taking pictures of my tank

[hwynboy]

I have a great digital camera...a ear ago it was the best thing out there, so I know it's not the technology...how do you guys take pics of your tank up close of stuff in it? I keep taking them but they are blurry or too dark or mostly just not clear enough...my digital camera is 4 megapixels...I can see someone's nosehairs across the street with this thing, but I can't take a picture of this in my tank. I don't know if it is Aiptasia it is all over my LR and its a light green color...there looks to be a lot of it all over. is this aiptasia or just algae? or can you not tell without a pic? help!

[perculaclownguy]

Hello fellow wisconsinite!

Does your camera have a "macro" feature. That would allow you to get really close up. I just bought a new digital camera with this feature and I can focus in on things only 3 inches away. without it i am stuck futher back at 1 1/2 feet. It just sounds like the blurriness is coming from that. The darkness is just lack of light but could be alot of other factors.
If you camer a doesn't have a macro feature you can try this although I am not sure how well it will work....

Go to a camera shop and buy a closeup lens ( 3x Magnification) if you can get a holder for it that will fit your camera buy it. or rig something up to hold the lens up against your camera's lens. Now you may be able to get closer but you will also need to step up the light since the magnification lens will cut out some of the intensity.

I hope this helps.

[hwynboy]

Thanks for the help I'll go check out the manual it has like 10 different settings....though AUTO seems to be the best one for my everyday uses...lol. I'll go see Im pretty sure it would.
again thanks.

[Conky]

If it's an SLR style digital, make sure you use manual focus. Also, using a tripod is key for low light/long exposure situations.

Hope that helps.

[yoderconsult]

I just cannot get a good enough picture to show you what I have growing in the tank. I guess that I need a closeup lenses.

Thanks

Ron

[madmike]

You absolutely need 3 things...a tripod, a tripod, oh, and a tripod. Even a cheap 25 dollar tripod did wonders for taking macro pictures. I never thought my hands shook all to much, but my pics did!
Mike

[hwynboy]

Interesting thanks for the info I will try a tripod first then go from there.

[Toutouche]

I agree about the Tripod.. absolutely crucial for macro pics. Also, not all macro modes are created equal. Some model cameras have a much better macro mode than others, at least IMO.