Taking pics of fish - Aquarium Advice

**meegosh** · 10-04-2006, 04:55 PM

Hey everyone

I just got a 10 gallon tank and I have a Fuji Film E510 digital camera. It takes magnificant photographs normally but I cannot seem to find a setting to take good pictures of a fish tank/fish.

I turn the flash off with the hood light on and I can't seem to get it to focus. I turn the flash on and I get terrible reflection. How do you guys get your amazing close up shots of your fish? Are the fish just really still or are you using a fast F stop?

I'm kind of confused, I tried using it with manual shutter and it made some really cool trails with the fishies and bubbles but not quite what I want.

Thanks in advance!

WaterPond · 10-04-2006, 04:57 PM

wait till it is dark, get rid of all things that give off light except the fish tank lights. Then take the pic, that should work.

newfound77951 · 10-04-2006, 05:18 PM

I find that I need the flash otherwise the fish don't sit still long enough. Turn all the room lights off, make sure the aquarium class is very clean inside and out (very important!). What I do is use the flash but point the camera slightly down towards the substrate. That way the flash doesn't bounce off the back glass and create that awful glare. If your camera has a macro setting (on dig cameras it's usually a little flower symbol) try using that, it'll let you focus up close.

To get the really fantastic close-up fish shots you need a fancier camera with a tripod, probably an external and/or moveable flash or two. With whatever camera, though, the biggest thing is to be patient, try different settings and take LOTS and LOTS of pictures!

JRagg · 10-04-2006, 06:18 PM

Good advice here. I've found my best shots come from no flash with the macro function turned on. It's really hard to get a shot to come out perfect every time, so I end up taking 20+ shots and get about 2 that are decent.

Good luck.

WaterPond · 10-04-2006, 07:46 PM

i have a crappy camera that only works if i use flash or else the pictures turn out blurry. Flash can be used, but i angle my camera so the flash isnt hitting the tank head on. I always take pics from the side.

Apocalypse_Gold · 10-04-2006, 10:50 PM

Clean the front glass (inside and out). My camera kept focusing on that instead of the fish.

mr funktastic · 10-04-2006, 10:57 PM

clean glass and stabilty is the key. i always use just tank lights and no flash. use the macro. and set the camera against the glass. this will keep it stable make it easier to get the fish. if u have a burst mode that helps aswell. it takes like 10 pics in a row. i can take 100+ picks and only come out with 10 i like.

Devilishturtles · 10-05-2006, 05:43 AM

Just want to echo the macro function and setting a higher shutter speed. Always worked for me. I don't use flash either.

Menagerie · 10-05-2006, 09:20 AM

Welcome to AA, meegosh!

~moving to the photo/show off forum~
You will find lots of help in this forum!

**meegosh** · 10-05-2006, 09:30 AM

Haha, thought I was going crazy... I couldn't find my post! Thanks for moving it and thanks to everyone who replied. I will have to check the macro function when I get back home. I found that, like suggested, cleaning the front glass and aiming down to avoid the back glare is a good idea. It is true, I snapped 53 photos with her 1gb card and I only have 4 I really like. I will post them once I get some better ones.

Thanks for the warm welcome, I'll have to show off my two zebra danios!