Tank Pics - nikon D80

[mkzimms]

My father finally let me get my hands on his camera and tripod. I spent some time this weekend taking pictures. I normally use a sony DSC-W80 on macro holding the camera with fairly good results so I was very excited about using some "real" equipment.
These are taken with a nikon D80 DSLR using either a nikkor 50mm f/1.8D or a nikkor 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S DX Zoom depending on where in the tank I needed to focus. I'm also using a tripod and a remote shutter release. Some are taken with no lights, some with full lights, some with flash and any combination in between.
Tank is my 40G breeder w/ 20G long sump/fuge, 8x39W T5HO (312w total), 3 maxi-jet 1200s on a redsea wavemaker, 70lbs of a mix between premium fiji, marshall island and tonga LR and 40lbs of sand in the DT with another 10 in the sump. Its been up for about 9 months now and is a mixed reef with everything from softies to sps. Right now i only have my false perc, a cleaner and pepermint shrimp in there. I recently lost a sixline to suicide and a firefish to ich, so Ill be restocking some more fish as soon as my QT is setup again.

 

[mkzimms]

 

[mkzimms]

I have many more to come as soon as i get them uploaded. I figured id let these simmer for a bit to get some comments.

 

[kaingers]

Very nice pics. Is your lighting retrofitted? What is your bulb configuration? I love the color, great looking tank!

 

[mkzimms]

Originally Posted by kaingers
http:///forum/post/2927318
Very nice pics. Is your lighting retrofitted? What is your bulb configuration? I love the color, great looking tank!
Thank you! The lighting is not retro, im running two nova extremes. Bulb setup is
Back:
10k Daylight
ATI True Actinic
ATI Pro-Color
ATI Aquablue Special
Front:
Aqua-Z Ocean Pro
ATI Blue +
ATI True Actinic
ATI Aquablue Special

 

[briand7878]

Those are some great shots. I bet you could crop and zoom the full image and make some killer close ups with high detail. Find the specific spot you want on a certain piece, mess with the f stop etc.

 

[spanko]

Good job. Tank is looking very nice.

 

[michelleolds]

LOVE your zoos!

 

[jackri]

Can't wait till I get home to view these (can't see them at work).
Is it a macro lens your using?
I have the Nikon D40 -- love it.. and been thinking about getting the macro lens (like 700 bucks) to go with the other 2 lenses we have.

 

[morval]

nice shots! i just ordered a remote for my d-60 i cant wait for it to get here so i can take some pics without having blur in them

 

[mkzimms]

Originally Posted by jackri
http:///forum/post/2928029
Can't wait till I get home to view these (can't see them at work).
Is it a macro lens your using?
I have the Nikon D40 -- love it.. and been thinking about getting the macro lens (like 700 bucks) to go with the other 2 lenses we have.
No macro, either a nikkor 50mm f/1.8D or a nikkor 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S DX Zoom. I would assume the 50mm takes just as good pictures as a macro lens when the subject is at the front of the tank. The pictures are very crisp. I think using a macro you will have a hard time focusing deeply in the tank and will require either a viewing box or good placement of the subjects. From what im reading, most professional fish / coral photographers use special tanks that are very shallow front to back (less than 6 inches) to keep the subjects up close.
The only problem i've found with the 50mm which i'm sure you'll run into with a macro is that if the glass isn't perfectly clean (and i mean perfectly spotless clean), it will have a hard time focusing past the glass. However, i have some great shots of coraline specs and salt creep.
Originally Posted by morval
http:///forum/post/2928169
nice shots! i just ordered a remote for my d-60 i cant wait for it to get here so i can take some pics without having blur in them
The remote shutter release is certainly worth it. I found it more useful for being able to stand away from behind the camera so i didn't end up in the reflection on the back glass than removing any camera shake. While on the tripod the camera was rock solid using the manual or remote shutter release, so i didn't notice a difference.

 

[adee]

beautiful shots!!! i never thought of gettign out my tripod, ill have to do that once i have some nicer livestock lol!

 

[redsea]

awesome tank!!! great work!

 

[funkysean5]

Great shots!

 

[dingus890]

Sorry for the major bump. WOW What a beautiful tank! I was looking through the thread when you were starting this tank, and wondered how it turned out.
Stunning!
How did you get some much corraline alage in such a short ammount of time?I have had a reef tank for over a year too and don't have a third of what you have.