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Thread: Is macro lens compulsory for aquarium shooting?

  1. #1
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    need some advice cause currently i'm using a vivitar 28-210mm f3.6-5.2 lense to take pictures of my fish but they always turn out blur and i cant

    even focus on anything inside the tank. so i was wondering if its due to the light or is it the lens?

    by the way when i cant even focus on anything means that everything is a blur. cant even see my fishes, worst than a compact camera. first timer too!
    Last edited by Wackytpt; 16th Apr 2008 at 22:47.

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    it probably means you are too near to the tank for your particular lens. check the minimum focusing distance for it.
    why I don't do garden hybrids and aquarium strains: natural species is a history of Nature, while hybrids are just the whims of Man.
    hexazona · crumenatum · Galleria Botanica

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    actually i'm not too sure of the focusing distance calculation. please advice thanks.

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    its not a calculation, its a feature of your lens. put it to manual, turn the focus ring all the way to minimum, then move your camera towards a subject (ANY subject, don't have to be in the tank) until the subject is sharp in the viewfinder. that distance from your lens tip to the subject is your minimum working distance. anything nearer than that your lens will not be able to focus.
    why I don't do garden hybrids and aquarium strains: natural species is a history of Nature, while hybrids are just the whims of Man.
    hexazona · crumenatum · Galleria Botanica

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    Quote Originally Posted by Simon View Post
    check out Andreas shot using a 50mm f1.8

    http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ad.php?t=38063

    but he shot using a close up lens right? so effectively its a macro lens already?

    wow seems like my minimum working distance is quite far away. guess i'll need to get a close up lens. but just checked out the price. a whooping 200 over for a 500D i'm

    still in ns guess i'll need some time to save money!

    anyone know if i should get a sigma macro 70-200mm lens(given my budget) or is it better to get a close up lens?
    Last edited by Wackytpt; 16th Apr 2008 at 22:48.

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    The sigma will be just the same; these so-called 'macro' zooms have huge minimal focus distances. Am curious what camera body you use with the Vivitar? Maybe can consider something like the Tamron 90mm macro?

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    also those "macro" zooms are at best 1:2 i.e. half size.
    why I don't do garden hybrids and aquarium strains: natural species is a history of Nature, while hybrids are just the whims of Man.
    hexazona · crumenatum · Galleria Botanica

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    riltz,
    depending on what fish you plan to shoot. If you plan to shoot small fishes than you would need a macro lens, not a zoom lens with macro. A macro lens allows you to get real close, maybe 2-3 inches from the subject.
    There are alternatives to buying a dedicated macro lens if budget is of concern, a 50mm lens with extension tube would be a good idea.
    ******
    Richard
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    Canon 20D 100mm Macro EF-S 18-55mm EF-S 55-250mm EF-400mm f5.6 Speedlite 550EX 2x420EX ST-E2
    http://www.trident.smugmug.com/

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    right now i'm using a canon eos888 slr. still learning how to operate slr properly. i'll be using it to shoot my aga manicore caca triple red and my bro's crs. whats the

    cheapest alternative to a macro lens? please advice looking at a budget of under 200 at best.
    Last edited by Wackytpt; 16th Apr 2008 at 22:50. Reason: spelling

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    Quote Originally Posted by trident View Post
    A macro lens allows you to get real close, maybe 2-3 inches from the subject.
    actually it doesn't matter how close you get, its the magnification that counts. because how you close you are only tell part of the story, you have to factor in the focal length of the lens before it becomes meaningful.

    Quote Originally Posted by riltz View Post
    right now i'm using a canon eos888 slr. still learning how to operate slr properly. i'll be using it to shoot my aga manicore caca triple red and my bro's crs. whats the

    cheapest alternative to a macro lens? pls advice looking at a budget of under 200 at best.
    one way is reverse macro, using a 50mm lens reversed onto the lens mount using an adaptor ring.
    Last edited by Wackytpt; 16th Apr 2008 at 22:50.
    why I don't do garden hybrids and aquarium strains: natural species is a history of Nature, while hybrids are just the whims of Man.
    hexazona · crumenatum · Galleria Botanica

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    Quote Originally Posted by hwchoy View Post
    one way is reverse macro, using a 50mm lens reversed onto the lens mount using an adaptor ring.
    Probably you can only take shrimps and snails with it...
    Cheers and Regards,
    Billy Cheong

    I'm not always dumb,
    Just most of the time...

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    Quote Originally Posted by riltz View Post
    but he shot using a close up lens right? so effectively its a macro lens already?

    wow seems like my minimum working distance is quite far away. guess i'll need to get a close up lens. but just checked out the price. a whooping 200 over for a 500D i'm

    still in ns guess i'll need some time to save money!

    anyone know if i should get a sigma macro 70-200mm lens(given my budget) or is it better to get a close up lens?
    Andreas use a cheap 50mm f1.8 + canon closeup filter 250D

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    here is what a reverse mounted 50mm 1.4 can do on a PnS..

    This is taken of the centre of a small daisy flower...

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    you reverse it on your G6? I tried it on the 20D and it gives a little less than 1:1 so it wasn't so useful.
    why I don't do garden hybrids and aquarium strains: natural species is a history of Nature, while hybrids are just the whims of Man.
    hexazona · crumenatum · Galleria Botanica

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    Ya la.. then still got what... this is advantage of small sensor what..kekeke...

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    shucks my reverse ring is 52mm while my g5 adaptor is 58mm!
    why I don't do garden hybrids and aquarium strains: natural species is a history of Nature, while hybrids are just the whims of Man.
    hexazona · crumenatum · Galleria Botanica

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    i used double male/ double female adaptors..

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    oh wait, cannot my adaptor is actually an EOS/52mm mount.
    why I don't do garden hybrids and aquarium strains: natural species is a history of Nature, while hybrids are just the whims of Man.
    hexazona · crumenatum · Galleria Botanica

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