# SLR lenses for aquarium photography



## jkam (Apr 21, 2010)

So I'm picking up a used nikon D60 from a buddy of mine for $300 and I know very little about SLRs.

I know that each lens has a different purpose. What I'm going to be doing with mine is primarily taking photos of my fish and shrimp. 

Does anyone have any learning literature/links on what macro/micro lenses to buy and how to use them? I know very little about any of the jargon that comes in most links so the simpler the better. 

What camera do you have? What lenses do you guys use for your fish and why?


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## ninez (Apr 21, 2010)

try

KenRockwell.com: Photography, Cameras and Taking Better Pictures


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## jkam (Apr 21, 2010)

cool! lots of articles there that look like they're writing in plain english! thank you


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## Victor (Apr 21, 2010)

it depends on what type of photos. I have a canon 10-22mm (wide angle) lens that I use to capture the entire tank. I use an 18-55mm for just random shots of multiple fish at a time and a 60mm lens for super close up macro shots.


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## jkam (Apr 21, 2010)

I'd primarily be using it for super close ups for shrimp. I have an 18-55mm for random shots already


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## Victor (Apr 21, 2010)

My favorite is my macro, amazing details


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## jiang604 (Apr 21, 2010)

jkam said:


> I'd primarily be using it for super close ups for shrimp. I have an 18-55mm for random shots already


use reverse macro if your on a budget but you would need to manually focus. Or you can buy a coupling and have the second lens reversed and you would still have the capability of auto focus.

EDIT: also tube extensions work as well


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## jkam (Apr 21, 2010)

any specific lenses? I know I'm looking for macro/micro but I don't know what the differences between them are


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## tony1928 (Apr 22, 2010)

Nikon likes to call their macro lenses "micro" lenses. I would go for something like a Tokina if you are on a budget. I believe the Ken Rockwell sight discusses the merits of the Tokina lens. Having good lighting also helps a lot. The better the lighting, the easier any camera has to be able to capture a decent image.


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## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

jiang604 said:


> use reverse macro if your on a budget but you would need to manually focus. Or you can buy a coupling and have the second lens reversed and you would still have the capability of auto focus.
> 
> EDIT: also tube extensions work as well


Cool: Thanks for the tip Frank.


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## jiang604 (Apr 21, 2010)

gklaw said:


> Cool: Thanks for the tip Frank.


np=P

Like this pic was taken with the 18-55mm kit lens for the canon xs with reverse macro (just go ebay and buy an EF-S 58mm adapter for like 10 bucks) make flip it to manual focus and with a tripod and for this specific picture of ISO400 I was able to get this crazy shot, only lighting was an external light bulb positioned just above the tank where the shrimp was:
http://www3.telus.net/jiang604/IMG_4266.JPG


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## couch (Apr 22, 2010)

Here`s some info I found on the net that is helping me take better pictures but still have alot to learn about the different setting on my camera

Photo taking of Fish

Taking photos of fish in a normal fish tank is one of the hardest subjects to get good results from. After all if you wanted to take a photo of say a family in the lounge you would not go outside and take a photo through the window, with one light on and the little ones running around. Well that’s what you are doing with fish so we hope to give some pointers and tips towards fish photographs that you can enjoy and perhaps share with others.

There are a few problems, which seem quite common with taking photos of fish in tanks. I will try and deal with the most common ones, which I get asked a lot. The very first thing you should do before taking photos is to clean the glass. This has NOT been done on most of the following photos so you can see how the camera picks up the marks etc.


1. Flash residue
2. Out of focus
3. Reflections
4. Cant get the fish to come out or keep still
5. How to get a close up
6. What camera is best

FLASH RESIDUE

To use flash or not is of personal preference-I nearly always do but I am aware of lots that don’t. The biggest problem is the flash being evident as in the photo as below.
To stop this there are several things to try. The most common fix is to stand say at 45 degrees to the tank and not straight on. Try and point the camera up or down slightly or even increase the light into the tank from another light source say through the top of the tank. Below is same subject taken at 45 degrees with flash. The same principle applies whether it’s a fish or whole tank.
OUT OF FOCUS

The most common fault is the camera focusing on the glass rather than in the tank. Cameras with Auto and Manual focus facilities should go on to MANUAL focus, which will solve this problem. The use of a tripod for those stationary photos also helps and stops any camera shake.
Photo below shows how the camera is tending to focus on the glass. As all behind the glass front is out of focus.

For cameras without manual focus (a lot of Digital Cameras don’t have this option) there are several ways to help solve the problem.

Firstly always stand at an angle to the tank; this helps as light is reflected off the glass –away from the lens of your camera.

If your camera has the facility to half press and hold the shutter button down try the following. Focus in the normal way on the subject in the tank, press the shutter button down half way and hold it there. This keeps the focus distance from the camera to the focus point as a fixed distance. Then take say half a step forward or move the camera forward. This will move the focus distance forward and into your tank. Fully press the shutter button all the way down (which you have been holding half way down) and take photo.

The use of Macro settings on most Digital cameras is a great help in getting past the glass.

Another common problem with focus is the shots of fish moving around quite fast and not being able to get them in focus. To help try the following it does work.
Find a subject within the tank say a rock or plant, which is relatively easy to focus on. When you are happy with the object being in focus then all just in front of it and just behind it will be in focus. When your required fish passes in front of the rock take your photo. What you are doing is taking photo of the rock the fish just happened to be passing.
If the fish is a fast mover then move the camera in the same direction as the fish is going at the same time you take the photo (takes a bit of practice but worth it).

