side with! ::
I will have to try the lid in the water trick. I have tried a piece of white paper under the lights and just does not get it. But also a thing to note on glass aquariums they tend to not be pure clear I don’t think starphire is pure either but much closer and much more expensive. The best we can get is acrylic if I am correct. So I believe that can throw things off a little to. I just use my canon zoombrowser ex for my photo’s very simple program and I have seen in it before the color shift balance.
[quote=“JustSumGuy, post:18, topic:4668”]
I will have to try the lid in the water trick. I have tried a piece of white paper under the lights and just does not get it. But also a thing to note on glass aquariums they tend to not be pure clear I don’t think starphire is pure either but much closer and much more expensive. The best we can get is acrylic if I am correct. So I believe that can throw things off a little to. I just use my canon zoombrowser ex for my photo’s very simple program and I have seen in it before the color shift balance.[/quote]
Color shift balance works better, if you have it on the camera… if not sorry, just use it on the zoombrowser.
And the “lid in the water” trick… for the most part you can set it once, and be done with it. but remember colors reflect all over the place, so closer or farther from a larger color cast( a large colony for example) or forward/ back, up/down in the tank can throw diff colors depending on how much actinic light that area gets.
really try to get the lid (or white subject) to be getting the same lighting upon it, as the subject you’re trying to photograph.
And Ken’s tank was the first acrylic, non regular glass tank that i shot. There is a slight diff (clearer) but that little greenish tint to glass will get balanced away with the lid method.
Starphire would be sweet someday!