May seem a little off topic

[chelms166]

I would really love to know how you all take such amazing photos of your loaches. I just bought a Koday Easyshare Z7590 and it seems like a very nice camera to me. 10x optical zoom lense and all the bells and whistles I could ever use and then some. I've taken some photos of my CL (which I'll share tomarrow night once I get off work), but I just can't produce the quality of photos like that of Martin's kubotai pictures he just posted. Is it a lighting issue? I notice the flash is always reflecting off the loaches giving them a shiny look. I just can't reproduce a natural looking picture. Please help me. I purchased this camera mainly so I could take some respectable pictures of my loaches. Thanks.

[angelfish83]

Hey-

Here's a few tips

First try not using your flash. Now, try to get your room ever so slightly darker than your fish tank is and make sure there is no light reflecting off of the area of glass you are photographing through.

Make sure you use the closeup setting, all cameras have one. It will work much better.

Dont focus on the fish- focus on something the same distance away from your camera as the fish, then swing over to the fish and take your picture (ie, take focus of log next to fish, swing over to fish, snap foto)

It is also sometimes helpful to make a little "cave" with your hands to cover the top and sides and make a tunnel between the camera and the glass so as to block out any external light causing streaks or washout or reflection in your pictures.

It is also helpful to put the light source directly over the subject- if your light is in the middle of the tank (back to front) and the fish is right at the front, slide the light forward slightly to illuminate the fish better.

If you want to get a closeup, try to get the camera close right up to the glass, almost touch the lens to the glass, then tilt the camera away from the glass about 20 degrees (side to side) so only one end of the lens is close to the camera and use an optical zoom.

Also if your camera has a white balance, make sure you use it. To get a good white balance, ideally, put something black and white (which is fish safe, like say a piece of obsidian and a piece of white quartz, assuming you have them handy....) in your tank to white balance then take them out. Or you can just aim the camera at the tank and whitebalance...

The Kodak software isn't too bad if you mess that bit up you can color correct it after...


i hope i helped

[Martin Thoene]

I looked at the specs on your camera. You should be able to get excellent pictures with practice. My camera is a Canon A70 with only 3.2 MP, you'r's has 5, so your potential quality is greater.

A lot of the tips that angelfish83 gave will help and sounds like he has Kodak experience which is certainly helpful. I've found that I've been able to help other model Canon users before.

The total beauty of digital is that if you read the camera's manual, experiment and refer back, try different settings, eventually you'll hit on a combo that works for most situations. The learning curve can be very quick compared to a film camera.

The advice about focussing on a static object is one I use for fast moving fish. If a fish will stay still long enough, focus on it because ultimately you'll get a better result.

Good luck and post what you can because we can see the results and maybe give hints to improve your picture taking.

Martin.

[angelfish83]

Just remember that all Kodak lenses are crapp

And also that the way their color sensors work is a little awry for aquarium use- it doesnt capture the true color but rather matches it as closely as it can with colors in its own "database"

You'll see what I mean when blues start to come out green for no reason. The kodak software will fix it for you though.
Make sure you get the new new version of easyshare from their site it is much better than bundled versions.

[mikev]

I've found that I've been able to help other model Canon users before.

You should have not said this.....I'll have to search through your posts now...

I upgraded to Canon IXUS 65 (6.0megapixels) to discover that the quality of pictures is much worse than the old 3.2mp Sony. Despite all the nice features it is nearly impossible to get anything in focus, unless the fish is within an inch of the front glass... Do you have any idea perhaps what is the magic setting (if one even exists)?

[pedzola]

+1 for canon camera. I have to shoot about 100 pics to get 1 that isn't blurry.

A510 3.2mp here.

[helen nightingale]

does anyone remeber back to the days of old fashioned film? i have just started to use a very old camera where you have to do all the settings yourself. its a bit of learning curve

the viewfinder is one of the hazy ones with a hole in the middle thats clear when you are focussed, or fuzzy/in 2 halves if your not. the problem i am finding is that as most of the viewfinder is fuzzy, i cant see when a loach is about to zoom in front of me

can you get replacement viewfinders that arent hazy? or does anyone have any strategies for an old fashioned beginner?

cheers!

[HylaChristine]

I use no flash and the macro setting.