Fish photos?

drnoob

Senior Member
Hello all! I'm a noob at all of this lol! I got my first dslr camera (d3200) the other day and I love it! I bought this camera so I could get close up colorful pictures of my African cichlids (fish) in their tank! But the are not coming out like I would like :( I wanted a close up vivid color photo with a darker blurry back ground so the fish really stands out! So any suggestions would greatly be appreciated! Thanks :)
Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2
 

Eye-level

Banned
Burst mode...put camera on tripod and set up right against the glass or at an angle to the glass...leave camera there so fish get used to it.

​Aquarium photography is very difficult to do well.
 

nikonpup

Senior Member
photos from cabelas fish cave I needed a higher shutter speed
sea to vac 035.JPG
sea to vac 036.JPG
 

drnoob

Senior Member
It's really hard to focus on the little ones in the last pic!

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2
 

Attachments

  • uploadfromtaptalk1367798675318.jpg
    uploadfromtaptalk1367798675318.jpg
    59.4 KB · Views: 600
  • uploadfromtaptalk1367798687526.jpg
    uploadfromtaptalk1367798687526.jpg
    46.9 KB · Views: 740
  • uploadfromtaptalk1367798703793.jpg
    uploadfromtaptalk1367798703793.jpg
    41.8 KB · Views: 222
  • uploadfromtaptalk1367798715042.jpg
    uploadfromtaptalk1367798715042.jpg
    48.9 KB · Views: 235
  • uploadfromtaptalk1367798732732.jpg
    uploadfromtaptalk1367798732732.jpg
    34.8 KB · Views: 242
It's really hard to focus on the little ones in the last pic!

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

They all look like they are just slightly out of focus. What lens are you using and what shutter speed? Post the Details of one of the pictures. Thaty will help us zero in on the problems.
 

Phillydog1958

Senior Member
Fish are my other hobby. There is another forum that I subscribe to called, monsterfishkeepers.com
They have many aquarium hobbyist who post photos of their fish, as you have done. I suggest you go to the site and check out their photography lounge, where you will see many photos that are posted by hobbyist, rather than photos taken in a public aquarium. They also have a video lounge. Also, many are taken with DSLR's. The secret to taking great fish photos is to place an off-camera flash on top of your tank and illuminate it from the top, through your glass top.
 
Last edited:

Eye-level

Banned
Definitely need stronger light...

BTW that many lake fish in one tank soon you are going to have a war and it ain't going to be pretty...
 
Last edited:

drnoob

Senior Member
They are all adults and get along great! I've been in the hobby for a while now! I am using the stock kit lens all the way zoomed in?

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2
 

drnoob

Senior Member
This is the info on the second photo

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2
 

Attachments

  • uploadfromtaptalk1367800773263.jpg
    uploadfromtaptalk1367800773263.jpg
    57.6 KB · Views: 155

Eye-level

Banned
White balance and ISO is the key to getting different results. I'd back off 55mm to about 35 or 40 too if I were you.

​How old are the fish? How big is the tank? :)
 
Last edited:

drnoob

Senior Member
1 1/2 years old give or take! 75 gallon tank with crazy filtration! 120 lbs of rocks for them to hide in! Can you guess what two breeds those are?

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2
 

Phillydog1958

Senior Member
I don't keep Africans, but I'd guess that the striped is a tilapia. I'm probably wrong. I keep Florida Gar, Bichers, a Rope Fish, Tire Track Eel and a few other odd ball species.
 

Eye-level

Banned
75 gallons is what is probably keeping them at peace then...

I am a SA cichlid man myself but it looks like some Labs maybe Eduardis maybe zebras or peacocks...
 

Eye-level

Banned
Try setting your camera at M...shutter speed 100...Auto white balance...ISO 1600...aperture as wide as she'll go then see what you come up with. Turn off the flash and put some type of overhead spotlight, flashlight, something on them.

Someone else will have to help you with the focus settings because I only MF...perhaps continuous AF mode is what you'd need that way it tracks the object (fish)
 
Last edited:

Eye-level

Banned
I haven't had any aquarium fish in about 3 years now but I have kept them all of my life. This year when the sunfish spawn I am going to set up a single specimen tank and put a Lepomis Megalotis in it that I will catch here on the farm...then I will be getting into some fish photography!
 
Last edited:
Top