Nikon camera settings and detailed user guide

[maxalmon]

Kinda off topic
One thing I've noticed is that if my vision changes just the slightest, it makes it almost impossible to capture good macro images as I always shoot in manual focus ....
Couple of months ago, I was having the hardest time getting good macro images, I had just went to the eyedoc a few months before and had a new contact lens Rx, so I figured it must be my camera or lens, had a friend come over and do some photography and his images using my camera were awesome. So I went back to the eyedoc and they did a recheck, sure enough, there was a minor change in my vision, so I had to get new contacts and that solved the problem...

 

[maxalmon]

f/stop settingsI'm going to break this down into a simple explanation related to marine macro photography and f/stops.
The lower the f/stop number, the more light the lens allows into the camera, or rather the aperature is "more open". If you use a lower f/stop, you will not have very good depth of field (everything in the background not in focus) A lower fstop also allows a faster shutter speed
A higher f/stop number means that the lens is not allowing a lot of light into the camera and you will have much better depth of field as the shutter speed is much longer....(camera has to leave the lens open much longer to capture the same amount of light) This longer exposure can cause image problems, while the shutter is open, the coal might move and this will cause blur.
I'm shooting in "A" mode, manual focus
Here is a series of images where I've gradually increased the f/stop setting, I'm including the camera settings so that you can get an idea of how my changing the f/stop, changed other settings as well. As I increase the f/stop setting you will notice how the entire ric starts to come into focus.
Lens: VR 105mm F/2.8 G
Focal Length: 105mm
Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority
Metering Mode: Multi-Pattern
1/60 sec - F/6.3
Notice how only the center of the ric is in focus

Lens: VR 105mm F/2.8 G
Focal Length: 105mm
Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority
Metering Mode: Multi-Pattern
1/13 sec - F/13
A larger area of the center is in focus, the outer fringes are still lacking details.

Lens: VR 105mm F/2.8 G
Focal Length: 105mm
Exposure Mode: Aperture Priority
Metering Mode: Multi-Pattern
1/4 sec - F/22
Now the entire ric is in focus due to the longer exposure.

I've highlighted the shutter speed and f/stop settings, notice how when you increase the f/stop (decreases amount of light allowed in) the shutter stays open longer
This ric is slightly tilted back, so the bottom of the ric is closer to me, notice in the first image, the bottom of the ric is totally blurry, in the last image, the bottom has very good details.

 

[stdreb27]

you mean microlens.
btw this is cool, as soon as I can find the mount to my tri-pod we can play along. The dang thing dissapeared the other day.
And you forgot, the D3, my current lust.

 

[stephenthefish]

very nice. now what about a canon section? haha jk

 

[maxalmon]

Originally Posted by stdreb27
http:///forum/post/2816566
you mean microlens.
btw this is cool, as soon as I can find the mount to my tri-pod we can play along. The dang thing dissapeared the other day.
And you forgot, the D3, my current lust.
The D3 is a sick camera.....I thought about it, then the otherhalf saw what I was thinking and smacked me with a stapler
sorry for not updating more info, I've been obsessing over upgrading my D40 to a D300 and then got the Ok to get the D700

I've only got 2 lens that will have issues, both are DX & won't utilize the FX sensor of the 700. They will still work, but not the best... My 105 G Macro will be fine, I'll just need to upgrade some of my glass. The e of bay has some great pricing by reputable vendors on the 700 and 300.....
Cool thing about the 300 and 700, is that you can use the LCD screen in "Live View" and then digitally zoom in, this way you can fine tune your macro shots as your not limited to just using the optical view finder.

 

[teresaq]

I want to tag along with this also. I have a kodak but hoping for a new nikon after the new yr.

 

[maxalmon]

Even though I'm using a Nikon, f/stop, depth of field, aperature, etc.... are universal with all cameras. Almost all the brands have modes like "A P M" and all this info will work on any camera...
I'll seriously try and finish the rest of the camera setting stuff tomorrow..

 

[oceanlover]

Thanks so much for taking the time to document all this. I have learned a LOT in just one reading but now I need to re-read it a few more times to keep it in my head. Tomorrow when the sun comes up in the aquarium, I will be there with my tri-pod and camera!

 

[maxalmon]

I think the most important part of learning to use a camera for marine photography is to start with a single subject and always use the same subject and keep doing this until you start to understand how the camera reacts. (this is how I was taught and what a huge difference it made)
Here are some basics of starting the learning curve, this one simple idea will really help you to understand how changing settings will affect the image
1)Pick out 1 coral in your tank and always use this particular coral.
2)Always shoot from the same distance and at the same horizontal level
3)Create a file with unique name and save all the images to this file so that you can review changes, also copy and past the camera settings to the image name, this way you can see the settings at a glance
4)Use the same lens until you master the camera settings.
5)ALWAYS USE A TRIPOD and timer release for the shutter or a remote.

 

[crimzy]

Thanks for the thread Max. As someone who enjoys taking pics of his tank, I will definitely refer to your suggestions periodically.
Do you have any suggestions on taking fish pictures? It's difficult because they are constantly swimming and most of my pics come out blurry.

 

[stdreb27]

Originally Posted by crimzy
http:///forum/post/2818940
Thanks for the thread Max. As someone who enjoys taking pics of his tank, I will definitely refer to your suggestions periodically.
Do you have any suggestions on taking fish pictures? It's difficult because they are constantly swimming and most of my pics come out blurry.
I set the shutter to manual, shoot at 1/125 sec or so, then stick it on a tripod. Focus in one spot and hope a fish swims by.

 

[stdreb27]

here are some pics of a candy cane. I set the shutter speed for a 1 second exposure, the f stop was 32. I got really good depth in this picture.

 

[maxalmon]

Looks good, nice depth on the image..
Do you have a "exposure compensation" if so(+), adjust it up so that the image is a little darker, this will help with the details as it's a little washed out.
I'm going to sharpen and darken your posting so that you will see the results of minor image tweeking.
I adjusted the brightness and cleaned it up a little

 

[maxalmon]

I'm about to go insane, my new D700 arrives tomorrow....I wasn't supposed to get new glass with the body, but I couldn't resist the tempatation, I'm very weak.
Got a new Sigma 24-70 Macro EX DG, awesome optics, I'm playing around with it right now, I'll post pics in a while.

 

[maxalmon]

Wow, this is really amazing. The optics on this new lens are incredible, just goes to show you that the lens is more important than the body.

 

[nrr15]

I got Nikon D80 the other day and was wondering if i used a 55mm lens with a 2.8 (shutter speed?) I m a camera Noob! Would i be able to get comparable picture quality moving closer to my target?

 

[maxalmon]

The 55mm lens is going to be really close in terms of how much of the subject is in frame so moving closer doensn't really have anything to do with the quality, just how big the image is in the final shot. I tend to not use anything less than a 100mm lens for macro shots.
For better depth of field, you would decrease the fstop to something like 22, this would give you all the details but would increase the time the shutter is open which could increase the amount of image blurr if the subject moves (water flow)
increase the fstop to 2.8 and you'll get the center of the subject in focus and the outer areas will be blurry and you'll have a faster exposure, good for xenia and stuff that move and you need to stop action the photo
make sense?

 

[zman1]

GREAT thread MAX

 

[nrr15]

thanks max i m going out to snap some shots of my tank with the lenses that came with with the d80. Unfortunately i had to move and i moved my tank to my employee's house for a more stable environment while im in transition to a new house so i have to travel 25min out of the way to go see it and or maintain, its a real pain in the butt