[zhenya]

Hey Mike,

Have you thought about writing a short tutorial on how to take pix while tank is lit by actinic bulbs only? Corals fluoresce so nicely and it would be great to have images of it but I struggle mightily with such photography and had tried different lenses and setting to no avail.
Here's what I mean...as you see in the pix all the highlights are blown rather badly and I am not sure what to do exactly.

[Reefland]

Struggle, what do you mean struggle?

[BubbaWPB]

Those are probably the best pics I've seen under actinic.... but I know what you mean, the pictures do not come close to catching the fluorescense and brightness of colors. It probably has to do with the element in the camera not "seeing" the exact spectra of lights that we do....

[zhenya]

Originally Posted by Reefland

Struggle, what do you mean struggle?

Well, if you look closely, Scott, you can see that the greens look like a green blurr and I just wonder if it;s my camera or my skills. I've taken some actinic shots with my old camera and a kit lens and they came out pretty darn good, if you consider the equipment.
Take a look at this pictures...

[zhenya]

Originally Posted by BubbaWPB

Those are probably the best pics I've seen under actinic.... but I know what you mean, the pictures do not come close to catching the fluorescense and brightness of colors. It probably has to do with the element in the camera not "seeing" the exact spectra of lights that we do....

Bubba,

I was thinking the same thing and hence wondered if it may be some sort of setting issue or just a bad copy as far as camera goes...

[Poseidon]

It is funny that you posted this Gene, I have been wanting to write a how to on this very subject. Actually I was going to use it as part of a What is White Balance post.

Hopefully I can do that this weekend! I have been VERY busy with wedding clients, baby pictures and SPORTS! (I have the 1D2N now, and I can't seem to put it down!)

[zhenya]

Originally Posted by Poseidon

I have the 1D2N now, and I can't seem to put it down!

Well, darn it, it's about time you told us.

[Poseidon]

Originally Posted by zhenya

Well, darn it, it's about time you told us.

It came in late Tuesday night, and I went to the FIRST sports I could after. It was a freshman boys basketball game. I took over 400 pictures, and maybe 40 were out of focus. This is down from the 50-60% that came back OOF using the 20D! I had a HARD time picking the best, since I had to actually choose between pictures that are ALL in focus.

Tonight, I am going to a swimming meet, so we shall see how it does there! I'll post a quick pick of me and my new toy when I get back.

Now I have to add something else to my wishlist, maybe the new 85 1.2L II? Nah, @ $2100 that is an AWFUL lot for a portrait lens!

Gene have you read the specs on the new 30D yet? I know you just bought the XT, but you can never have to many cameras right?

[zhenya]

Mike,

I bet you are now looking how to quit your day(night) job so you can have more time to spend holding that new camera in your hands...

BTW, I agree on that 85mm lens, waay too much money for a single use lens. If anything, 135mm f2.0 will do just as well on a portrait shoot at less than half the cost. I mean I know it has huge aperture and perfect focal lens for a portrait lens but come on...what is Canon thinking? Oh, wait, I know... they think we all made out of money.

You know, I haven't looked at that 30D yet and I'm not sure I want to... it will probably tick me off for rushing things and getting that 350D. I'm kind of disappointed with it;s performance so far. I mean it gave me more speed and bigger resolution but it also gave me a lousy auto WB. Maybe I'm just not lucky and got the bad copy?

PS. Mike, have you seen that new 17-55 EF-S f2.8 IS lens? For almost 1200 bux?

[jasutton]

Gene,
Try grabbing a grey card and white balancing off of that before you take a shot and then locking the WB. That may help. Also it could help witht the blown highlights and alter your exposure. What has helped for me though is this: My camera (D70) is pretty good at reading the exposure levels in most situations. But for me to maintain my highlights in the high contrasty areas (like the one you have in the first picture at the bottom of the coral) i usually have to compensate with down 2 stops...that helps and i can correct the dark areas in PS using levels...just offering what i do.

I have an article at home from a Nature that gives a pretty good tutorial/algorithm on exposure compensations. If it would be helpful i could type a breif quick summary of the good points this weekend. I have time this weekend off. Other than study i dont know what i will do with myself :/

let me know

jamie

[zhenya]

Thanks, Jamie.

If you think it may help I'm open for any and all suggestions, etc. I'm going to try to underexpose next time I shoot with actinics and see if it helps.

I ordered expo disk for one of my filter sizes and try setting WB with that as well. I hope I can solve this riddle soon enough.
Here's an image I want to leave this thread with, hopefully it will make you think before getting a clownfish...

[Reefland]

Oh he looks so nice and cuddly Gene.

[Poseidon]

That's a GREAT expression Gene!

I'm off to the POOL! Wish me luck!

[jasutton]

Nice...i will type out that article. It was aimed for nature photography in snow with dark trees etc...but i think that it can apply here

your Drebel is a nice camera really, try bracket exposure and even bracket WB the benefit of taking these shots at home is you have virtually unlimited memory as you can dump them on your computer. You may be surprised to see what a bracketed WB can do. and it takes three shots with one snap! i love it. I use it with all my important shots...just in case.

and the bracket esposure is good too. see what that does, it may save you some headaches.


I LOVE THE CLOWN SHOT!! But it did the oppositte of what you wanted...my girl friend saw it and now wants one... :/ my tank is currently a hospital tank so i havent even bothered trying to take pics. And i have to clean my CCD and i am loathing it. I dont really have the time.

I hope gthe WB bracketing helps it would make life so much easier!

jamie

[charlie]

Gene, I am sure that the clownfish is putting some type of hex on all of us, sometimes I wonder what they are actually thinking!!

Mike, get out of the darn pool and show us some reef shots with the new toy!!!!! Congrats!!

I am gonna hang around here on this one, I can't take actinic pics either. I think I got some last weekend, but I'll have to go in search of....................................
Any, and I mean any advice will be good!!!!

[dragonladylea]

Mike,
I thought you would appreciate the subject in this one. With my low-end camera this was the best I could get. Would love to see one of the Mother colony under atinics done by a pro. Hint! Hint!

[charlie]

Originally Posted by dragonladylea

Mike,
I thought you would appreciate the subject in this one. With my low-end camera this was the best I could get. Would love to see one of the Mother colony under atinics done by a pro. Hint! Hint!

You wouldn't be suggesting that Mike should get his butt over there with his NEW CAMERA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Poseidon]

No Charlie, she is suggesting I take a picture of what that frag came from! Tracey acquired that piece from me! Well through a LFS anyway!

OKAY OKAY! When the lights go out I will take some actinic pics! If the wife lets me!

[dragonladylea]

Charlie - get your mind out of the sump!!

[Poseidon]

Why Tracey!!!???

LOL That might be fun!