MoJo's pictures

[jiggerpolebill]

mojo(and all you other photographers) - i know most of you use digital cameras for your pictures, but i dont have a digital camera. what other types of cameras, lenses and film speeds does everybody use to get those great up close shots? i have an older minolta(x-70 i think?) and a couple of lenses. no macros, but the "smallest" lens i have i believe is a 50mm. ill have to dig it out and get some exact specs. thanks for any ideas on photographing my fish.

 

[MoJo]

Get some exact specs. You are going to have a tough time getting close up with a 50mm lens. That's the bad news. The good news is that you can buy attachments for that lens to enable you to zoom in closer. Still, it is not going to be as good as a macro lens. Lens come in different speeds. The lower the number 1.8, 2.2, etc the faster the lens. The trade off is it's depth of field when focusing...very important when you are taking photos of something a couple inches and moving.

FIlm speeds are all over the board and have come leaps and strides over the years. I would start with and more than likely stay with an ASA 400 speed film. There are others that are faster. I use the flash with 99% of the photos I take. 400 is fast enough.

I will occasionally use my Minolta AE1. I also have a Nikon SLR camera and a Hassleblad which produces big negatives....but is a pain to use.

 

[kev82]

Mojo, don't you think the flash messes up the fishes colors?

That's the main trouble when i'm photographing my fish because the colors get so weird and not true to life when I use the flash...

What iso speeds/white balance etc do you use most often?

 

[MoJo]

If you are using film and not digital it's the film that messes up the colors. There is both daylight and then tungsten film. If you used the wrong film under different lights it will add either an orange or a blue cast to the picture. The flash simulates a daylight condition. I almost exclusively digital now. however wehn I do use film it is ASA 400. I prefer Fugi film rather than Kodak. Personal preference.

Sometimes the color of fish will be off becasue of the relfective light coming off the background (blue background...blue cast) and reflecting back of the irredescent scales. Adjusting your position properly would be key in this instance.

I haven't had the need to white balance the digital camera, but I know it is possible. So the answer to that question is nada. Haven't done it.

 

[kev82]

I also only use digital, but I am somewhat overwhelmed by the options I have on white balance, shutter speeds etc etc...
My camera is a canon s40, 4mp.
I sometimes manage to grab good pictures though:

Here's the fullsize version

 

[MoJo]

Take a look at the greens in the tank. There is a yellowish cast...same as the background color. My assumption would be the reflective light. Don't worry about the white balance. In some weays the cameras are smarter than we are. Nice looking photo. Very crisp. Good luck.

 

[kev82]

oh, btw... The wall behind the tank is yellow, the water isn't