We bought our camera...

[LisaLGK]

We bought a Cannon PowerShot SD800 IS.

The booklets always make my head spin, so I haven't looked at it yet.

Does anyone know this camera well enough to tell me what settings to put it on to photograph fish, in an aquarium? (It's a 125 gal. saltwater aquarium, (6' long)...with pretty bright lighting.) The fish swim from end to end, but will hesitate, for me to take pictures. (they think I'm feeding them)

If anyone can give me some quick tips, I would GREATLY appreciate it!!!

Thanks!
Lisa

[Christian]

Well having no experience shooting at an aquarium, I have seen the most common mistake of people not turning off their flash. Unless they were going for the big bright spot in the middle of the pic.

That said, lets see what that new DIGIC III processor can do.:D

[LisaLGK]

Well having no experience shooting at an aquarium, I have seen the most common mistake of people not turning off their flash. Unless they were going for the big bright spot in the middle of the pic.

That said, lets see what that new DIGIC III processor can do.:D

Someone told me to look for the "aquarium mode" on it... sure enough, there IS one!!!! Once I get some decent pics., I'll put them on here!

Thanks!!

[Colin T]

Hi LisaLGK

I am not sure if your new canon sd800 is an SLR or a point and shoot. Either way you can use the info I gave you about the nikon coolpix. Set the camera on macro, have the flash set to ON and get the camera as close to the glass as possible. Have the camera on a slight angle and snap away.
Alternatively if you are standing a little way back from the tank set the camera on auto, flash to ON and hold the camera slightly higher than the fish you are trying to photograph and snap away.

If the camera is a SLR you can set it to Aperture Priority, set the aperture to F18 or F20, set the flash to ON and see what the shutter speed is. It should be about 1/100 second, anything less than that and you will get blurry pics. Anything higher than 1/200 second and the pics will be dark. With these setting you again get the camera as close to the tank as possible, angle it slightly downwards or from the side (just not directly front on), and click away.

[LisaLGK]

Hi LisaLGK

I am not sure if your new canon sd800 is an SLR or a point and shoot. Either way you can use the info I gave you about the nikon coolpix. Set the camera on macro, have the flash set to ON and get the camera as close to the glass as possible. Have the camera on a slight angle and snap away.
Alternatively if you are standing a little way back from the tank set the camera on auto, flash to ON and hold the camera slightly higher than the fish you are trying to photograph and snap away.

If the camera is a SLR you can set it to Aperture Priority, set the aperture to F18 or F20, set the flash to ON and see what the shutter speed is. It should be about 1/100 second, anything less than that and you will get blurry pics. Anything higher than 1/200 second and the pics will be dark. With these setting you again get the camera as close to the tank as possible, angle it slightly downwards or from the side (just not directly front on), and click away.

Colin, you are SO INCREDIBLY helpful!!!! Thank you.

(It doesn't say SLR, so I'm assuming it's not.)
Lisa

[tim11]

SD800 IS is a DSLR. :D
There is no fast and easy way to take picture of a fish. And great deal of patience is required. I suggest you brighten up the aquarium and/or set ISO to 400. Get a cheap tripod or place the lens barrel against the glass. Prefocus on the gravel or something and hold the shutter until the fish comes to the same spot then press all the way.

Edit: It's really is a point and shoot. There is no aperture controls on it so there is only so much you can do.
I am with Christian regarding the flash. If you turn it on you will get a reflection back from the glass.

[coldrain]

I am not sure why you bought a Canon SD800 IS... the 700 IS would be less noisy, and I think I told you that the Fuji F30 would be a better candidate because of its high ISO performance.

[John_Reed]

I am not sure why you bought a Canon SD800 IS... the 700 IS would be less noisy, and I think I told you that the Fuji F30 would be a better candidate because of its high ISO performance.
First time I've ever heard someone chided after they've made the buying decision, bought the camera. No matter how good you think your advice is, Coldrain, others will still view things in their own light, and make their own decisions, for whatever reason. After they make those choices, and come back here to seek advice, it's hardly proper to grouse at them because they didn't follow your advice! Grow up, big guy!

[LisaLGK]

I am not sure why you bought a Canon SD800 IS... the 700 IS would be less noisy, and I think I told you that the Fuji F30 would be a better candidate because of its high ISO performance.

Well, the store that we went to had the 800 and the 900. (not the 700)

We decided on the 800, because we weren't planning on blowing up any pictures. (in size.) The 900 wasn't necessary.

