Aquarium Photography Set-Up

[Physicsboy]

Let me understand this properly...

Ideal way to start set-up for aquarium fish photography...

I have a Canon Digital Rebel XT. I have a 380EX flash that I would put on top of the camera...(50mm 1.8 lens, or one of my zoom...have 28-200, 28-135, and a 70-200). The 28-200 is an off-brand (Promaster), and the rest are Canons...28-135 has IS...the 70-200 is an L series lens. Which lens?

Aside, do I mount on a tripod.?

People use their weaker flash (as slave) directly above the tank (glass, or what have you)...towards the front, over the fish? You have this shoot straight down...optimze from there, or have it shoot somewhat towards the back?

Diffuser? on the slave? I don't know if I have one of these? This just separates the light...sending in more directions?

I tend to shoot directly at the fish, as a slightly downward angle...usally the best luck...and I have the regular flash shooting directly at the fish.

Oh yeah, if I use a longer focal length lens...do you overmatch the shutter speed to focal lenght (ie. 135mm lens, then ~ 1/125 or faster shutter speed? I haven't shot w/ a slave yet (have some equipment where I could). I've currently used like 6 bulbs (40W) on top of tank...and have the 380EX on the camera...straight at tank (no diffuser). I have 1.8 apeture (little depth of field)...50mm lens...like 1/80s shutter speed...exposure is fine. Taking the apeture # up...and my pictures are underexposed...slave will help that much? Almost forgot...ISO have been shooting at is 200. I believe a higher apeture # is the way to go...where do I compensate, or how do I get the right amount of light?

Any suggestions to optimize the set-up...or comments about.

[Ibn]

Out of that list of lenses, the 50 1.8 would be your best bet (especially if you're shooting fish such as the one in your avatar).

Certain items that I would take a look at is:
1) ST-E2 controller to remotely trigger the flash w/out cords.
2) Dedicated macro lens. The 50 and the others can still take decent pictures, but the ones coming off a macro lens is much more detailed.

Overhead flash is definitely the way to go. The amount of light outputted from a flash is much stronger than aquarium lighting and will allow you to stop down beyond what you're capable of just using aquarium lighting. With the flash, you can easily stop down to f/16. Also, shooting using this method, you won't need a tripod. You can easily get the necessary shutter speed to stop movement as long as you practice proper technique.

[alanhill]

I agree with Eric about the basics. I wouldn't recommend a tripod in most circumstances. The flash above the tank should be at least as bright as the one on your camera and I think it should be near the front of the cover glass angled slightly towards the back of the tank, so that the light is slanting a little away from the camera. If I use on-camera flash I diffuse it quite considerably, so that it is weaker than the flash above the tank and will not produce harsh shadows behind and below the fish. The brightness of the flashes should determine the aperture; the shutter speed doesn't really matter - so long as it is synchronised with your flashguns.
Good luck - please show us your results.

Alan

[Physicsboy]

Thanks for the feedback...

So, have the more powerful flash on the aquarium (slave)? I have a 380EX, and my other one is some offbrand?

Aside, I have two slaves. One is one that has cords that attach to it...the other is some silver thing...small, and attaches to the bottom of a flash? Is the silver one a ST-E2?

Also, dedicated macro? I thought my 50mm lens was a macro lens? Explanation?
Thanks.

[paradise]

wow, 380ex? That is an old model :) from my research, it does not work as a slave at all, wont trigger.

STE2 is a wireless controller, sits on the camera flash hot shoe and triggers COMPATIBLE flashes wirelessly using the "slave" setting. It's NOT a flash.

50mm 1.8 is NOT a macro lens. It's a great inexpnsive lens that most of us started with, but you will eventually want to get into something like the Canon 100mm macro, Canon 60mm macro, or the Tamron/Sigma 90/105 macros.

[Physicsboy]

wow, 380ex? That is an old model :) from my research, it does not work as a slave at all, wont trigger.

STE2 is a wireless controller, sits on the camera flash hot shoe and triggers COMPATIBLE flashes wirelessly using the "slave" setting. It's NOT a flash.

50mm 1.8 is NOT a macro lens. It's a great inexpnsive lens that most of us started with, but you will eventually want to get into something like the Canon 100mm macro, Canon 60mm macro, or the Tamron/Sigma 90/105 macros.

I don't remember when my wife bought it, but it was probably around 2001. I know she paid over $300 for it at the time. She was taken, but we were in a bind...were actually doing a wedding shoot for a friend. A site w/ some information on it...

http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=136&sort=7&thecat=30

So, the STE2 works wirelessly...aka Infared (rather than visible light)? I'll have to look into it...would have to buy it and another flash for it to work. I have two slaves...regular plane jane ones I talked about. So, using them in the interim (they should work right...just put the flash attached to the slave...and I think they work??).

So, you would recommend the more powerful flash on top of the tank? The weaker one on the camera hot shoe?

Lastly, out of those lenses you suggested, which would you buy if you could have only 1...them all being the same price? I kind of wish I would have applied my money better on my last purchase. I got the 28-135 IS lens...it's nice, but the $500 could have been put into something else. I will likely always use the 70-200 f/4L. I have a Promaster 28-200mm too...I believe it is respectable optically, or so from what I remember...wasn't cheap glass (anybody know much about it? I will have to pull out some of my older pop. photo. mags). Anyway, I appreciate everything.

[paradise]

Here is the info on the STE2:
http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=137&sort=7&cat=all&page=6

As far as lenses, what are you looking for, aquatic photography, or general? It really depends. For aquatic, nothing NOTHING beats dedicated prime Macro lenses, like the 60mm or 100mm Canon, or the 90/105 sigma/tamron versions.

I have not played with slaves, so I can't really help you there. With a true ETTL wireless setup using STE2 controller, you put your flash on top of the tank looking down (simulating natural sunlight), set it on "slave mode". Then you put the ste2 on the camera, and shoot. That simple.

[alanhill]

A slave flash is one which fires when it is triggered by the flash attached to the camera. It is a wireless alternative to the old synchronisation cords. I used to have a slave unit with a photocell and a hotshoe that you fitted a flashgun into (any flashgun would do). This works fine, but you have no control over the exposure. When I started out it was a mixture of guesswork and experience - so successful shots were rare. *strokes long white beard*
If you go down this route, at least a digital camera lets you do test shots quickly - so that you can make any adjustments required immediately.
Advanced film and digital slr cameras have used TTL flash systems for many years now. Basically the camera tells the flashguns when to fire and when to turn off. Once again the signals may be passed down wires or sent wirelessly. The advantage is that the camera adjusts the flash output to get the correct exposure. It works well - but you do need the right kit, which can be expensive, and you also have to make sense of the instruction manuals, which I find a great trial :-(

Alan

[Seven]

I have a 350D, the canon macro, an STE-2 and a tripod, do I need another flash or is there a sensible way I could use this to get sharp, clear, vibrant pictures of anything from corries to angels.

I also have one of thos off camera brackets too.

thanks

other lenses include the canon eos 50 1.8 and the Tamron AF28-300MM F/3.5-6.3 XR Di and lastly the kit lens

[Ibn]

You need a flash. The ST-E2 without a flash is basically useless. Once you get the flash, use the canon macro (which one?) on your 350D. The ST-E2 will trigger the flash remotely without wires.

Don't need to worry about the bracket or the tripod with such a setup.

[Seven]

LOL so sorry, I have the 580ex as a single flash I dont have a second flash.

OK I think I must be doing something wrong, I cant seem to get shutter speed fast enough to eliminate blurring on many pics without tripod.