DSLR Cameras for shooting Corals
- Thread starter ryecoon
- Start date
- Tagged users None
For shooting Raw. What settings do you use on the actual camera? Like white balance? AV, Nightmode, Iso? shutter Etc. Because no matter what i do, the blue spectrum takes over. And when i edit, still looks over saturated. :/
JMMJ13902
Valuable Member
I have a 50mm and a 100mm F2.8, a little pricey for these lens but well worths it.
I have the canon 4ti and use a 18-135 lens most often. I shoot in RAW, I do use the WB by taking a picture of the sand bed for setting it. This lets me use some pics without photoshop if I'm not in the mood for a long editting session. I keep my ISO low, 200-800. Then I use F-stop and shutter speed accordingly. You can skip the F-stop and only use shutter speed until you get more used to the camera.
KoleTang
Valuable Member
Look in to Tamron 90mm f/2.8 for Macro photos. (If your camera body doesn't have an auto focus motor, you will need the AF version of the Tamron).
Otherwise most standard lenses will do. A simple 18-55mm kit lens will get you by when you are getting familiar with the camera.
PatW
2500 Club Member
I would agree with shooting in RAW format. RAW allows you to set the white balance in post processing. It is best to work with a program that handles RAW. I think a RAW converter comes with you camera, but I could be wrong. Otherwise you could just buy one like lightroom.
As to the lens, it depends on how you are shooting. For shooting close ups of corals and fish, I would recommend a macro lens. Canon makes very good macro lenses. I think they have a superb 105 f 2.8 macro. Good macro lenses are not hard to make and tamron, tokina, and sigma all make decent ones for considerably less than Nikon and canon.
Of corse, you can just fool around and take photos with the lenses you have. They might serve your purpose just fine. I mean what do you have to lose?
As far as light goes, if you are shooting under actinics, you will be missing quite a bit of the natural spectrum. If you want the look of daylight, you will need to have a light source that adds those wave lengths.
Photography like reef aquariums can quickly become as complex and demanding as you want it to be. I suppose that is how hobbies work.
As to the lens, it depends on how you are shooting. For shooting close ups of corals and fish, I would recommend a macro lens. Canon makes very good macro lenses. I think they have a superb 105 f 2.8 macro. Good macro lenses are not hard to make and tamron, tokina, and sigma all make decent ones for considerably less than Nikon and canon.
Of corse, you can just fool around and take photos with the lenses you have. They might serve your purpose just fine. I mean what do you have to lose?
As far as light goes, if you are shooting under actinics, you will be missing quite a bit of the natural spectrum. If you want the look of daylight, you will need to have a light source that adds those wave lengths.
Photography like reef aquariums can quickly become as complex and demanding as you want it to be. I suppose that is how hobbies work.
My recommendation for you, as I've a Nikon guy but helped another reefer the other day that owns the same camera.
Set the camera on manual with the settings below:
ISO: 400
Aperture: f/5.6 (Lowest setting possible)
Speed: 1/100
White Balance: Cloudy (I think, whatever has the highest K rating which I remember was at 7000k)
Focus Points: Manual Selection
Shot everything in RAW format, it gives you more detail to play with.
At this point, decent lighting should be ok. Use your meter -2,-1,0,1,2 to see where the exposure is at. This is a bit tricky because the meter is showing the whole picture and if your shooting against a black background, obviously the meter is incorrect. Shoot and adjust your shutter speed accordingly till you get what you like. Use manual focusing point and not auto select. This will let you focus on what your trying to take a picture of. Last but not lease, the kit lens is a very powerful lens when it comes to taking pictures. Before you run out and buy a new expensive lens, master the kit lens first. This is just breaking the ice and I can go into more detail but it would just confuse you like most others who seek advice.
Also, last step would be use Lightroom to correct the white balance as your camera can not correct it in most cases. You can also crop, edit colors, and brighten the phot as needed.
Set the camera on manual with the settings below:
ISO: 400
Aperture: f/5.6 (Lowest setting possible)
Speed: 1/100
White Balance: Cloudy (I think, whatever has the highest K rating which I remember was at 7000k)
Focus Points: Manual Selection
Shot everything in RAW format, it gives you more detail to play with.
At this point, decent lighting should be ok. Use your meter -2,-1,0,1,2 to see where the exposure is at. This is a bit tricky because the meter is showing the whole picture and if your shooting against a black background, obviously the meter is incorrect. Shoot and adjust your shutter speed accordingly till you get what you like. Use manual focusing point and not auto select. This will let you focus on what your trying to take a picture of. Last but not lease, the kit lens is a very powerful lens when it comes to taking pictures. Before you run out and buy a new expensive lens, master the kit lens first. This is just breaking the ice and I can go into more detail but it would just confuse you like most others who seek advice.
Also, last step would be use Lightroom to correct the white balance as your camera can not correct it in most cases. You can also crop, edit colors, and brighten the phot as needed.
Dtech07
SPS LOVER!!!
+1 very good advice
Great detailed advice ReeferEric. I also used to use "Cloudy" as a WB setting when I was starting out on a less expensive DSLR camera. I forgot about that.
Yup, gotta start the less experienced in the easiest path. Too much info is no good info sometimes. Very few can follow along and process what a few of us experienced guys know now but we all started at the same point.