The reason that we went with the Canon, was because of all of the great reviews that I heard on this site. (I didn't see much on the other camera that you recommended... if any)

Thank you, anyway, for your input.

[Rhys]

Well, the store that we went to had the 800 and the 900. (not the 700)

We decided on the 800, because we weren't planning on blowing up any pictures. (in size.) The 900 wasn't necessary.

The reason that we went with the Canon, was because of all of the great reviews that I heard on this site. (I didn't see much on the other camera that you recommended... if any)

Thank you, anyway, for your input.

I feel I must apologise for our resident lunatic's uncharitable and ill-conceived comments. It amazes me that Coldrain hasn't been banned yet for his consistant rudeness and continual factual inaccuracy.

When I did aquarium photography, I used a cut-down toilet roll tube which I placed between the lens and the tank so that the lens looked through the tube and the tube thus eliminated reflections. Normally I used no flash but instead a bright lamp. You might benefit also from setting the camera into macro mode.

Congratulations on your purchase. I hope you enjoy your camera as much as I enjoy all of mine.

[swgod98]

Well, the store that we went to had the 800

I can tell you one reason the SD800 is better than the SD700: wide angle lens! You don't realize how cool this is until you've been able to compare 28mm with 35mm.

You made a good decision.

[JMBZ71]

Lisa, I think you made good choice as well. The 800 has IS and the 900 doesn't. I think you'll be glad you've got IS. Also, the 800 has 7MP, the 900 has 10MP and who needs 10MP in an ultracompact point & shoot? I think you'll find that 7MP is more than you need in most situations. In the end, you probably made a better decision than the average schmo who does no research and just walks into a big box electronics store and makes an impulse buy. I hope you'll post a few of your Aquarium shots.

JMBZ71 :)

[tim11]

Does SD800 has preset aquarium mode? If it has, try it.

[tim11]

I can tell you one reason the SD800 is better than the SD700: wide angle lens! You don't realize how cool this is until you've been able to compare 28mm with 35mm.

You made a good decision.
Not to mention the flash range is more effective.

[LisaLGK]

I feel I must apologise for our resident lunatic's uncharitable and ill-conceived comments. It amazes me that Coldrain hasn't been banned yet for his consistant rudeness and continual factual inaccuracy.

When I did aquarium photography, I used a cut-down toilet roll tube which I placed between the lens and the tank so that the lens looked through the tube and the tube thus eliminated reflections. Normally I used no flash but instead a bright lamp. You might benefit also from setting the camera into macro mode.

Congratulations on your purchase. I hope you enjoy your camera as much as I enjoy all of mine.

No problem!! lol It just makes things more interesting...

I love your idea's, and will definitely try them out. Thank you so much!!!!!

Lisa

[PaulG]

Post a full size aquarium pic if you can!

Would be cool to see how it turns out. SD800 IS ii one of the cameras I'm considering... Wide angle is a great thing to have. Early on I read some bad feedback about this model, but recently am seeing more good feedback at various forums. So any pics and thoughts on it would be great.

[LisaLGK]

Post a full size aquarium pic if you can!

Would be cool to see how it turns out. SD800 IS ii one of the cameras I'm considering... Wide angle is a great thing to have. Early on I read some bad feedback about this model, but recently am seeing more good feedback at various forums. So any pics and thoughts on it would be great.

What bad feedback was that? I'd love to hear about it, if you don't mind.
Lisa

[PaulG]

Well, I read a lot of threads here: http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/forum.asp?forum=1010 and also the Canon forum on this site.

Basically people say the corners were blurry (and some pics posted do seem to indicate that), especially in wide angle. And some said the overall image quality was worse than the 700. I have no idea what to believe or not. So take it all with a grain of salt. If the camera pleases YOU, that's all that really matters in the end.

Personally I'm looking forward to Jeff Keller's upcoming review. I think he does a good job testing cameras and explaining how they stack up.

[LisaLGK]

Well, I read a lot of threads here: http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/forum.asp?forum=1010 and also the Canon forum on this site.

Basically people say the corners were blurry (and some pics posted do seem to indicate that), especially in wide angle. And some said the overall image quality was worse than the 700. I have no idea what to believe or not. So take it all with a grain of salt. If the camera pleases YOU, that's all that really matters in the end.

Personally I'm looking forward to Jeff Keller's upcoming review. I think he does a good job testing cameras and explaining how they stack up.