I focused on a tree root and moved the camera in the same direction, as the fish was moving. Not a perfect photo but to show it can be done with a bit of practice. Flash on, standing at roughly 30degrees to the tank just holding camera in hands.



REFLECTIONS

These mainly happen with the camera picking up reflections from other articles in the room.

Removal of the steps will cure this one. So removed steps turned the camera a bit more to the right to get more of the tank in and picked up a reflection of a radiator cover
Removing the object or changing the angle of shot or even covering the object with a cover can rectify reflections from external sources. Best of all take the picture at night with no lights on (this is covered in The Fish Never Comes Out.)
Internal reflections are put right by removing the object or putting something between the object and the glass.
In the next photo the only way to get rid of the reflection is to remove the heater or put say a piece of black plastic between the heater and the glass.



Bow fronted tanks and hexagon tanks bring further problems because of the shape/sides of the tank. This results in trial and error with angles to get the required results.


Cant Get The Fish To Come Out Or Keep Still

Your fish are never there when you want to take a photo or the shy one just wont stay still when he does.
This is easy to solve but takes a bit of time. Put yourself in the fishes place for a moment. There you are going around the tank minding your own business when this blinding flash appears so your natural instinct is to get to safety as fast as you can. One way around this is what I call bang/food/flash. Each time you feed the fish bang the lid down (not to hard) enough to make a knocking noise. Have camera ready with flash on, when the fish come out to feed just point the camera generally towards the tank and take photo so the flash works. Your fish will most probably hide away, that’s ok they will come out again to feed.
After a couple of weeks doing this each time you feed them you will find the fish will associate the bang of tank lid with the flash from the camera gives them food. They quickly realise that the flash don’t harm them and if they want to eat they must put up with the flash. It soon becomes evident that the not so shy fish hear the lid bang and don’t even bother about the flash and just come out to feed. Leaving you to take photos as you wish,

With the more shy fish another tactic can be used (which also tends to get rid of most reflections) it is also the best way to see fish acting normally.

Take photos in the evening, close any curtains/blinds, close any doors, turn all lights off except those in the fish tank (any other tanks in the same room turn there lights off as well.) Your room should now be in total darkness except for the light in the tank you want to photograph. Stand in front of the tank; you should see a light patch on the floor where the light coming out of the tank hits the floor. Stand on the edge of that patch and just watch your fish. After a short time you should notice the fish acting quite normally as if you are not there. This is because you are outside their field of vision (you can see them but they cant see you) as they can only see as far as the light coming out of the tank goes. To further help in this dress in black or dark clothing from head to foot even to the point of wearing black gloves and using a black camera.
All these point’s help greatly in making the fish feel safe. Which in turn will give them the confidence to come out more giving you more photo opportunities.
A lot of specialist photos are taken with the fish put into show type tanks, which have a small amount of water in with no obstacles or hiding places for the fish.

How To Get A Close Up

With the macro features on most Digital Cameras this has made close up photos a lot more common as although you are a distance away from the subject the photo automatically gives a zoom in effect to the photo as shown in following photo of clown loach.

With a reasonable photo-editing program you can crop and enlarge.


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## couch (Apr 22, 2010)

Here is a very helpful post with photos of how to photograph fish and shrimp. It is from Guppy.com

Great photo link


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

This was a very useful site that one of the members here put up. Unfortunately, he had a crash. Maybe you want to email him directly. Think his name is Chris.

Aquarium Photography Info | Helping Photographers and Aquarium Hobbyists improve their aquarium photography through tutorials, tips and an online class.


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## gmachine19 (Apr 21, 2010)

I'm getting the Nikkor 85mm Micro with my tax return!


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## Mferko (Jun 8, 2010)

u should try and find one of these: Tokina 100mm f/2.8 Macro AT-X PRO D AF


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## ninez (Apr 21, 2010)

I have this one and I think it will work best with D7000 or D90

Nikon 105mm AF Micro

However, this lens do not have auto-focus function with D60 tho.

FROM KENROCKWELL
Lens Compatibility: Just like the D40 and D40x, the D60 autofocuses only with AF-S lenses, and does not meter with manual lenses. This means you have to focus older AF lenses by hand, and that you have to guess at exposure with manual focus lenses.


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## gmachine19 (Apr 21, 2010)

Mferko said:


> u should try and find one of these: Tokina 100mm f/2.8 Macro AT-X PRO D AF


Do u have that lens Mferko? How good is it in ur opinion?


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

ninez said:


> I have this one and I think it will work best with D7000 or D90
> 
> Nikon 105mm AF Micro


That's my thinking, that I'm going to go to a D7000 which do not require autofocus lenses before I buy a lot of lenses as the savings mount up pretty quickly and would pay for the camera.


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## ninez (Apr 21, 2010)

2wheelsx2 said:


> That's my thinking, that I'm going to go to a D7000 which do not require autofocus lenses before I buy a lot of lenses as the savings mount up pretty quickly and would pay for the camera.


This lens does focus faster/smoother with a D300 than a D90 than a D70s.


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## Mferko (Jun 8, 2010)

gmachine19 said:


> Do u have that lens Mferko? How good is it in ur opinion?


i dont have it i opted not to get a macro lens just didnt have the spare cash, but the reviews said it was better than the nikon for less money
and its built in japan not china
as i recall it has a longer warranty too


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