Will you let me know what he says, please? I'd really like to know.
(if you don't mind.) Thanks!
Lisa

[PaulG]

Lisa, just check this site's news page each day. ;) Jeff Keller is the guy who runs this site and writes the camera reviews here.

Here is the upcoming review schedule:

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/recentupcoming.php

As you can see, the SD800 IS is next... :)

[LisaLGK]

Lisa, just check this site's news page each day. ;) Jeff Keller is the guy who runs this site and writes the camera reviews here.

Here is the upcoming review schedule:

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/recentupcoming.php

As you can see, the SD800 IS is next... :)

Thank you!!!

[nickmorris]

Well i m not really sure but i think it has something called an aquarium mode in that.so i guess that shud do it.


nickmorris

[LisaLGK]

Well i m not really sure but i think it has something called an aquarium mode in that.so i guess that shud do it.


nickmorris

Found it... and thank you!!!

[nickmorris]

Wow gr8

http://www.keepbuy.net/

[tim11]

I wonder how Lisa got on with her photo session? It's never easy with aquarium shooting. Coldrain had a point, though he may not say it in a way people would want to hear. Either F30 or you will have to light up the tank even more. It's hard enough to focus on the scaly buggers even with enough light.
Aquarium mode or not, it won't work unless the light is good enough.

See the photos I took last night from my sister fishtank.
http://s102.photobucket.com/albums/m116/tim11_2006/fishtank/?sc=1&addtype=local

Here is one.
Camera: F30
Exposure time: 0.019 s (1/52)
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO equiv.: 1600
Title: ?........... hmmm .... I don't like the way you look at me! :D
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m116/tim11_2006/fishtank/061014_13goldfish.jpg

[LisaLGK]

I wonder how Lisa got on with her photo session? It's never easy with aquarium shooting. Coldrain had a point, though he may not say it in a way people would want to hear. Either F30 or you will have to light up the tank even more. It's hard enough to focus on the scaly buggers even with enough light.
Aquarium mode or not, it won't work unless the light is good enough.

See the photos I took last night from my sister fishtank.
http://s102.photobucket.com/albums/m116/tim11_2006/fishtank/?sc=1&addtype=local

Here is one.
Camera: F30
Exposure time: 0.019 s (1/52)
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO equiv.: 1600
Title: ?........... hmmm .... I don't like the way you look at me! :D
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m116/tim11_2006/fishtank/061014_13goldfish.jpg

That's SO AWESOME!!! I love it!!!

I've been doing much better with the camera lately. It's taking me a little while to get used to it.

I don't know how to post pictures on here, so I haven't. (I only know how to put little ones on.)

[John_Reed]

Great, bright goldfish shot! But I thought I'd just throw in another way of doing it, that can be done by cameras with lesser ISO capabilities than the F30. Here's a shot I took at the Monterey Bay Aquarium of a Jellyfish rising, at 1/4 second, ISO 200, with my old Panasonic FZ15:
http://John-Reed.smugmug.com/photos/32004518-L.jpg
Looks like a creature from outer space, or the Crab Nebula, or something like that? I basically pre-focused on the animal as it was rising, then, as I clicked the shutter, I followed its movements. Another example, again at 1/4 second:
http://John-Reed.smugmug.com/photos/32004295-L.jpg
Both of these examples use motion blur as an integral part of the photo, rather than demanding that the entire image be tack-sharp. The TZ1 baseball image that I posted earlier is another example of how motion blur can actually add to a photo, rather than being a detriment.

[LisaLGK]

Great, bright goldfish shot! But I thought I'd just throw in another way of doing it, that can be done by cameras with lesser ISO capabilities than the F30. Here's a shot I took at the Monterey Bay Aquarium of a Jellyfish rising, at 1/4 second, ISO 200, with my old Panasonic FZ15:
http://John-Reed.smugmug.com/photos/32004518-L.jpg
Looks like a creature from outer space, or the Crab Nebula, or something like that? I basically pre-focused on the animal as it was rising, then, as I clicked the shutter, I followed its movements. Another example, again at 1/4 second:
http://John-Reed.smugmug.com/photos/32004295-L.jpg
Both of these examples use motion blur as an integral part of the photo, rather than demanding that the entire image be tack-sharp. The TZ1 baseball image that I posted earlier is another example of how motion blur can actually add to a photo, rather than being a detriment.

Wow... you guys are AMAZING!!!! (sigh... will I ever get to this point?)

[tim11]

John,
That's awesome. You keep surprising me with your shots. I thought it would work but never try out. I doubt that technique works on jittery goldfish though.